Becoming a Knight

The steps to becoming a knight started at a young age. The first step was called a page. As a page, the boy learned good manners. Playing tag and wrestling built up his strength. He learned how to hold a shield and performed chores.

In the step before knighthood, the boy served as a squire. He was a personal slave to the knight. He set the table and served food, and even went into battle to learn how to use a lance and a sword. If his knight got wounded, the squire cared for his injuries. The night a squire was approved for knighthood, he bathed, put on good clothes, and confessed his sins. During the knighting ceremony, he got his weapons from his master.