Not easy; therefore, before wearing it, you need to undergo training. It is an honor to bear this weapon; therefore, before conferring it on oneself, one must be declared worthy of this honor. No one is born a knight: a man becomes a knight by virtue of a solemn act; the king himself must be knighted. Let's briefly outline the customs knightly education and dedication.
Armor and weapons of medieval knights
Every young nobleman who is destined to become a knight begins by learning the craft of a military man: learning to ride a horse, wield a weapon, and climb stairs. But he can undergo training either in his father’s house (this is especially true for the sons of noble parents), or from a stranger (as, apparently, they usually did). In most cases, the father sends his son to some lord richer than himself, who accepts young man to his service and feeds him; hence the word nourri (pet), often found in medieval ballads (the lord says: mon nourri).
Knightly training is accompanied by service as a squire, and the latter is associated with service as a chamber servant, characteristic of knightly morals. The squire helps his master dress and undress; he serves food and serves at table; he makes beds. These services that ancient man considered humiliating and placed it on his slaves to become honorable in the eyes of the medieval nobility (they were already like that in the eyes of the Germans; Tacitus mentions this).
During this period, which lasts from five to seven years, a young nobleman is called a squire, or damoiseau ( little master), has no right to bear arms.
Knights. Fragment of the Ghent Altarpiece, artist Jan van Eyck
When he has completed his studies - usually between the ages of 18 and 20 - if he is rich enough to lead the life of a knight, he enters the knighthood through the military rites described in the poems of chivalry.
Knights. Film 1. Chained in Iron
A young man, having taken a bath, puts on chain mail and a helmet. The knight, sometimes the father of the initiate, but more often the lord who fed him, hangs a sword from his belt, which from that moment on he will wear constantly. This main part ceremony is called adouber. Usually the knight hits the young man hard on the back of the head with his fist; it's called colèe. Then new knight sits on a horse, takes a spear and, at full gallop, hits a pre-prepared scarecrow; it's called quintaine. This is the procedure for knighting in the 12th century.
Sometimes it is limited to even one act - a blow to the back of the head: this is done when they want to avoid expenses. The historian Beaumanoir talks about one consequence that, in order to be considered valid, had to be made a certain number knights. Since one knight was missing, a certain nobleman was immediately knighted. One of the knights hit him and said, “Be a knight.”
Knights. Film 2. In the name of honor and glory
The young knight Albert is about to appear at the tournament and asks his servant Ivan to show him his helmet. The helmet was pierced through in the last duel with the knight Delorge. It is impossible to put it on. The servant consoles Albert with the fact that he repaid Delorge in full, knocking him out of the saddle with a powerful blow, from which Albert’s offender lay dead for a day and has hardly recovered to this day. Albert says that the reason for his courage and strength was his rage over his damaged helmet. The fault of heroism is stinginess. Albert complains about poverty, about the embarrassment that prevented him from removing the helmet from his defeated enemy, says that he needs a new dress, that he alone is forced to sit at the ducal table in armor, while other knights wear satin and velvet. But there is no money for clothes and weapons, and Albert’s father, the old baron, is a miser. There is no money to buy a new horse, and Albert’s constant creditor, the Jew Solomon, according to Ivan, refuses to continue to believe in debt without a mortgage. But the knight has nothing to pawn. The moneylender does not give in to any persuasion, and even the argument that Albert’s father is old, will soon die and leave his entire enormous fortune to his son does not convince the lender.
At this time, Solomon himself appears. Albert is trying to ask him to borrow money, but Solomon, although gently, nevertheless decisively refuses to give money even on his word of honor. Albert, upset, does not believe that his father can survive him, but Solomon says that everything happens in life, that “our days are not numbered by us,” and the baron is strong and can live another thirty years. In desperation, Albert says that in thirty years he will be fifty or ten, and then he will hardly need the money. Solomon objects that money is needed at any age, only “a young man looks for nimble servants in it,” “an old man sees in them reliable friends.” Albert claims that his father himself serves money, like an Algerian slave, “like a chained dog.” He denies himself everything and lives worse than a beggar, and “the gold lies quietly in his chests.” Albert still hopes that someday it will serve him, Albert. Seeing Albert’s despair and his readiness to do anything, Solomon hints to him that his father’s death can be hastened with the help of poison. At first, Albert does not understand these hints. But, having understood the matter, he wants to immediately hang Solomon on the castle gates. Solomon, realizing that the knight is not joking, wants to pay off, but Albert drives him away. Having come to his senses, he intends to send a servant for the moneylender to accept the money offered, but he changes his mind because it seems to him that they will smell of poison. He demands to serve wine, but it turns out that there is not a drop of wine in the house. Cursing such a life, Albert decides to seek justice for his father from the Duke, who must force the old man to support his son, as befits a knight.
