What is Knight?
[[File:Black Prince receives Aquitaine - Historical Compilation (1386-1399), f.31 - BL Cotton MS Nero D VI.jpg|thumb|250px|[[Edward III]] granting the [[Black Prince]] the principality of Aquitaine]]A '''knight''' was a [[professional]] heavy [[cavalry]] [[soldier]] in the [[Middle Ages]]. Knights were the best soldiers in the kingdom. Knights fought for [[lord]]s or [[Nobility|nobles]], and got land in return. They thought [[honour]] was very important, and they had a code of honour called [[chivalry]]. A knight usually had a [[coat of arms]], also called an armorial achievement. == Knights in the Middle Ages == Knights were first used in the [[8th century]] in the [[Late Roman army|late Roman armies]].<sup>[''citation needed'']</sup> The era of the knights lasted until the 16th century. After that, national armies replaced [[feudalism|feudal armies]]. Many knights were recruited as [[officer]]s in the new armies. == Knights today == Although they no longer fight as elite warriors, knights still exist. Today, [[King Charles III]] names Knights of the [[Commonwealth realm|Commonwealth Realms]]. To knight a person, he taps their shoulders with the flat side of a sword during a [[ceremony]]. [[Bill Gates]], [[Clint Eastwood]], [[Michael Caine]], [[Elton John]], and [[George H. W. Bush|George H.W. Bush]] have all been knighted.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.ranker.com/list/famous-people-who-have-been-knighted/celebrity-lists|title=33 Famous People Who Have Been Knighted|first=|last=|website=|publisher=|accessdate=}}</ref> Some British orders of knighthood still exist, like the [[Order of the British Empire]]. Today, knights are called “Sir” followed by their first name. Many members of [[nobility]] are descended from knights. For example, [[Wijerd Jelckama]] is descended from a knight who died at the [[siege of Antioch]] in 1199. ==Related pages== * [[Heraldry]] * [[Knight Bachelor]] * [[Order of the Garter]] ==References== {{reflist}} {{History-stub}} [[Category:Titles]] [[Category:Military occupatio