Life as a knight

Training A Knight

Knights belonged to the noble class and were part of a military order, but not all soldiers could become 

knights.

Becoming a page was usually the first step most took in the path to knighthood. Training began at a very 

young age. At 7, the son of a medieval nobleman or knight would be sent off to serve as a page in a lord's 

castle. There, he would learn horsemanship, archery and swordsmanship, and perform various other duties 

around the castle.

Squires would begin training as early as 10 years, but the majority would be attached to a knight for training 

at age 14. A squire's training concentrated on strength, fitness and skill with various weapons. Individual 

training was only part of the regimen, as knights also needed to know how to fight as part of a team of skilled 

horsemen. The squire would care for the knight's horse They would learn the chivalric codes of conduct and 

listen to epic tales of Roland, Charlemagne, Arthur, Percival and Lancelot.

After years of training, and usually around the age of 21, the squire would go through the dubbing ceremony. 

In the early Middle Ages, this was simply done with a brief, open-handed blow to the neck followed by an 

admonition to conduct himself with courage, bravery, skill and loyalty. After the 11th century.