The Knight: A Portrait of Europe′s Warrior Elite - Hardcover

Baker, Alan

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0471251356 ISBN 13: 9780471251354

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, 2003

Synopsis

An up–close introduction to the most admired warriors in history

"They mounted their horses, grasped the lances made of fine Bordeaux Steel, closed the visors of their helmets, and made their way to their stations for the first course. Spurring their horses on, they advanced toward each other at full gallop, lowering their lances as they approached. The tip of Clifford′s lance caught Boucmel high on his breastplate and was deflected off . . . directly into the young squire′s mail hood, piercing his neck clean through."

This tragic account of an ambitious young Frenchman′s senseless death during a "friendly" joust with an English knight underscores the ever–present danger that stalked the flower of European youth in the Middle Ages. In The Knight, you′ll meet John Boucmel, Nicholas Clifford, and scores of other warriors who risked their lives to fill the medieval lists and battlefields in a relentless quest for fame, glory, and victory.

This vivid, fast–paced narrative whisks you from the blood–soaked fields of Normandy in the Hundred Years′ War to the battered walls of Jerusalem in the first Crusade, from a sumptuous feast in an English castle to the pomp and pageantry of a spectacular thirty–day jousting tournament. You′ll discover how knights were trained; how they paid for their expensive weapons, armor, and horses; and how the solemn vows they took influenced their behavior both on and off the battlefield. Discover the truth behind the countless legends of the Age of Chivalry in The Knight.

About this title

Review:

A brisk, fact–filled introduction to the elements of knighthood and its evolution in the 11th through 15th centuries.
You couldn′t throw a brick during the Middle Ages without having it land in one battle or another, typically a princely turf squabble, though the size might increase anywhere up to a crusade. Into these frays rode the knight upon his battle horse, and Baker (The Gladiator, 2001) tells his readers how such near–mythic beings were groomed and ordained and what vows they took in military service to the liege lord. If there is a certain colorlessness to Baker′s writing, it nonetheless offers gobbets of hard information and stories to give it life. The author first takes on the feudal system and breaks it down into regions, thereby giving a taste of the localized character of the period′s political, economic, and military power structure. He explains the purpose of jousting tournaments and describes a weeklong jousting challenge that took place in France. The development of weaponry is covered, as are castle architecture and foodstuffs, from the great feasts with entrees of swan and porpoise, to the humble beans and peas that were the daily fare of page and squire. Baker captures the nature of siege warfare through stories of the great operations against Antioch, Nicaea, and the castle of Richard the Lionhearted. He lavishes considerable time on the knights and their relationship to the crusades, in part because notions of virtue and honor are inextricably entangled with the recapture of the Holy Land, and the religious aspects of courtly love came to be identified with knighthood. Finally came the decline: when mercenaries took over the knight′s role, and gunpowder spelled the end of swordplay and lancework.
A blessing for any fancier of knights, from the smitten 12–year–old to the older guy who can′t believe his bad luck at having been born 900 years too late. (Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2002)

“...of interest to the researcher and casual reader alike...”(M2 Best Books, 6 May 2003)

"...brisk, fact–filled introduction to the elements of knighthood and its evolution in the 11th through 15th centuries." (Kirkus Reviews, December 15, 2002)

“...of interest to the researcher and casual reader alike...”(M2 Best Books, 6 May 2003)

Synopsis:

Who were the knights, and what were their lives really like? This volume follows the day-to-day life of a knight, exploring everything from the ways in which he was groomed for the profession to the methods by which he was ordained to his training in preparation for the military service he undertook for his liege-lord.

About this edition

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0471251356
• ISBN 13: 9780471251354
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 224