Who is a knight in history? The most famous knights

Grade 6 can use an essay about knights in preparation for the lesson.

Who are knights? Briefly

The era of knights falls on the years 500 - 1500, that is, in the Middle Ages. It was marked by numerous wars, diseases and epidemics. Previously, infantry soldiers took part in hostilities. But since the invention of the stirrup and the improvement of the saddle, they began to fight on horseback, using a heavy spear as a weapon. Then the horsemen or mounted warriors began to be called knights.

It’s hard to imagine a knight without his faithful horse. He not only fought on it, but also hunted and participated in tournaments. Such horses cost a lot of money: only special breeds with strong build and endurance were selected for military purposes. These qualities were strengthened by constant training.

As a rule, knights were wealthy people and lived in castles with moats and surrounded by thick walls. Those who were poorer lived in stone houses with moats filled with water.

How could one become a knight?

The class of knights was formed from the children of the nobility: at the age of 7, sons were prepared to serve as pages. Boys were taught swimming, horse riding, fist fighting and the habit of wearing heavy battle armor. When they turned 12-14 years old, they became squires and left their family to serve and live in the knight’s castle. Here he learned to use a sword and a spear. At the age of 21, young people were solemnly accepted as knights.

Virtues of a Knight

The value of a knight is his dignity and honor. Therefore, he followed certain rules. Also, a knight must be generous. They owned wealth, which they received from extortions from peasants, military campaigns and robberies of neighboring feudal lands. Therefore, they distributed their wealth to those in need and “sponsored” talented and inventive individuals. Extravagance was a common and prestigious phenomenon for a knight of that time. It was believed that in this way he eradicates the sinful vices of stinginess, greed, self-interest and pride.

The knights were also preachers of morality and the Christian religion among Muslims. They demonstrated their military valor not only during campaigns, but also at knightly tournaments. On them he could show another of his virtues - generosity, sparing his defeated opponent.

How did the knights arm themselves?

The knights were armed with armor and various weapons. The vestment weighed up to 25 kg, so the master always had his own squire who helped to dress, undress and give weapons. Often war horses were also dressed in heavy armor.

Under his armor, the knight wore chain mail consisting of 1000 rings. Metal pants, gloves, a chin guard, a breastplate and parts that protected the face were attached to it. The image of a warrior was completed by a helmet and shoes with spurs.

The knights were small people - their height did not exceed 160 cm.
Under the knight's helmet, fleas and lice swarmed in the folds of his clothing. They washed no more than 3 times a year.
Putting on and taking off the armor took neither more nor less - 3 hours. Therefore, during military campaigns, they often relieved themselves for themselves.
For a long time, knights were considered the most powerful warriors on the field. No one could defeat them. The secret lay in an effective throwing weapon that instantly struck the heart of the enemy - a crossbow.
In 1560, knighthood ceased to exist as a class of the population.
The weapons were a spear and a sword. In addition, the knights owned a bow.

We hope that the message about knights helped you learn a lot of useful information. You can add to the story about the knights using the comment form below.

Knight

noun, m., used compare often

Morphology: (no) who? knight, to whom? knight, (see) who? knight, by whom? knight, about whom? about the knight; pl. Who? knights, (no) who? knights, to whom? knights, (see) who? knights, by whom? knights, about whom? about knights

warrior

1. In Western Europe in the Middle Ages knight They called a nobleman or feudal lord who served in military service.

2. Knight called a monk who lived in fortress monasteries, as well as a participant in the crusades.

Knights Templar. | The Knights Hospitaller preferred to have red stone inserts on their swords.

noble man, activist

3. Knight called a person who has noble manners.

A devoted, incarnate knight. | You are a brave, strong, generous knight. | You are a real knight!

4. Knight They call a person who faithfully serves someone or something, who is passionately engaged in one thing.

Knight of science, enlightenment. | Knight of truth and justice. | He is a knight of order and freedom.

5. A knight without fear and reproach They call a man of great courage, impeccable in all respects.

6. Knight of the sad image called a naive, romantic dreamer.

7. Knight for an hour they call a person who is capable of only short-term noble impulses.

8. A stingy knight they call a person who carefully protects his wealth and enjoys it.

knightly adj.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language by Dmitriev. D. V. Dmitriev. 2003.