The Baron goes down to his basement, where he stores chests of gold, so that he can pour a handful of coins into the sixth chest, which is not yet full. Looking at his treasures, he remembers the legend of a king who ordered his soldiers to put down a handful of earth, and how, as a result, a giant hill grew, from which the king could survey vast spaces . The baron likens his treasures, collected bit by bit, to this hill, which makes him the ruler of the whole world. He remembers the history of each coin, behind which are the tears and grief of people, poverty and death. It seems to him that if all the tears, blood and sweat shed for this money came out now earth's bowels, then there would be a flood. He pours a handful of money into the chest, and then unlocks all the chests, places lighted candles in front of them and admires the shine of gold, feeling like the ruler of a mighty power. But the thought that after his death the heir will come here and squander his wealth makes the baron furious and indignant. He believes that he has no right to this, that if he himself had accumulated these treasures bit by bit through hard work, then he certainly would not have thrown gold left and right.
In the palace, Albert complains to the Duke about his father, and the Duke promises to help the knight, to persuade the Baron to support his son as it should be. He hopes to awaken fatherly feelings in the baron, because the baron was a friend of his grandfather and played with the duke when he was still a child.
The baron approaches the palace, and the duke asks Albert to hide in next room while he talks with his father. The Baron appears, the Duke greets him and tries to evoke in him memories of his youth. He wants the baron to appear at court, but the baron excuses himself with old age and infirmity, but promises that in case of war he will have the strength to draw his sword for his duke. The Duke asks why he does not see the Baron’s son at court, to which the Baron replies that his son’s gloomy disposition is an obstacle. The Duke asks the Baron to send his son to the palace and promises to teach him to have fun. He demands that the baron assign his son a salary befitting a knight. Having become gloomy, the baron says that his son is unworthy of the duke’s care and attention, that “he is vicious,” and refuses to fulfill the duke’s request. He says that he is angry with his son for plotting his father’s murder. The Duke threatens to put Albert on trial for this. The baron reports that his son intends to rob him. Hearing these slander, Albert bursts into the room and accuses his father of lying. The angry baron throws the gauntlet to his son. With the words “Thank you. This is my father’s first gift.” Albert accepts the baron’s challenge. This incident plunges the Duke into amazement and anger; he takes away the baron’s glove from Albert and drives father and son away from him. At this moment, with words about the keys on his lips, the baron dies, and the duke complains about “a terrible age, terrible hearts.”
The young knight Albert is about to appear at the tournament and asks his servant Ivan to show him his helmet. The helmet was pierced through in the last duel with the knight Delorge. It is impossible to put it on. The servant consoles Albert with the fact that he repaid Delorge in full, knocking him out of the saddle with a powerful blow, from which Albert’s offender lay dead for a day and has hardly recovered to this day. Albert says that the reason for his courage and strength was his rage over his damaged helmet. The fault of heroism is stinginess. Albert complains about poverty, about the embarrassment that prevented him from removing the helmet from a defeated enemy, says that he needs a new dress, that he alone is forced to sit at the ducal table in armor, while other knights flaunt in satin and velvet. But there is no money for clothes and weapons, and Albert’s father, the old baron, is a miser. There is no money to buy a new horse, and Albert’s constant creditor, the Jew Solomon, according to Ivan, refuses to continue to believe in debt without a mortgage. But the knight has nothing to pawn. The moneylender does not give in to any persuasion, and even the argument that Albert’s father is old, will soon die and leave his entire huge fortune to his son does not convince the lender.
