Discovering Our Past: Medieval and Early Modern Times

"Medieval Europe"

Introduction
During the Middle Ages, villagers and townspeople turned to nobles to protect them. The shift in power from kings to nobles led to the creation of feudalism. As you learned in this chapter, under this system, knights were the most powerful soldiers in Europe. They commanded respect and were rewarded for their bravery. In this activity, you will analyze the military, social, and political significance of the medieval knight. You will learn about the armor and weapons used by knights and the code by which they lived.

Visit Knights and Armor to discover what it was like to be a knight in Medieval Europe.

Destination Title:  Knights and Armor

Note: Clicking on the link above will launch a new browser window.
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Directions

Start at the Knights and Armor Web site.

• After you read the content on the home page, click on "History of Knights."
• Read each of the sections (listed in the menu on the left-hand side of your screen), taking notes as you go.

1			What military weapon is a knight compared to? What invention improved a knight's ability to stay on his horse?
2			Why did armor, and therefore knighthood, represent a higher social class?
3			What were the responsibilities of a knight?
4			Why did knights participate in the Crusades?
5			You've probably heard the phrase "Chivalry is dead." Do you know what it means? The knights of medieval Europe have been romanticized in books and films. According to this Web site, knights didn't always follow the code of chivalry. Using a Venn diagram, compare and contrast the "real" knights of medieval Europe to the "romantic" knights portrayed in books and films.