1270-1305 CE), a Scottish knight and national hero who fought for his country’s independence from England.
Over the top, a sleeveless surcoat was worn, which allowed the knight to show off his family colours or coat of arms.Ī statue of Sir William Wallace (c.
#When did medieval europe knights start wearing chainmail full
A full suit of mail could weigh up to 13.5 kilograms (30 pounds). A hooded coat, trousers, gloves, and shoes could all be made from mail and so cover the entire body of the knight except the face. A proficiency with additional weapons such as a dagger, battleaxe, mace, bow, and crossbow might come in handy, too.Ī knight’s armour was, from the 9th century CE, of chain mail made up of small interconnected iron rings. He must be capable of using a heavy sword with a blade up to one metre (40 inches) in length for a sustained period of fighting and fit enough to move around with speed while wearing heavy metal armour. Weapons and ArmorĪ knight had to be accomplished in riding a horse while carrying a long, triangular leather and wood shield and a wooden lance 2.4-3.0 metres (8-10 ft) in length, so he needed to practise guiding his steed using only the knees and feet. By the 13th century CE, though, most knights were sons of knights as the class sought to maintain its exclusivity in society. Many early knights were given their title on the battlefield by a lord or monarch (often symbolically in the form of spurs, hence the expression ‘to win one’s spurs’) typically after displaying particular valour and effectiveness in fighting the enemy. (Grandes chroniques de France, Bibliothèque Nationale de France) / Wikimedia CommonsĮarly knights could come from any background, all that was needed was courage and endeavour. The ceremony was rounded off by a large feast.Ī medieval illustration of John II of France (r. Next, he was given his horse, and then his shield and banner, which might bear his family coat of arms. The squire was then knighted by a simple tap on the shoulders or neck with the hand or sword, or even a heavy blow ( colée or ‘accolade’) – meant to be the last one he should ever take without retaliating and to remind him of his obligations and moral duty not to disgrace the man who dealt the blow. The knight awarding the honour then might attach a spur or put the sword and belt on the squire, and give him a kiss on the cheek. The blade had two cutting edges – one to represent justice, the other loyalty and chivalry. He was given his sword back, now blessed by a priest with the proviso he always protect the poor and weak.
On the day of the ceremony the squire was dressed by two knights with a white tunic and white belt to symbolise purity, black or brown stockings to represent the earth to which he will one day return, and a scarlet cloak for the blood he is now ready to spill for his baron, sovereign, and church. If all went well, the youth, by then around 18 years old, was made a knight in a ceremony known as a dubbing.įor a dubbing, a soon-to-be knight had a good bath and kept a church vigil overnight. Squires assisted knights in peace and war, holding their extra lances or shield, cleaning their armour, and looking after the several horses each knight owned. From age 14, the next step was to become a squire (or esquire), who had more responsibility than a page, learned to use real weapons, and started an education, especially the study of chivalry. The typical starting point for a young lad of 7 to 10 years old was to become a page when he learned to handle horses, hunt, and use mock weapons while serving a knight proper. The process of becoming a knight started from early childhood. A re-enactor in the armour and costume of a medieval knight / Photo by pxhere, Creative Commons
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