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- In Medieval Times, A Knight was a mounted man-at-arms of medieval Europe. He served a king
- or other feudal superior, usually in return for the tenure of a tract of land, but sometimes he served his
- lord for money. The knight was generally a man of noble birth who had served in the lower ranks as page
- and squire before being ceremoniously inducted into knighthood by his superior. At his induction the
- knight usually swore to be brave, loyal, and courteous and to protect the defenseless. After the 15th
- century, knighthood was conferred on civilians as a reward for public services.
- A knight in armor would present a very strange appearance on a modern battlefield. His prancing
- steed and metal coat of mail, the heavy iron helmet that covered his head, the shield that he carried on his
- left arm, his lance and shining sword—all of these belong to bygone days and have little place among the
- swift airplanes, the rapid-shooting automatic weapons, and the scorching flame-throwers of modern
- warfare. Knighthood flourished before the time of guns and gunpowder when battles still were won by
- hand-to-hand conflicts of heavy-armored knights. Even in peacetime knights looked for conflicts in which
- to engage. Fighting was almost an everyday occurrence, and the common people generally could not
- protect themselves against an invading foe. In times of danger they fled to the castles or strongholds
- owned by the nobles. To obtain protection the poorer folk became the serfs or villains of their powerful
- neighbors, and those in turn were the vassals of those still more powerful. The institution of knighthood
- was part of this feudal system.
- In modern-day Britain, knighthood is an honor conferred by the monarch on both men and women in
- recognition of outstanding personal merit. The knight is usually created through appointment to an
- order of knighthood. The title sir or dame is prefixed to his or her first name, and initials standing for
- the order of knighthood follow the name. For example, John Smith, on receiving the title of Knight
- Commander of the Order of the Garter, is afterward known as Sir John Smith, K.G. Knighthood is
- also occasionally conferred without membership in a particular order. A knight so created is known
- as a Knight Bachelor, and the name is followed by the abbreviation Kt., standing for knight.
- -modern day British soldiers
- Modern Day Knights known as soldiers is a military force of the British with the chief responsibility for land combat. The British Army includes the active-duty army, the British Army Reserve, and civilian employees, all under the direction of the Department of the Army. The Army
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- Words: 439
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