Step 1: Serve as a Page
A boy destined for knighthood left home when he was seven to become a page in a great lord’s castle, where he worked as a servant for the lord, learned courtly manners, and received a basic education from the castle priest. Life wasn’t all chores and studying. The page wrestled with other pages and wielded practice weapons. Pages even rode piggyback to master the balance skills needed to fight from horseback.
Step 2: Squire for a Knight
Once he turned 14, a page became a squire for a knight. He learned about armor by cleaning his master’s suit and helping him dress for battle. He practiced fighting with swords, shields, and other medieval weaponry. Most important of all, he learned to attack from the saddle of a huge warhorse – the type of mounted combat knights were famous for. Sometimes, squires followed their knights to war and fought in real battles.
Step 3: Get “Knighted”
By the time he turned 21, a squire was tough enough, skilled enough, and gentlemanly enough for knighthood. All that was left was his dubbing ceremony. After taking a bath and praying through the night, he knelt before his lord or the knight who trained him. This man then delivered a punch to the squire’s cheek – in some cases with enough force to knock the would-be knight to the ground – to help him remember his oath. This blow later evolved into a friendlier sword tap on the shoulders. The newly dubbed knight was given the title “Sir” before his name and could seek service at a lord’s castle.
Picture Credit : Google
