Evolution of Knighthood

Evolution of Knighthood
Knights evolved from the 10th century to the 13th century from less of a soldier class to a more wealthy or upper class. To begin, the knights in the 10th century were a vital warrior on the battlefield, while knights in the 13th century were being slowly phased out by the newer and more efficient technological advances. Next, the 10th century knights enjoyed tournaments because they gained valuable experience and had the ability to make money off the ransom of a captured knight. By the 13th century, a tournament system was developed that allowed knights to demonstrate the unique skills they had acquired throughout their training. This system established their dominance as an upper class through their ability to compete in these tournaments. Finally, the knights in the 10th century were careless and greedy because they had no form of chivalry or a code of honor. By the 13th century knights had developed a superior code of chivalry which furthered their advancement into the upper class. The armament and tactics of knights were surpassed by the technology like the longbow and gunpowder on the battlefield, forcing them to better their social status and merge with the noble class for their own survival. The evolution of the knight occurred when the knight lost effectiveness on the battlefield, upgraded tournament battles, and evolved into an upper class of citizens by exercising and establishing their own code of chivalry.
To begin, knights in the 10th century exercised different battle tactics that proved to be of greater importance on the battlefield than that of knights in the 13th century. Knights in the 10th century were viewed as a necessity on the battlefield for their overall efficiency and effectiveness. Knights proved to be effective fighters in the 10th century through battles including the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and the Battle of Hattin in 1187. The Battle of Hastings was one battle where knights proved to be the deciding factor on the battlefield. The fighting style during the 10th century was generally close hand-to-hand combat. Weapons like the battle ax, short and long sword, the knight’s lance, the mace were common choices of weaponry for the time period. During the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William Malmesbury describes the fighting style of William the Conquerors during the battle:
William, too, was equally ready to encourage his soldiers by his voice and by his presence, and to be the first to rush forward to attack the thickest of the foe. He was everywhere fierce and furious; he lost three choice horses, which were that day killed under him. The dauntless spirit and vigor of the intrepid general, however, still held out. Though often called back by the kind remonstrance of his bodyguard, he still persisted until approaching night crowned him with complete victory.
William the Conqueror guided his men all day, attempting to overcome his enemy by breaking their line of defense with relentless charging . He would eventually overcome his enemy by using the clever tactics of having his men suddenly retreat. When the Saxon army broke ranks to pursue the Normans, William had his men turn and quickly attacked while the Saxons were unorganized . The Battle of Hastings was a battle fought and won because of the skill and training of the Norman knights, and their close combat skills. The Norman knights proved their superior fighting skills and were the deciding factor in the Battle of Hastings.
Another 10th century battle that exemplified the knight’s fighting tactics on the battlefield had come during the battle of Hattin. The Battle of Hattin ended as a loss for the Christian knights to the superior fighting forces of Saladin and the Saracens. Guy of Lusignan, who was recently crowned king after the death of Baldwin V, ordered an attack on the Saracen army at Tiberius . He marched his men out into the dry and unforgiving desert for an entire day, only to arrive at Tiberius parched and driven to exhaustion from their travels. The heavy armored knight proved not to be as effective in the desert environment of the Middle East. The knight’s armor and tactics developed in Europe did not match