The knighting ceremony is described in many historical essays, in works of fiction, played in cinematography, etc. Like any other tradition, the knighting ritual has its own history and its own nuances in its conduct.
From the history of knighthood
The history of the origin of this rite goes back to the ancient Germanic tribes many years before the first knights appeared. Then, after the young men reached their majority, the father or foreman of the community handed him a spear and a sword. After that, the guy was considered a full and full member of the tribe.
This tradition was revived in Christian times. For example, in the 15th century, a young man of fifteen years of age could become a knight, and no matter what social status he had - both noble people and peasants became knights. As time went on - the state (kingdom) developed, accumulated power, strengthened. Chivalry also improved: knights became an elite and closed group of people.
In order for the young man to become a knight in the future, he was given to be raised in a noble family. There he was a squire. The ritual of initiation into knights itself was carried out mainly among young men aged 21 years and older. Carrying out this ceremony was associated with huge financial costs. This explains the fact that by the beginning of the 18th century, some of the poor princes and barons remained uninitiated into knights.
The knighting ceremony: how was it?
This ritual, without any doubt, was an important stage in the life of any man of the Middle Ages. To become a knight, a young squire had to make an appropriate request to his lord or to another high-ranking person. This was followed by a detailed study of the biography of the candidate for knights, his actions, his behavior, his relationships in society, etc. were analyzed. All this made it possible to be convinced of the courage, honesty, straightforwardness, courage and other personal qualities of the candidate.
If the young man met these requirements, then the second stage of preparation for the ritual began. Some time before the ceremony, the young candidate for knighthood had to adhere to fasting, spend the lion's share of his time in prayer and repentance. The future knight was supposed to spend the night before the celebration in the church. The initiation ritual was usually associated with one or another religious holiday. This maximally emphasized the importance of the event.
At dawn, the young man underwent ablution. He put on a loose linen tunic, and hung a sling with a sword around his neck. The ritual of initiation into knights itself was carried out in a predetermined place: it could be a church or a chapel, a castle or even an open field. Already on the spot, the hero of the occasion was helped to put on armor, after which the priest conducted a special liturgy. Then the book of knightly laws was read. Only in this way would the future knight learn about his duties to the king, lord and church. The knight candidate had to kneel all this time.
Then came the most crucial step - direct initiation into knights. To do this, the young man was approached by his lord or the king himself and lightly hit the candidate's shoulder with the flat side of the sword. At this time, the recruit had to pronounce the oath of the knight. After that, golden spurs were put on the young knight, symbolizing dignity. The newly minted knight was given a shield with the coat of arms of the royal family for personal use and a weapon for battle - a personal sword.
The knighting procedure ended with the transfer of his war horse to the young defender of the kingdom. Since that time, even yesterday's squire was a noble man and could drive through the streets of cities to the enthusiastic shouts of his fellow-in-arms, peasants and beautiful ladies. From that moment on, the knight was obliged to participate in all military campaigns of his kingdom and to protect and strengthen the defense of his border territories.
