Knighthood

Becoming a knight was a tradition that changed over the centuries of the Middle Ages and had pretty much become just a symbolic title. But there was a commonly accepted normal route that a boy could take in his quest to become a knight during the height of the Middle Ages when knighthood was important.

The first requirement for a boy to become a knight was the requirement of his heritage. Generally, only boys born to certain men were allowed the opportunity to become a knight. These requirements were usually that the boy be the son of a knight, Lord, a wealthy merchant, or someone who held title and position in the court of the king or a lord.

CEREMONIES.

The ceremony of becoming a knight was something that could often last several days and could include fasting or a Vigil where the knight would engage in prayer and contemplation for a day and a night or longer. Then there would often be elaborate feasts and hardy discussions with lords and knights about chivalry, courage, religion, and the nature of being a knight. During the actual knighting ceremony the knight would swear allegiance to God and to his lord and he would receive presents such as a sword, a pair of spurs, armor, and a cloak. At the end of the ceremony the king would tap the squire on the shoulders with the flat of a sword blade and he would become a knight.