Synonyms:

See what a “knight” is in other dictionaries:

- (German: Ritter). In the Middle Ages, an equestrian man-at-arms, a knight of the upper class: he was knighted after a victory on the battlefield. Dictionary of foreign words included in the Russian language. Chudinov A.N., 1910. KNIGHT medieval warrior of the noble... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

Knight, m. [from German. Ritter, lit. rider]. 1. In feudal Europe, a person who belonged to the military nobility class (historical). Marx wrote in “Chronological Extracts” that Alexander Nevsky, having opposed the German knights and defeated them on the ice... ... Ushakov's Explanatory Dictionary

See petty bourgeois... Dictionary of Russian synonyms and similar expressions. under. ed. N. Abramova, M.: Russian Dictionaries, 1999. aristocrat knight, tradesman; warrior, ideal, gentleman, cavalier, crusader, paladin, minnesinger, hidalgo, caballero... Synonym dictionary

- (German Ritter originally horseman), in Zap. and Center. In Europe in the Middle Ages, a feudal lord, a heavily armed mounted warrior. For a knight, moral standards were considered mandatory: courage, fidelity to duty, nobility towards a woman. From here to... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

KNIGHT, me, husband. 1. In medieval Europe: a feudal lord, a heavily armed mounted warrior who was in vassal dependence on his overlord. R. with his squire. Crusader knights. Tournament of knights. R. sad image (about Don Quixote, hero... ... Ozhegov's Explanatory Dictionary

Husband. in general, the equestrian knight of antiquity, when hand combat, sword and armor decided the matter; equestrian man-at-arms of the noble class; | member of a knightly order, fraternity; | * an honest and firm advocate for any cause, a selfless intercessor. He is a knight at heart... Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

- (foreign language, ironic) swindler, swindler, cunning rogue, seeker of profit; passionate follower, lover of something. Wed. “Knights of the Green Field” (foreign) lovers of card games. Wed. The silver flat vase... was overflowing with business cards... ... Michelson's Large Explanatory and Phraseological Dictionary (original spelling)

KNIGHT- (German Ritter from old German riter horseman), to a feudal lord. Europe heavily armed horse. a warrior belonging to the military nobility class of knighthood. Metallic the armor that protected R. and their massive, clumsy horses from bladed weapons could not... ... Horse breeding guide

KNIGHT- master, spirit, Logos, controlling his horse, i.e. matter. Knightly symbolism, including the horse as a sign of materiality and the rider as the principle of spirituality, correlates with alchemical symbolism, which is a system of spiritualization.... ... Symbols, signs, emblems. Encyclopedia

White knight. Jarg. business An alternative counterparty that purchases a company at the request of management instead of a hostile buyer. BS, 17. Knight of the Arctic. Publ. High I. D. Papanin, polar explorer, leader of the first Soviet ... Large dictionary of Russian sayings

Knight- in the gender system, a special type of masculinity with a knightly ethos. The very concept of a knight comes to us from the Middle Ages and from social history: a knight was a man who was elevated to knighthood by his overlord,... ... Gender Studies Terms

Human life in the Middle Ages was, in fact, a continuous test of endurance, although people were hardly aware of this, because they lived without knowing or even assuming a different reality. They lived as usual, as their fathers and great-grandfathers and great-great-grandfathers lived. The exception was, perhaps, the knights, in whose way of life certain changes did occur. At first, to be a knight simply meant to be a warrior, to carry out vassal, usually equestrian, military service to his lord. However, in the endless medieval external and internal wars, a new ideology and psychology of chivalry was gradually formed; a fair amount of aristocracy and nobility, even some courtliness in the best sense of the word, was added to the image of an illiterate military man. The knight became not just a warrior, but a standard of noble aspirations and feelings; the concept of chivalry became synonymous with loyalty, which in medieval society was considered an almost unaffordable luxury. Even the king could not always boast of the loyalty of his own subjects, and what can we say about mere mortals?

The knights developed their own concepts of honor and nobility. First of all, the knight had to be a good Christian and was obliged to fight for the Christian faith and defend it everywhere. He had to protect the weak and always keep his word. The knight had to be loyal to his lord and had to be able to stand up for his life and dignity. And also, the knights’ skills in playing musical instruments, composing poems and poems dedicated to the Beautiful Lady, which every self-respecting knight simply had to have, turned out to be absolutely useful. At the same time, it should be noted that the Beautiful Lady had to remain unattainable for the knight. He could compose poems and songs in her honor, he could fight for her favorable glance in tournaments and perform God knows how many more military exploits on the battlefield, but the knight, as a rule, could not possess the lady of his heart. So, knights often chose married ladies as Beautiful Ladies and, according to all medieval rules of etiquette, praised their beauty and virtue, and sighed about them exclusively platonically. Even the queen could well become the Beautiful Lady of some glorious knight, because, as you know, even a cat is allowed to look at the king.

