The medieval knight : the noble warriors of the golden age of chivalry

"Knighthood lies above eternity; it doesn't live off fame, but rather deeds." Knights were the ultimate warriors in European warfare for a period of almost 500 years.

From the mid eleventh century to the early 1500s, these highly trained, elite fighters dominated European battlefields with the power of the charge, a shock tactic that few enemies could withstand.

But knights were more than just fighting machines: through the chivalric code, they were expected to be able to play music, write verse, be arbiters of the law, and practice courtly love - as well as support their lord and protect the people.

Arranged thematically, The Medieval Knight examines every aspect of knighthood, including training, fighting techniques, arms and armour, the various knightly orders, and the decline of the knights' dominance on the battlefield.

Cold-blooded killer or noble protector and romantic lover?

Dragon slayer or terrorizer of poor folk? The knightly ideal remains a part of European culture to this day, a symbol of high ideals and noble conduct.

The Medieval Knight explores the reality of what it meant to be a heavily-armed and armoured fighting man in an era when military prowess was the ultimate good.

Illustrated with more than 200 colour and black-and- white photographs, maps and artworks, The Medieval Knight is an expertly written account of the elite fighting men who have long captured the popular imagination.