Chapter 13
Section 3
The Age of Chivalry
Warriors on Horseback
• The invention of Saddles
and Stirrups changed the
technology of warfare.
• Saddles were invented to
keep a Knight seated firmly
on a moving horse.
• Stirrups allowed Knights to
stand up and maneuver
weapons while riding. The
stirrups braced warriors and
kept them from being thrown
off their horse.
Warriors Roles in Feudalism
• Lords paid Knights for
their service with fiefs
from their own estate.
• Knights devoted their
time and lives to war.
• Knights participated in
hunting and wrestling
to keep their skills up.
Knighthood and Chivalry
• (Page) At the age of 7 a young noble boy, would
be sent to the castle of another lord. There he
served that lord and would learn manners. The
page played chess to learn war strategies and
practiced sword fighting.
• (Squire) Around 14 he became a squire and
took care of a knight’s armor, weapons and
warhorse. The squire escorted the knight to
battles.
• (Knight) At the age of 21 a squire became a
knight, devoting himself to his feudal lord, his
heavenly lord and his chosen lady.
Knighthood and Chivalry cont.
• The idea of a Knight’s conduct of courtesy,
loyalty and bravery would become known
as chivalry.
• A knight who failed to uphold to these
standards would be stripped of his armor,
have his shield cracked, spurs would be
cut off and have his sword broken.
• Then the knight would be placed in a
coffin, dragged to the church and given a
mock funeral.
War Games and Warfare
• Tournaments were mock battles which combined
recreation and combat training.
• Young knights gained experience through the
tournaments and small local wars.
• Castle defenders poured boiling water, hot oil or
molten lead on attackers down below.
• Archers were stationed on roofs with crossbows
which fired bolts that could pierce full armor.
• Attacking armies used various strategies and
weapons to gain access to castles.
Castles and Weapons
Siege Tower
Castles and Weapons
Trebuchet
Mangonel (catapult)
Love Poems and Songs
• Under the code of
Chivalry, a knight’s duty
was to his lady as well as
to his lord.
• In many medieval poems
knights were conflicted
by the two.
• Troubadours were poetmusicians who
composed short verse
songs and poems about
the joys and sorrows of
romantic love.
Women's Role
• In the Feudal system a noblewoman could
inherit an estate from her husband.
• While her husband was gone a
noblewoman would act as military
commander and a warrior.
• Woman helped defend castles by hurling
rocks, fired arrows and also dressed in
armor and mobilized a cavalry of knights in
emergencies.