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- Arthur - "Bear king," embodying strength and leadership.
- Roland - Signifying courage and bravery.
- Lancelot - "Land" and "lot," symbolizing connection to homeland.
- Guinevere - "Fair one," reflecting purity and beauty.
King Arthur's men were just some of the notable knights who with their tales of courage and camaraderie, romanticized the pages of medieval history. Browse through this article to find out more about knighthood and these men of valor.
- Saint George
- Sir Galahad
- Siegfried
- Robert Guiscard - 'The Crafty'
- Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar - 'El Cid'
- Sir William Marshal - 'The Greatest Knight That Ever Lived'
- Richard I - 'The Lionhearted'
- Sir William Wallace
- Sir James Douglas - 'The Black Douglas'
- Bertrand Du Guesclin - 'The Eagle of Brittany'
The Eastern Orthodox Saint George became the patron saint of all knights and so, even if strictly speaking he was not a medieval knight himself, he must appear first in this list. This legendary figure, based on a soldier in the Roman army who was martyred in 303 CE in Lydda (modern Lod, Israel) for his Christian beliefs, became the example to foll...
The King Arthur legends captured in several 12-15th century CE literary works provided stirring stories of example for all knights to follow, and several of the knights of the Round Table might have made this list. Sir Lancelot was a great knight but, if chivalry is an essential part of knighthood, then his infidelity with Guinevere and betrayal of...
Siegfried is a legendary German knight and prince who appears as the hero of the c. 1200 CE German epic poem the Nibelungenlied. More myth than reality, the figure is based on older Germanic and Norse folklore, but he may originally have been inspired by a Frankish knight of the 7th century CE or even a Germanic leader who fought valiantly against ...
Robert Guiscard (c. 1015-1085 CE) was a Norman knight who fought with success against the Byzantine and Arab Empires from 1057 CE to create his own duchy in southern Italy and Sicily. Robert's territorial claims were endorsed by the papacy in 1059 CE which recognised his title of the Duke of Apulia, Calabria, and Sicily. He extended his control of ...
Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar (1043-1099 CE), better known as El Cid, from the Arabic assid, meaning 'lord', was a famed Spanish knight and general, so famous even his sword had a name: Tizona. He first came to prominence as a commander of the armies of King Ferdinand I of Castile and Leon (d. 1065 CE), a position he gained aged just 22. After a dispute wi...
Sir William Marshal (c. 1146-1219 CE) was a highly celebrated English knight. Aged six, William was given up as a hostage by his father when King Stephen (r. 1135-1154 CE) besieged the family's castle. Fortunately, this turned out well for William as he was made a royal ward and set off on the road to becoming a knight. Besides impressing with his ...
Richard I of England 'the Lionhearted' or Cœur de Lion(1157-1199 CE) was the king of England from 1189 to 1199 CE. Richard's first success came in the 1180's CE when he quashed a baron's rebellion in Aquitaine and then captured the seemingly impregnable castle of Taillebourg in western France. Garnering the support of two French kings and egged on ...
Sir William Wallace (c. 1270-1305 CE) was a Scottish knight and national hero who fought for his country's independence from England. His first attack of note was on Lanark in Scotlandin 1297 CE when the English sheriff was killed - revenge for his mistreatment of William's wife Marion, according to legend. More raids followed on English garrisons ...
Sir James Douglas (c. 1286-1330 CE) was a Scottish knight whose dark complexion gave rise to his nickname 'the Black Douglas' by the English, while the Scots, naturally, were more appreciative of their hero and nicknamed him 'Good Sir James'. In 1307 CE James famously captured Douglas Castle, which had once been his own family's but was lost thanks...
Bertrand du Guesclin (c. 1320-1380 CE) was a French knight and national hero known as the 'Eagle of Brittany'. Rising from his humble origins, Bertrand was knighted following his success in stopping an English raiding party in Brittany in 1354 CE. Following further battlefield heroics such as the robust defence of Rennes in 1357 CE and victory over...
- Mark Cartwright
Medieval knights were elite warriors and a decisive factor in medieval warfare. A battle was typically won by the army that had the most knights. Initially, knights could become only men who proved their military skills on the battlefield.
- Harry Atkins
- William the Marshal. Not many knights can claim to have served four consecutive English kings. None could have done so as well as William the Marshal, Earl of Pembroke.
- King Arthur. There’s a very good chance you’ve heard of King Arthur, the legendary King of Camelot, and his Knights of the Round Table. His standing as perhaps the most famous knight in the world owes much to folklore of course, but Arthur is believed to be an actual historic figure who probably lived in the 5 of 6 century and led a resistance movement against invaders from Northern Europe.
- Richard the Lionheart. Richard I succeeded his father Henry II to become King of England in 1189 but spent only ten months of his decade-long reign in the country.
- Edward the Black Prince. Likely named because he favoured black armour, Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, won fame on at the Battle of Crecy, a key battle in the Hundred years War’.
May 26, 2024 · Let‘s take a closer look at 10 of the most famous medieval knights and what their stories reveal about knighthood and this fascinating period of history. King Arthur – The Once and Future King. The legend of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table has captivated people‘s imaginations for centuries.
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Nov 7, 2018 · Knights were the most-feared and best-protected warriors on the medieval battlefield, while off it, they were amongst the most fashionably dressed and best-mannered members of society. To reach this...
