Knights & Training
These were the most esteemed soldiers in the Middle Ages, usually sons of wealthy, influential families.
“What are knights?”
Many kings, queens, and nobles lived in these fortified homes designed for protection, not comfort.
“What are castles?”
These pretend battles between knights on horseback let them show their strength and skills.
“What are jousting matches?” (or “What is jousting?”
This noisy sound called people to church and marked the hour in medieval towns.
“What are church bells?”
This word means business or trade and grew as more people bought and sold goods in towns.
“What is commerce?”
This is what a young boy training to be a knight was first called while serving and learning basic skills.
“What is a page?”
This deep trench, often filled with water, surrounded some castles for extra protection.
“What is a moat?”
In jousts, knights tried to knock each other off their horses using this long wooden weapon with a metal tip.
“What is a lance?”
Town streets were often crowded, muddy, and filled with these animals that helped spread disease.
“What are rats?”
Merchants and skilled craftsmen formed these groups to control wages and the price and quality of goods.
“What are guilds?”
After serving as a page, a boy became this, taking care of the lord’s horses and armor.
“What is a squire?”
This large room in a castle was used for meals, entertainment, and even sleeping.
“What is the Great Hall?”
This word describes the special code that said knights should serve their lord and protect weaker people.
“What is chivalry?”
Between 1000 and 1350 CE, this activity helped towns grow as more people moved from the countryside.
“What is trade?”
A young person who went to live and train with a master craftsman was called this.
“What is an apprentice?”
During this ceremony, a lord tapped a squire on the shoulder with the flat part of his sword to make him a knight.
“What is the dubbing ceremony?” (or “What is being knighted?”)
Early castles were made of this material before stronger stone castles were built.
“What is wood?”
Knights were expected to treat captured knights like this until a ransom was paid.
“What are honored guests?”
People entering or leaving a walled town might have to pay this fee at the gate.
“What is a toll?”
After years of unpaid training, an apprentice became this, now getting paid each day for work.
“What is a journeyman?"
Besides pay from battles, name one other way knights could gain wealth, such as through land or captured enemies.
“What is getting land or money as a reward, looting, or holding people for ransom?”
One reason castles needed food and water stored inside their walls was to survive this kind of long-lasting enemy attack.
“What is a siege?”
Watching jousting matches in the Middle Ages was compared to watching these types of events today.
“What are sports games, like football or baseball games?”
To keep criminals from escaping, towns did this to their gates when the curfew bell rang at night.
“What is lock the gates?”
To become a master craftsman, a journeyman had to submit this special piece of best work to the guild.
“What is a masterpiece?”