ee horses: a battle horse, a horse to ride, and a packhorse for luggage. Several attendants were also required: one to conduct the horses, another to bear the heaviest weapons, one to mount him upon horses, and a fourth to guard the most valuable prisoners (Mueller 2).This may sound like a large staff for such a well-trained person, but it must be taken into consideration the importance of the knight during this period of time. A knight is a warrior and defender of his land. If, by any chance, he is summoned off to battle, his attendants must always be prepared to maintain the readiness of the knight.Inspired by Christian teachings, knights were supposed to have courteous and gentle manners. They saw themselves as a part of a noble superior class of people (Steele 11). Knights were expected to strictly follow a code of conduct called chivalry (Scher 2). The code of chivalry involved many strict rules concerning dress, manners, and overall moral conduct. Even though every knight was sworn upon this code, few knights followed it closely (Scher 2). Considering that true chivalrous knights are always spoken of in literature, they were few and far between. Eventually the effectiveness of knights in battle began to diminish in importance. The development of firearms and cannons overpowered the usefulness of man-to-man combat that the knights practiced. As the original purpose of the knights became obsolete, the face of knighthood began to change. However, the link with military service did not totally disappear. During the eighteenth century, successful admirals were often knighted. Knights today are just as likely to be diplomats, merchants, or celebrities (Cannon 551) who have become prominent citizens.No longer are knights valiant warriors who fight for glory and bravery. Knights today are just ordinary people who have contributed an extraordinary amount of good to the English society. It is well known that Elton John was kn...