Of course, all the boys of the Middle Ages dreamed of becoming a knight. But this required a lot of work. Fifteen years is the most suitable age for a squire. It was at this age that boys entered the service of the knight, everywhere, like a shadow, following their master. The page-squires held the shield, provided spare weapons during the battle, and looked after the horses. After several years of service, the boy had matured and could already claim to be knighted. The night before initiation, the future knight had to pray all night on his knees, asking the Lord for strength and courage, nobility of thought, and perseverance, so that in the future he would have the courage not to disgrace the honorary title of knight. In the morning he confessed, performed a ritual ablution, put on the snow-white robes of a neophyte and, laying his hands on the Holy Gospel, solemnly swore to observe all the written and unwritten laws of chivalry. After this, one of the knights (or the young man’s father) took the sword out of its sheath and touched the neophyte’s shoulders with the blade three times. Then the young man was given his own sword, which he would never part with from now on. The one who knighted the boy hit him on the cheeks three times, saying: “Be brave!” and these were the only blows in the knight’s life to which he had no right to respond. Even the king, undergoing mandatory knighting, had no right to resist these ritual slaps. During the war, however, the ritual of knighting was somewhat more modest.

The knight spent almost all his free time either hunting or in war. - this is the nurse not only of knights, but also of any other warriors. By marauding in the occupied territories, people made themselves, if not a fortune, then at least somehow compensated for the long years of war deprivation. Another way for a knight to earn a living was jousting tournaments. This half-military - half-sports game, in which knights fought with each other, trying to knock the opponent out of the saddle with the blunt end of a spear. A knight thrown to the ground had to give his horse and his armor to the winner, but since it was considered a disgrace for a knight to remain without a horse and armor, the winner immediately returned his winnings to the loser for very good money (knightly armor cost approximately the same as a small became cows, heads, something like that, at 45). So, some knights earned their living by traveling from city to city and taking part in knightly tournaments, while glorifying the name of their Beautiful Lady in all cities.

In medieval culture, knighthood was not just a badge of honor, as in our world when Queen Elizabeth knighted Elton John. This is an occupation, a military profession. To be a knight you need wealth - at least to buy yourself armor and a horse, and a knight has responsibilities. The knight must participate in battles, appear when called by the lord, train and arm a detachment of men-at-arms. Some people are physically unable to do all this (Willas Tyrell, Samwell Tarly), and they prefer a career as a septon, maester, or simply a lord in their estate. Others are simply not interested in the life of a knight. Chivalry is also associated with religion, and for this reason, followers of the Old Gods do not become knights, even if they qualify for knighthood in all other respects. Martin said so

History and spread of chivalry

A knight in plate armor and a bascinet helmet. Illustration by Ruisma

The knightly tradition emerged during the conquest of Westeros by the Andals. According to the chronicles of the Vale of Arryn, the first region of Westeros conquered by the Andals, the Andals already had heavy cavalry dressed in armor, and Andal heroes - for example, Artis Arryn - bear the title "ser" in legends. Arthys Arryn's silver armor and winged helmet made him easily recognizable among the Andal warriors.

Outside of Westeros, chivalry is associated with people from the Seven Kingdoms who retained chivalric traditions and the belief in the Seven. On the lands of the Free Cities, knights - emigrants and descendants of emigrants who fled overseas for various reasons - are mainly engaged in mercenary work, fighting first for one Free City, then for another: for example, Jorah Mormont fought in the war with the Braavosi, and then entered the service to Viserys Targaryen, and Osmund Kettleblack served in the detachment of the Glorious Cavaliers, fighting either for the Foxes or for Tyrosh. Five hundred knights served in the mercenary detachment of the Golden Swords.

Qualities of a Knight

Knight. Illustration by Jason Engle

The vows, books, songs, and legends about famous knights given during knighting created an ideal image of a noble warrior in the minds of the Westerosi people. In fact, very few who bear the knighthood correspond to the bright image of the “true knight”. The manifestation of high knightly qualities evokes admiration and respect among others, while “false” knights, who have stained themselves with unknightly actions, enjoy disrepute.

The knight must:

In the songs, the knights never killed magical animals, such as, for example, white deer - they only came up and stroked them.

It is worthy for a knight to achieve glory and honor, even at the risk of his life. To die fighting for your king is a glorious death for a knight.

