Knighthood And Functions - 10 To 13 Century English Knight Role In Society Changes

Before twelfth century, the English Knights was a loose group which character as "service", and include members from multi-economic status. "Knight" means more emphasis on the function of this group, that is, military service, rather than to emphasize recognition of social status. Between anyone known as the "knight", there is no common way of economicincome, lifestyle, cultural identity, social interests and demands……so this also can not think that knight is a social status. In thirteenth century, the economic disintegration of the feudal estate, currency andinflation, made "minor Knights" get in trouble of economical. Rise of chivalry, modified the lifestyle and ceremony of knight, and increased the cost of knight's living and knighting. These changes combined in1200s-1300s in England, forced poor knights to give up more exclusive knighthood. In several decades, the English Knight shrunk to less half in the size of the twelfth century. Minor knights which have large size in the past two centuries almost disappeared. Household knight has also been replaced by esquire. only well-endowed knights and knights who close to powerful lord escaped. These rest of the Knights were rich in economy and local influence which often recognized as "more legal-worthy knights". Because involved in the management of local since the time of Henry II, these people have a certain degree of cultural foundation, high in moral and cultivation level, combined with chivalry, which gradually becoming a elite status, well known at the local, participation in self-government management, and has its own ideological...