At this time, Solomon himself appears. Albert tries to beg him for a loan, but Solomon, although gently, nevertheless resolutely refuses to give money even on his word of honor. Albert, upset, does not believe that his father can survive him, but Solomon says that everything happens in life, that “our days are not numbered by us,” and the baron is strong and can live another thirty years. In despair, Albert says that in thirty years he will be fifty, and then he will hardly need the money. Solomon objects that money is needed at any age, only “a young man looks for nimble servants in it,” “but an old man sees in them reliable friends.” Albert claims that his father himself serves money, like an Algerian slave, “like a chained dog.” He denies himself everything and lives worse than a beggar, and “the gold lies quietly in his chests.” Albert still hopes that someday it will serve him, Albert. Seeing Albert's despair and his readiness to do anything, Solomon hints that his father's death can be hastened with the help of poison. At first, Albert does not understand these hints. But, having understood the matter, he wants to immediately hang Solomon on the castle gates. Solomon, realizing that the knight is not joking, wants to pay off, but Albert drives him away. Having come to his senses, he intends to send a servant for the moneylender to accept the money offered, but changes his mind because it seems to him that they will smell of poison. He demands to serve wine, but it turns out that there is not a drop of wine in the house. Cursing such a life, Albert decides to seek justice for his father from the Duke, who must force the old man to support his son, as befits a knight.
The Baron goes down to his basement, where he stores chests of gold, so that he can pour a handful of coins into the sixth chest, which is not yet full. Looking at his treasures, he remembers the legend of the king who ordered his soldiers to put in a handful of earth, and how as a result a giant hill grew from which the king could survey vast spaces. The baron likens his treasures, collected bit by bit, to this hill, which makes him the ruler of the whole world. He remembers the history of each coin, behind which are the tears and grief of people, poverty and death. It seems to him that if all the tears, blood and sweat shed for this money came out of the bowels of the earth now, there would be a flood. He pours a handful of money into the chest, and then unlocks all the chests, places lighted candles in front of them and admires the shine of gold, feeling like the ruler of a mighty power. But the thought that after his death the heir will come here and squander his wealth makes the baron furious and indignant. He believes that he has no right to this, that if he himself had accumulated these treasures bit by bit through hard work, then he certainly would not have thrown gold left and right.
In the palace, Albert complains to the Duke about his father, and the Duke promises to help the knight, to persuade the Baron to support his son as it should be. He hopes to awaken fatherly feelings in the baron, because the baron was a friend of his grandfather and played with the duke when he was still a child.
The baron approaches the palace, and the duke asks Albert to hide in the next room while he talks with his father. The Baron appears, the Duke greets him and tries to evoke memories of his youth. He wants the baron to appear at court, but the baron is dissuaded by old age and infirmity, but promises that in case of war he will have the strength to draw his sword for his duke. The Duke asks why he does not see the Baron’s son at court, to which the Baron replies that his son’s gloomy disposition is a hindrance. The Duke asks the Baron to send his son to the palace and promises to teach him to have fun. He demands that the baron assign his son a salary befitting a knight. Turning gloomy, the baron says that his son is unworthy of the duke’s care and attention, that “he is vicious,” and refuses to fulfill the duke’s request. He says that he is angry with his son for plotting parricide. The Duke threatens to put Albert on trial for this. The Baron reports that his son intends to rob him. Hearing these slander, Albert bursts into the room and accuses his father of lying. The angry baron throws the glove to his son. With the words “Thank you.” This is my father’s first gift.” Albert accepts the baron’s challenge. This incident plunges the Duke into amazement and anger; he takes away the baron’s glove from Albert and drives father and son away from him. At this moment, with words about the keys on his lips, the baron dies, and the duke complains about “a terrible age, terrible hearts.”
The young knight Albert decides to go to the tournament and turns to his servant Ivan with a request to show him his helmet. The helmet turns out to be pierced through from the last fight with the knight Delorge. It is impossible to put it on. The servant tries to console Albert, saying that he repaid Delorge in full, knocking him out of the saddle with a powerful blow. After this blow, Delorge lay dead for a whole day and has still barely recovered. Albert replies that he was given courage and strength by the rage caused by his damaged helmet.
The fault of his heroism was stinginess. Albert complains of poverty, of embarrassment that prevented him from removing the helmet from his defeated enemy. The knight needs a new dress, because he is the only one sitting at the ducal table in armor, while the other knights flaunt in velvet and satin. But he has no money for clothes, weapons, or a horse. One cannot expect help from Father Albert, an old baron and a famous miser.
The Jew Solomon, Albert's constant creditor, no longer lends money without a mortgage. However, the knight has nothing to pawn. The moneylender does not give in to any persuasion; he is not even convinced by the argument that Albert’s old father will soon die and his son will receive a huge fortune.
Meanwhile, Solomon himself appears.