A knight must protect his honor. It is unworthy to offend the weak and innocent; the belief that "true knights would not harm women and children" was not all that uncommon in Westeros. It is believed that no real knight will consent to the murder of women. There are stories about knights and ladies who slept in the same bed, putting a sword between them - the knight thus demonstrated that he was not encroaching on the lady’s honor. A knight must not kiss a lady without her permission.

The oath of one's knightly honor is sacred, a knight's word is worth a lot. A good knight is honest in everything and always tells only the truth, even to his enemies. A knight who has stained himself with robbery and violence may be deprived of his knighthood and put to death as a common criminal.

If a foot opponent comes out for a one-on-one duel against a mounted knight, it is worthy to dismount. It is shameful to win a duel dishonestly, for example, by killing a horse under an opponent; deliberately losing to a higher-born and richer opponent is not considered a worthy act, although it does not bring shame to the loser. It is dishonorable to lose weapons and armor in a tournament and not give them to the winner, even if this threatens the loser with the loss of a knighthood. Using the services of spies and informers dishonors a knight.

A knight is a sword on horseback. Everything else - vows, anointing and worship of beautiful ladies - are just ribbons that are tied to this sword. Maybe these ribbons make the sword more beautiful, but they don’t stop it from killing. Sandor Clegane // A Storm of Swords, Arya VI

Weapons and armor

The rank of knight requires more expensive weapons than ordinary soldiers. Although in general descriptions of weapons and armor in Westeros are oriented towards the Hundred Years' War - the battles of Agincourt, Crécy and Poitiers, Martin easily and consciously mixes elements from different centuries. For example, the word "halfhelm" (halfhelm), according to Martin, means the classic Norman helmet with an open face and nosepiece - such as were in use during the Norman conquest of England in the 11th century; conversely, full plate armor did not come into use until centuries later. Many knights use large topfhelm helmets, both with a visor and deaf; Some characters, even in war, use unusual helmets that make their owners easily recognizable - such was, for example, the helmet of Robert Baratheon, crowned with deer antlers, the lion helmet of Jaime Lannister, or the famous helmet of Sandor Clegane in the shape of a dog's head.

Martin sees some grounds for such a mixture in medieval practice - after each major battle of the Hundred Years' War, changes occurred in the armament of the parties, but at the same time the old armor remained in use. In general, the south of Westeros uses armor from a later era than the north: while the knights of the Reach wear full plate armor, the warriors of the North usually make do with chain mail, and the wildlings beyond the Wall wear even more primitive armor. Knights in Westeros actively use shields with a coat of arms, although in real history the combination of plate armor and a shield in the left hand was rarely used. Martin, in his own words, made this choice rather for aesthetic reasons: “shields are cool.”

Since knights usually fight on horseback, spurs serve as a sign of a knight: knighting is said to be "received spurs." Wealthy knights and lords may wear golden spurs.

Pages and squires

Squire. Illustration by Pat Loboyko for RPG by Green Ronin

The preparation of a future knight begins at an early age. From the age of eight years and older, boys are sent to be raised in another family - the house of a lord or a noble knight, preferably a famous warrior. This practice is combined with the tradition of taking pupils and hostages from other houses. Young children often serve adults as pages(English) page) And butlers(English) cup-bearer), and this occupation is considered honorable and worthy even for people from noble houses. For example, Addam Marbrand served as a page at Casterly Rock as a child, and Merrett Frey served at Crakehall Castle. Already at this age, children begin to be taught military training - to fight with wooden swords wrapped in cloth, to ride a horse, and to practice with stuffed animals, quintanas and rings.

When a boy is old enough to be taken to war - by the age of twelve and sometimes even ten - he becomes squire(English) squire) this or that knight. Squires are obliged to take care of the knight’s weapons, armor and horses during the campaign, prepare food, monitor the knight’s health, dress him in armor before battle, and the like. Under the command of a knight, the squire must gain an understanding of the principles of chivalry, the foundations of knightly honor, duty and loyalty; learn fencing, horse riding and courtly etiquette. In reality, it all depends on which knight the squire serves. Thus, Podrick Payne was taught by his first knight masters to brush a horse, pick stones from horseshoes and steal food, but they did not teach him how to wield a sword at all. On the contrary, Arlan Pennytree, even as a poor hedge knight, taught his squire Dunk to hold a sword and spear, ride a war horse, trained him in heraldry and instilled maxims like “A true knight must be pure in body and soul” and “Always do more than that.” what is expected of you, and never less.”

