The Knight in History

A magisterial history of the origins, reality, and legend of the knight

“A carefully researched, concise, readable, and entertaining account of an institution that remains a part of the Western imagination.” —Los Angeles Times

Born out of the chaos of the early Middle Ages, the armored and highly mobile knight revolutionized warfare and quickly became a mythic figure in history. From the Knights Templars and English knighthood to the crusades and chivalry, The Knight in History, by acclaimed medievalist Frances Gies, bestselling coauthor of Life in a Medieval Castle, paints a remarkable true picture of knighthood—exploring the knight’s earliest appearance as an agent of lawless violence, his reemergence as a dynamic social entity, his eventual disappearance from the European stage, and his transformation into Western culture’s most iconic hero.

But who were the real men behind the myth, and what forces shaped their world for nearly a thousand years?
From Warrior to Noble: Trace the knight’s journey from a violent agent of chaos in the dark ages to a cornerstone of the medieval nobility.The Knights Templar: Discover the true story of the powerful military order that became an international banking powerhouse, from their role in the Crusades to their dramatic downfall.Profiles of Real Knights: Go beyond legend with detailed accounts of historical figures like William Marshal—the greatest knight that ever lived—and Bertrand du Guesclin, the hero of the Hundred Years War.Tournaments and Courtly Life: Explore the brutal reality of the tournament, the rise of the troubadours, and the complex ideals that shaped the culture of knighthood.