The young knight tries to ask him to borrow money, but Solomon gently but decisively refuses him; even an honest knight’s word is not a convincing argument for a Jew. Albert is upset, he can’t believe that his father can survive him. Solomon believes that anything happens in life, that our days are not numbered by us, the baron is strong, full of strength and can live for a very long time. Albert is in despair, he says that if his father lives thirty years, then by that time he will already be fifty, and at this age he is unlikely to need money. The Jew replies that money is needed at any age, but for a young man it is nimble servants, and for an old man it is reliable friends. Albert believes that his father serves money “like a chained dog,” like an Algerian slave. He denies himself everything, living worse than a beggar, and all his gold lies in his chests. Albert expresses the hope that someday this gold will serve him too. Solomon sees Albert's despair and the fact that he is ready for anything, and hints that his father's death can easily be hastened through poison.
At first, Albert does not understand these hints. But when he understands what Solomon is telling him, he immediately wants to hang the moneylender on the castle gates.
It becomes clear to Solomon that Albert is not in the mood for jokes, and he wants to pay off, but the knight drives him away. Having cooled down a little, he first wants to send a servant for the Jew in order to accept the money offered by him, but quickly changes his mind, because it seems to him that they smell of poison. Albert demands to serve wine, but finds out that there is not a drop of wine in the house. The knight curses such a life and decides to seek help from the Duke in order to find justice for his father. In his opinion, the Duke can force the old baron to support his son so that he looks like a true knight.
Albert's father goes down to the basement where his chests of gold are stored. Now he intends to pour a handful of coins into the not yet full sixth chest. He looks at his treasures, and he is reminded of the legend about the king who ordered his soldiers to throw handfuls of earth, from these handfuls a giant hill grew, and the king was able to survey vast spaces from it. The Baron likens his treasures, which were collected bit by bit, to the same hill, making him the ruler of the whole world. He remembers the history of each coin, and behind it are human tears and grief, death and poverty. He thinks that if now all the tears, sweat and blood that were shed for this money rose from the bowels of the earth, then a real flood would happen. The baron pours a handful of coins into the chest, then unlocks all the chests, lights candles in front of them and enjoys the shine of gold, feeling like the ruler of a mighty power. However, he is indignant and furious at the thought that someday, after his death, an heir will appear here and all his wealth will be thrown away. The Baron believes that his son has no right to this, that if Albert himself had accumulated these treasures little by little, through hard work, he probably would not have spent gold, wasting his wealth.
Albert complains to the duke about his father's stinginess, and he promises to help the knight and persuade the old baron to support his son in a manner befitting his status. He hopes to awaken fatherly feelings in the baron, since the baron was a friend of the duke's grandfather and played with him when he was still a child.
The Baron approaches the palace, the Duke asks Albert to hide in the next room and wait while he talks with the knight's father. The Baron enters, the Duke greets him and tries to remind him of his youth. The Duke invites the Baron to appear at court, but the Baron refuses, citing old age and infirmity, but at the same time makes a promise that if war breaks out, he will be strong enough to raise the sword for the Duke. The Duke asks why the baron’s son is not at court, to which the old man replies that the reason for this is Albert’s gloomy disposition. The Duke asks the Baron to send his son to the palace and promises to teach him to have fun. In addition, he demands that the baron assign his son a salary appropriate for a knight. Growing gloomy, the baron replies that his son is unworthy of the duke’s attention and care, since “he is vicious,” and denies the duke his request. The old man says that he is angry with his son because he was plotting his murder and intended to rob him. The Duke promises to bring Albert to trial for this. Hearing these slander, Albert bursts into the room and accuses his father of lying. The Baron is angry and throws the glove to his son. Albert accepts his father’s challenge, saying: “Thank you. This is my father’s first gift.” The Duke is amazed, he is overcome with anger, he takes the glove from the young knight and drives them both away from him. At this moment the baron dies, remembering the keys, the duke is outraged by the “terrible age, terrible hearts.”