A proven squire can be knighted upon reaching adulthood, although some particularly distinguished squires are awarded this honor earlier - Jaime Lannister, for example, became a knight in his fifteenth year.

Having a squire is a matter of prestige for knights, and poor knights, like Arlan Pennytree, can take homeless boys as squires, promising to feed, teach and, in the indefinite future, knight. On the contrary, rich and influential knights and lords may have several squires from noble houses at once - for example, Sumner Crakehall had at least four squires, including Jaime Lannister and Merrett Frey, and Jaime Lannister himself later took three noble teenagers as squires at once - Lewis Piper, Garrett Pag and Josmin Peckledon. The friendship between a knight and his squire and the squires of one knight is forged for life; sometimes - as in the case of Renly Baratheon and Loras Tyrell - she resorts to homosexual intercourse.

The squire does not have to be a teenager. Manderly had squires under the age of forty, and the squires' meals in Whitewall's courtyard were dominated by old, seasoned warriors. Such people never become knights - often they simply do not have enough money for their own weapons, armor and horse, sometimes they simply do not feel the desire to become knights, preferring to serve others faithfully.

...like an army sergeant who has no desire to become a lieutenant, much less a general. Martin said so

Knighting

Anointed Knight. Illustration by Pat Loboyko for RPG by Green Ronin

Any knight can knight any other person. The king can knight any of his subjects; Not every lord can knight someone, but only a lord who is a knight himself. In other words, Baelor the Blessed, being a king, could knight people, but Eddard Stark, being a lord, but not being a knight, could not.

The usual way to become a knight is to serve another knight as a squire from childhood until the age of sixteen to eighteen, proving yourself and proving your right to become a knight. Valor demonstrated in a military campaign or successful performance in a squire tournament may qualify for knighthood. This is true even for people who were never squires, but proved themselves in war and were rewarded with knighthood for this: for example, the Northman Jorah Mormont was knighted as a distinction for bravery during the assault on Pyke at the end of Balon Greyjoy's rebellion. Former smuggler Davos Seaworth received a knighthood in gratitude “for the bow” - during the siege of Storm's End, he secretly smuggled a load of onions and fish into the castle and thereby saved Stannis Baratheon and his men from starvation.

Fathers, uncles or older brothers, being knights, can knight younger members of the family, a knight can knight his squire, but more often this is done by another knight - as illustrious and famous as possible that could be found, preferably a knight of the Royal Guard , prince or king himself. So, Jaime Lannister served as a squire to Sumner Crakehall, but received initiation from the famous knight of the Royal Guard Arthur Dayne; Barristan Selmy served as a squire to Manfred Swann and was knighted by King Aegon V Targaryen. Gregor Clegane was knighted by Prince Rhaegar Targaryen. All those who earned knighthood at the Battle of the Blackwater - more than six hundred people - were dedicated to just three knights of the Kingsguard: Balon Swann, Merrin Trant and Osmund Kettleblack, although many thousands of less famous knights were in the capital at that moment.

Martin compares initiation to receiving a college degree in our world:

Why do people strive to get into Harvard rather than get by with a college degree from their hometown? It is very prestigious to be knighted by a king, prince, one of the knights of the Kingsguard or some other celebrity. To be knighted by your brother is like kissing your sister (this comparison does not apply to Jaime Lannister and the Targaryens), and to be knighted by a county hedge knight is like graduating from hairdressing school. You'll get some credits, but after that you shouldn't aspire to graduate school at a university. Martin said so

No one forbids a knight to knight a commoner or even a bastard. However, social pressure usually does not give self-interested knights the opportunity to knight anyone they want for money: knightly honor and the high status of the knighthood are of great importance in Westeros society, and a knight who stains himself with such an act, as well as those whom he dedicated, they could easily become outcasts. However, there were precedents for such: Duncan the Tall had heard stories of knighthood being sought by bribes or threats, and Glendon Flowers's knighthood was purchased with his sister's virginity - a penniless knight agreed to knight the young man in exchange for the opportunity to sleep with a virgin. However, Beric Dondarrion, guided by his idealistic views, knighted his entire partisan detachment - the Brotherhood without Banners - from young to old and regardless of the presence of weapons and armor.

Anointing of the Knight. Illustration by Nicole Cardiff

Before being knighted, the initiate is required to stand the all-night prayer in the sept, from sunset to dawn. The heavenly patron of knights is one of the seven hypostases of God - the Warrior, and future knights pray to him, laying down their sword and armor at the image of the Warrior and remaining in one white shirt made of undyed wool, symbolizing purity and humility. In the capital, the Great Sept of Baelor can be used for this; during campaigns, initiates can spend the night in the nearest village sept that they could find.

