The first knight appeared in Europe in the early Middle Ages. The very existence of this estate was inextricably linked with the feudal era - the time of the cult of strength, as well as hierarchical fidelity. In economic terms, this state of affairs was justified by a special kind of feudal relations. In addition to Western European territories, similar martial estates arose in others
cultures: samurai in Japan, Sipahis in Turkey, Cossacks of the New Age in Russia. At the same time, even the first knights were fundamentally different from their brothers-in-arms in other civilizations.
History of chivalry
The appearance of this estate is closely connected with the emergence of the feudal system in land relations. Presumably, its origin began in early medieval Europe. Thus, the first knight of King Arthur is mentioned as early as the 6th century AD. However, validthe heyday of the estate begins in the 9th-10th centuries. Then a unique tradition for the whole planet arose on the continent. The supreme leaders, who during this period became the first kings, granted state lands to their officers for military service. The latter, in turn, swore allegiance to their overlord. Actually, "fe" in Old German meant loy alty, and "od" - possession. Thus, the highest lord in the entire medieval state was actually the king, and the first knights were the early vassals. This structure had a ladder hierarchy: a vassal for one overlord at a time
could himself grant lands to other warriors, becoming their overlord. Such first knights had as their main duty the protection of the lord's possessions, perhaps ransoming him from enemy captivity, participating in his military offensive campaigns, and so on. Very soon, chivalry turns into a privileged class: their origin is confirmed by all kinds of letters, their condition allows them to devote themselves to an exceptional cause, forcing the peasants to work for their needs. For many centuries they became the main striking force of any army, which could not be resisted by any foot peasant troops.
The appearance of the medieval military elite
The first knights were not at all what they are often portrayed in modern mass culture. Warriors fully encased in heavy armor appeared towards the end of the era of edged weapons - in the XIV-XV centuries. Already when the first firearms were created. Knights of the X-XI centuries more and morewere protected only by mail armor and an open-faced steel helmet. Their main weapon in everything
times remained the sword. But the knights never disdained weapons like an ax or a spear. Over time, the skills and technologies of blacksmiths developed, and with them the protection of the body improved. At first it was plate armor, which appeared everywhere from the 13th century, represented by brigantines in Western Europe. Especially this type of armor became widespread in Russia in the form of scaly and lamellar (riveted to a leather base) plates. And already at the very beginning of the New Age, when feudal relations began to gradually die, giving way to capitalism, the knightly class experienced its last surge: their armor reached unprecedented perfection, they became exactly the way we imagine them now - with massive all-metal plates covering all human body and head. In addition, militarily, this class still had something to say to the world - after all, the New World was conquered not least by their hands. The developed firearms began to penetrate armor over time, and the military strategists of the era mastered new formations of foot troops with long glaives and halberds, which increasingly overturned the knightly formation. All this hastened the departure from the historical stage of such a significant military and social category.
