We are not talking about the Knights of Columbus here, but rather the warrior Knights of the Middle Ages. And while being declared a knight in the modern era is something of a symbolic honor, in the Middle Ages it was far more than that.
Who were the Knights of the Middle Ages?
Medieval knights were the elite mounted warriors of the Middle Ages (roughly 500–1500 A.D.), evolving from heavy cavalry in the Early Middle Ages into a symbol of feudalism, chivalry, and military prowess in Western Europe.They emerged prominently around the 9th–10th centuries as feudalism took hold, with kings and lords granting land (fiefs) in exchange for military service. By the Norman Conquest of 1066 and into the High and Late Middle Ages, knights became a distinct social class—often from noble families—serving as professionals.
Most knights in Western Europe during the Middle Ages were Roman Catholic. They were deeply influenced by the Church, which shaped the code of chivalry to emphasize defending the faith, the weak, and the Church itself. Many knights participated in the Crusades, and specific orders like the Knights Templar and Teutonic Knights were formally recognized Catholic military orders.
Becoming a knight was a long, rigorous process starting in childhood:
Page (ages ~7–14): A boy from a noble family served in a lord’s household, learning basic manners, horse care, hunting, and simple weapon handling.
Squire (ages ~14–21): More advanced training in combat skills, armor maintenance, accompanying a knight in battle, and studying chivalry.
The “Vigil of Arms” (ages 21+): Immediately prior to being dubbed a Knight, rarely shown in the movies, this was the a key part of becoming a Knight.
“The medieval “Vigil of Arms” (often just called the knight’s vigil), a key part of the knighting ceremony in the later Middle Ages. Before a squire could be formally dubbed a knight (the “accolade,” usually a tap on the shoulder with a sword while being proclaimed “Sir”), he underwent this solemn ritual the night before.
The vigil typically involved a ritual bath (symbolizing purification, like a spiritual cleansing), after which , the squire would dress in symbolic clothing: often a white tunic for purity, sometimes red for nobility or the blood he’d shed in defense of the faith, and black/brown elements for humility or mortality.
He would then spend the entire night alone in a chapel or church, standing or kneeling in silent prayer and meditation before an altar where his sword, shield, and sometimes other arms had been placed (often blessed beforehand).
This lasted around 10–12 hours, from evening through to dawn—no sitting or sleeping allowed, as a test of endurance, devotion, and spiritual readiness.
The purpose was to prepare him spiritually: reflecting on the duties of knighthood (protecting the Church, the weak, and the innocent; upholding honor; serving God and lord), praying for strength, and dedicating himself to chivalric ideals.
It wasn’t about physical “survival” in a dangerous sense (like fighting or enduring torture)—there were no trials by combat, starvation, or mortal peril involved. The real challenge was the mental and physical strain of staying awake, focused, and prayerful through a long, lonely, sleepless night. Falling asleep or collapsing might have been seen as a bad omen or lack of resolve, but the sources emphasize piety and reflection over any notion of “surviving” a threat.
This practice became more formalized and religious after around 1200, when the Church increasingly influenced knighting rituals, turning them into something almost sacramental. It’s a romanticized element of medieval chivalry, popularized in legends, literature, and modern depictions (think stories of King Arthur’s knights or fantasy like A Song of Ice and Fire, where similar vigils appear).So while dramatic posts sometimes frame it as a grueling “survival” test in a dark church, the historical reality was more about solemn spiritual preparation than anything life-threatening.
This solemn vigil symbolized spiritual preparation for the responsibilities of knighthood.This was followed by the accolade—being tapped on the shoulder with a sword and proclaimed a knight……”I dub thee Sir ……”.
A knight’s kit was extremely costly:
This no doubt explains why knights emerged from the nobility, who could afford the expensive gear.
Full plate armor: (by the Late Middle Ages, around 1400) weighing 40–60 lbs, but well-distributed for mobility.
Chain mail: (earlier periods), helmets, shields.
Weapons: sword, lance (for charging), mace, axe, dagger.
Warhorse (destrier): Massive, trained, and armored beasts.
Knights trained relentlessly, in full armor to build strength and endurance.
Horsemanship, lance work, sword fighting, wrestling, archery (though less emphasized than for infantry).
Physical conditioning: running, lifting, practicing in armor, tournaments.
Chivalric education: courtly manners, music, heraldry, and religious duties.
In peacetime, many managed estates, collected taxes, hunted, or participated in tournaments—mock battles that honed skills and displayed prowess.
Note: The Knights of the Round Table were not real historical figures, but rather legendary characters from medieval literature. While based on tales of a 5th-6th century British leader, the specific knights, such as Lancelot, Gawain, and Galahad, first appeared in 12th-century French literature as part of the Arthurian romantic tradition.
By the 12th century, the Church influenced an idealized code emphasizing loyalty to lord and king.
♦ Protection of the weak, women, and the Church.
♦ Bravery, honor, courtesy.
♦ Courtly love and religious devotion.
Reality often fell short—knights could be brutal mercenaries—but the ideal shaped literature like Arthurian legends.Knights dominated battlefields until gunpowder and professional armies (late 15th century) made heavy cavalry obsolete. Their legacy endures in modern honors, stories, and romanticized views of medieval heroism.