The next morning, the initiate must confess to the septon and be anointed, according to the rite of the Seven, with seven oils. In the best case, confession and anointing are received by the High Septon himself, which gives the initiation special prestige; for example, Ser Jorah Mormont received anointing from the High Septon. Those who have gone through this ritual are called anointed knights.

Wearing the same shirt, the initiate walks barefoot to the place of initiation, where, in the presence of witnesses, he kneels before the initiating knight. The knight, with a naked sword turned flat, lightly strikes the shoulders of the initiate, alternately on the right shoulder and on the left, pronouncing the formulas of vows in the name of the Seven. The initiate must swear to fulfill these vows.

Raymun of the House of Fossovey,” he began solemnly, touching his blade to the right shoulder of the squire, “in the name of the Warrior, I oblige you to be brave. - The sword rested on his left shoulder. - In the name of the Father, I oblige you to be fair. - Back to the right. - In the name of the Mother, I oblige you to protect the young and innocent. - Left shoulder. - In the name of the Virgin, I oblige you to protect all women... Hedge Knight

The full text of the knightly vows is not given in the books, only the general content is known: “... to be a true knight, honor the seven gods, protect the weak and innocent, faithfully serve my master and fight for my country.” Obviously, the list of vows also includes some vows in the name of the Elder, personifying wisdom and insight, and the Blacksmith, personifying health, strength and fortitude, and - with much less probability - a vow in the name of the seventh face of God - the Unknown. The Unknown represents death, and believers in the Seven avoid mentioning him in vain.

After the initiate in the name of the gods swears to fulfill these vows, the knight again hits the initiate on the shoulder and says: “Rise, sir.” <имя> " It is from this moment that the initiate becomes a knight, can rise from his knees and fasten a belt with a sword on himself.

Of course, many initiations are carried out far from septs, without witnesses, under time pressure, even right on the battlefield, so initiation comes down to striking the kneeling initiate with a sword and pronouncing knightly vows. This is how Duncan the Tall, Rollie Duckfield and Osmund Kettleblack received knighthood (if the latter was ever knighted). However, this truncated initiation already gives a person the right to consider himself a knight.

What girl doesn't dream of a handsome knight? And I'm no exception. I imagined how a strong, brave and courageous prince on horseback would come to my house and make me the lady of his heart. And my knight found me, however, there was no horse. But is this important?

Who are the knights

When you hear the word knight, everyone imagines a brave horseman with a sword in his hand. And that's true though real knights were far from ideal. Chivalry Start form approximately in the 8th century during the era of Charlemagne. These were heroes of their time, but only a man of noble family could become a knight. Idealized chivalric code sounded like this:

defend the poor and weak;
always be ready for battle;
help those who cannot defend themselves;
don't break promises;
Homeland is more important than life.

But in reality, everything was not so beautiful. Knights owned castles and surrounding areas and themselves laid down laws. They are constantly fought wars with their neighbors and sometimes were no better than robbers and thieves. The code of honor required that the knight constantly perform feats. But the Crusades did not occur so often, so they became a good replacement tournaments. Here the knights showed their skills.

Everyone has it the knight had his motto and the lady of the heart, not necessarily free. Subsequently, chivalry began to grow stronger and has become an uncontrollable force. But the defeat of the Templar Order practically destroyed this elite military force, and knighthood lost its former power.

Ukrainian knights

Apparently no one will argue that Cossacks- a very interesting phenomenon not only in Ukrainian, but also in world history. These were talented warriors who defended not only their own lands, but also the lands of other countries. Their main law is honor and justice. The Cossacks loved entertainment and vodka. But drunkenness during campaigns was punishable by death.

Not only Ukrainians lived in the Sich, but also Poles, Belarusians, Moldovans and Russians. Cossacks traveled around the world, were interested in the culture of other countries and borrowed various fighting techniques. Cossacks, like European knights, had their own code. The main principles in it were love for the Motherland, care for women, children, the elderly, nobility, charity and freedom.

And among the Cossacks lived the so-called characterniki who are said to possessed magical powers. Neither a bullet, nor a saber, nor fire could take them. They could breathe underwater, see the future and turn into animals. Who knows if this is true or fiction. But the fact that Tothe azaks were real knights there is no doubt.