Knights: In History and Legend - Softcover

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1554077559 ISBN 13: 9781554077557

Publisher: Firefly Books, 2010

Synopsis

The most comprehensive book on knights and knighthood available.

The word "knight" conjures up images of gallant men in gleaming armor astride noble steeds, searching for foes to fight and fair maidens to rescue. In Knights the reality of knighthood is detailed, warts and all. This handsome reference tells the true story of these mounted warriors, who evolved from simple soldiers on horseback to defenders of the faith during the Crusades.

Written by a team of historians with specialized knowledge of the medieval period, this beautifully illustrated reference includes:

• A timeline of knight history from its origins
• The ethos and ideals of knighthood
• Becoming a knight and the everyday life of a knight
• Knights in premedieval times
• The rise and fall of Charlemagne's empire
• Knights among the Normans and the Saxons
• The Crusades
• The decline of knighthood
• The role of literature and movies in the mythology of knights
• And much more.

Hundreds of beautiful color photographs, artworks and maps add to this fascinating history of knights and knighthood.

About this title

About the Author

Dr. Constance B. Bouchard is a distinguished professor of medieval history at the University of Akron in Ohio. Dr. Bouchard has been teaching medieval history for 30 years, and she is a member of the Medieval Academy of America, the American Historical Association, the American Catholic Historical Association and the Society for French Historical Studies. She has authored eight books, including Strong of Body, Brave and Noble: Chivalry and Society in Medieval France. She has also been widely published in national and international journals and has presented numerous papers at history-related conferences.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Foreword

Five centuries after knights ceased to play a role in Europe's wars, they continue to intrigue us. All over the world, children construct makeshift "castles" and play-fight with plastic swords. Adults reenact medieval battles or take on the personae of fictional knights. Meanwhile, the image of the bold, Christian fighter, absolutely loyal to his lord, gentle to women and the weak, but implacable toward his enemies, is ubiquitous, appearing in video games, novels, and even sports logos. This romantic image inspires many people to find out more about the Middle Ages.

But was there ever a real age of knighthood? Stories of knights in shining armor can be so romanticized that one might easily imagine that knights are as fantastic as the dragons they supposedly fought. Knights were real, however. Horseborne warriors, they first emerged in France during the eleventh century and dominated Europe's wars until the fourteenth century, when advances in infantry tactics and the development of gunpowder reduced their effectiveness. They might have often been quick-tempered and violent, coarse and rough, but even their enemies recognized them as superb fighters. And as those of noble blood also began to define themselves as knights, these fighters, encouraged by their lords, ladies, and the church, tried to temper their violence and rude ways by adhering to ideals of honor and courtesy -- the concept of chivalry, in other words. Increasingly, too, they enjoyed hearing and reading stories of legendary knights who fought gallantly for God and the ladies they loved -- just as we enjoy such stories today.

This book introduces both the history and the legend of medieval knights. In its pages, contributors from North America, the United Kingdom, and Australasia, all experts in their fields, explore the role of knights across the centuries. Knights are seen emerging into history, at the same time as castles were first built, and playing major roles in such events as the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the Crusades against Islam, and the Hundred Years' War. A knight's youthful training, his horse, his sword and armor, the heraldic symbols that came to identify him, tournaments, the tricky reconciliation of violence with Christian beliefs, and the shifting ideals of chivalry are all detailed. Comparisons are made with fighters in other parts of the world, such as Japan's samurai, who were both like and unlike the knights of Europe. Knights are also seen through the lens of literature -- both medieval works and modern tales -- and through a rich array of illustrations, including images from medieval manuscripts and from nineteenth-century paintings, where representations of the knight reach an apex of romance and glorification. The volume concludes with the continuing appearance of knights in games and movies, and in the titles given to members of modern organizations such as the Knights of Columbus -- indicating that, while historical knights may be far in the past, their legend lives on.

Constance Brittain Bouchard

About this edition

• Publisher: Firefly Books
• Publication date: 2010
• ISBN 10: 1554077559
• ISBN 13: 9781554077557
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 304
• Editor: Bouchard Constance