Knights

Knighthood was a medieval institution of chivalry of both a religious and military character. Its birth and growth in Europe is obscure. It was conferred upon sovereigns, princes, and others of noble rank, but not on ecclesiastics. The word has an affinity with horsemanship, a Roman knight eques, a horseman, held rank next below the Senatorial. The name thus indicates its original occupation as a military equestrian, hence the German Ritter and the French Chevalier. In old English cnight meant at first a youth or military follower, and later a trusted servant.

Knighthood was introduced to England at least as early as the reign of Alfred the Great, who made his grandson, Athelstan, a knight, and gave him a scarlet mantle set with precious stones and a sword with a golden scabbard.

With the arrival of the Normans, knights formed an integral part of the feudal system. In William the Conqueror's time there were about 5,000 knights who served as fighting men under the command of the King's Barons. The Barons granted them some of their lands in return for military service when required, i.e. by knight-service by payment of money known as scutage or shield money. Henceforward those in possession of knights fees did not necessarily take up knighthood. Those eligible received knighthood on coming of age, As a result of this system, landless knights for service in the field came into existence, from whom evolved the knights bachelor.

In early times a knight was dubbed by his lord, his father or another knight. William Rufus was knighted by Archbishop Lanfranc. Matthew Paris recorded that the Earl of Gloucester invested his brother William with a military girdle, and Gilbert de Clare was knighted by Simon de Montfort. Kings used to send their sons to neighboring courts to receive the honour of knighthood; thus Henry II sent to David I, King of Scots, and Malcolm IV, King of Scots to Henry II and Edward I to the King of Castile.

By the reign of Henry III, reluctance for taking up knighthood became apparent, and in 1244 that King introduced distraints of knighthood and summons to those who qualified, with a fine for those who declined. Elaborate ceremonial and pageantry were then introduced, accompanied by feasting and jousting to make knighthood more attractive. From those who did not take up knighthood arose the esquire class.

Two main methods of conferring knighthood were used in the Middle Ages. The simpler form used on the battle-field was for the knight elect to kneel before the commander of the army who struck him with the sword on his back and shoulder with words such as "Avancez chevalier au nom de Dieu." The more elaborate method of knighting for which the dubbing became restricted to the King took place on special occasions. This included presentation of robes, arms, and spurs, and was accompanied by vigil and bathing before being dubbed. This later evolved into the Knighthood of the Bath, for whom knights were created at coronations, royal marriages, etc. The first record of these knights is at the coronation of Henry IV, but they were not banded into any Society or Order such as the Garter, founded by Edward III about 1348, until the reign of George I.

Knights Banneret were created from personal distinction in battle rather than on feudal tenure, and were conferred on the field. All the greater nobility were entitled to bear banners, and on the creation of a banneret the points of his pennon were ceremoniously cut by the commander of the army. The last three Knights Banneret were believed to have been conferred by the Protector Somerset after the Battle of Pinkie, 1547, upon Sir Ralph Fane, Sir Francis Bryan and Sir Ralph Sadler.

The use of prefix "Sir" is not borne by honorary knights of any orders when, as is usually the case, the accolade has not been conferred and no special warrant has been granted permitting use of this appellation. This also applies to clerics of the Established Church, who likewise do not receive the accolade (their wives are entitled the precedence, but not the style of "Lady").

The wife of a knight is entitled to the prefix of either "Dame" (followed by their first name), or "Lady" (and their last name), but the first style is now only used on legal documents.