The knight was the elite, heavily armed cavalryman of the High Middle Ages.

Becoming a knight involved a long training process, starting as a page and then a squire in the service of a lord.

The ceremony in which a squire was made a knight was known as 'dubbing' or an 'accolade.'

Knights were bound by the feudal system, providing military service to their lord in exchange for a fief (land).

Their armor evolved from mail (chainmail) in the early period to full plate armor in the late Middle Ages for greater protection.

The code of chivalry was an idealized code of conduct for knights, emphasizing bravery, loyalty, courtesy, and the protection of the weak.

Tournaments were popular events where knights could display their skills in mock battles called jousts and melees.

The cost of horses, armor, and weapons was extremely high, making knighthood exclusive to the wealthy land-holding class.

The military dominance of the knight began to decline with the rise of effective infantry tactics and new weapons like the longbow and pike.

The knight remains a powerful and romanticized figure in Western culture.