The Covetous Knight (Scenes from Chanston's tragicomedy: The covetous knight) Tragedy (1830)
The young knight Albert is about to appear at the tournament and asks his servant Ivan to show him his helmet. The helmet was pierced through in the last duel with the knight Delorge. It is impossible to put it on. The servant consoles Albert with the fact that he repaid Delorge in full, knocking him out of the saddle with a powerful blow, from which Albert’s offender lay dead for a day and has hardly recovered to this day. Albert says that the reason for his courage and strength was his rage over his damaged helmet. The fault of heroism is stinginess. Albert complains about poverty, about the embarrassment that prevented him from removing the helmet from a defeated enemy, says that he needs a new dress, that he alone is forced to sit at the ducal table in armor, while other knights flaunt in satin and velvet. But there is no money for clothes and weapons, and Albert’s father, the old baron, is a miser. There is no money to buy a new horse, and Albert’s constant creditor, the Jew Solomon, according to Ivan, refuses to continue to believe in debt without a mortgage. But the knight has nothing to pawn. The moneylender does not give in to any persuasion, and even the argument that Albert’s father is old, will soon die and leave his entire huge fortune to his son does not convince the lender.
At this time Solomon himself appears. Albert tries to beg him for a loan, but Solomon, although gently, nevertheless resolutely refuses to give money even on his word of honor. Albert, upset, does not believe that his father can survive him, but Solomon says that everything happens in life, that “our days are not numbered by us,” and the baron is strong and can live another thirty years. In despair, Albert says that in thirty years he will be fifty, and then he will hardly need the money. Solomon objects that money is needed at any age, only “a young man looks for nimble servants in it,” “an old man sees in them reliable friends.” Albert claims that his father himself serves money, like an Algerian slave, “like a chained dog.” He denies himself everything and lives worse than a beggar, and “the gold lies quietly in his chests.” Albert still hopes that someday it will serve him, Albert. Seeing Albert's despair and his readiness to do anything, Solomon hints to him that his father's death can be hastened with the help of poison. At first, Albert does not understand these hints. But, having understood the matter, he wants to immediately hang Solomon on the castle gates. Solomon, realizing that the knight is not joking, wants to pay off, but Albert drives him away. Having come to his senses, he intends to send a servant for the moneylender to accept the money offered, but changes his mind because it seems to him that they will smell of poison. He demands to serve wine, but it turns out that there is not a drop of wine in the house. Cursing such a life, Albert decides to seek justice for his father from the Duke, who must force the old man to support his son, as befits a knight. The Baron goes down to his basement, where he stores chests of gold, so that he can pour a handful of coins into the sixth chest, which is not yet full. Looking at his treasures, he remembers the legend of the king who ordered his soldiers to put in a handful of earth, and how as a result a giant hill grew from which the king could survey vast spaces. The baron likens his treasures, collected bit by bit, to this hill, which makes him the ruler of the whole world. He remembers the history of each coin, behind which are the tears and grief of people, poverty and death. It seems to him that if all the tears, blood and sweat shed for this money came out of the bowels of the earth now, there would be a flood. He pours a handful of money into the chest, and then unlocks all the chests, places lighted candles in front of them and admires the shine of gold, feeling like the ruler of a mighty power. But the thought that after his death the heir will come here and squander his wealth makes the baron furious and indignant. He believes that he has no right to this, that if he himself had accumulated these treasures bit by bit through hard work, then he certainly would not have thrown gold left and right. 115 In the palace, Albert complains to the duke about his father, and the duke promises to help the knight, to persuade the baron to support his son as it should be. He hopes to awaken fatherly feelings in the baron, because the baron was a friend of his grandfather and played with the duke when he was still a child. The baron approaches the palace, and the duke asks Albert to hide in the next room while he talks with his father. The Baron appears, the Duke greets him and tries to evoke memories of his youth. He wants the baron to appear at court, but the baron is dissuaded by old age and infirmity, but promises that in case of war he will have the strength to draw his sword for his duke. The Duke asks why he does not see the Baron’s son at court, to which the Baron replies that his son’s gloomy disposition is a hindrance. The Duke asks the Baron to send his son to the palace and promises to teach him to have fun. He demands that the baron assign his son a salary befitting a knight. Turning gloomy, the baron says that his son is unworthy of the duke’s care and attention, that “he is vicious,” and refuses to fulfill the duke’s request. He says that he is angry with his son for plotting parricide. The Duke threatens to put Albert on trial for this. The Baron reports that his son intends to rob him. Hearing these slander, Albert bursts into the room and accuses his father of lying. The angry baron throws the glove to his son. With the words “Thank you.” This is my father’s first gift.” Albert accepts the baron’s challenge. This incident plunges the Duke into amazement and anger, he takes the Baron’s glove from Albert and drives his father and son away. At that moment, with words about the keys on his lips, the Baron dies, and the Duke complains about “a terrible age, terrible hearts.”
