Knight: The Medieval Warrior's (Unofficial) Manual

Brings the world of the medieval knight to life in a witty yet informative guide

It is the year 1415, the epic battle of Agincourt has just been fought, and never has it been a more glorious time to be a knight. But as any warrior will tell you, the path to chivalry is not an easy ride. This entertaining manual – the follow-up to the highly successful Legionary – will tell you all you need to know about the ups and downs of knightly life in the Middle Ages, from how to look your best on the battlefield to the going rates for ransoming a duke, as well as the best places to go on crusade and how to deal with the amorous attentions of courtly ladies.

Expertly researched and written by a leading medieval historian, Knight is packed with fascinating detail, amusing anecdotes and quotes from those who were there at the time, truly bringing the medieval world to life.

'Brilliantly, this book … is not only interesting but accurate, incorporating apposite snippets of contemporary texts and hundreds of illustrations … With any luck, this great little book […] will inspire another generation to marvel at the great and terrible deeds of the knightly class'
Times Literary Supplement

'Contains a wealth of information … Delightfully entertaining and packed solid with masses of fascinating facts. Investigate this manual: you may find yourself compelled to add it to stock'
School Librarian

'Manages that difficult feat, presenting a considerable amount of learning in a light-hearted, eminently readable way … The humour and serious scholarship are finely balanced.… '
Ancestors

Contents List

1. A Knight’s World • 2. Training • 3. Becoming a Knight • 4. Arms, Armour and Horses • 5. Orders of Knighthood • 6. Recruitment and Retinues • 7. Tournaments and Feats of Arms • 8. Campaigning 9. Crusade • 10. Mercenaries • 11. Ladies and Damsels • 12. Siege 13. Battle • 14. Ransoms and Booty • 15. Piety and Memory

About the Author

Michael Prestwich is Professor of History at the University of Durham. Among his many books are Plantagenet England, 1225-1360, Armies and Warfare in the Middle Ages and English Politics in the Thirteenth Century.