The Knight in History (Paperback)

by Frances Gies (Author) "OF ALL THE many types of soldier that have appeared on the military stage in the course of time, from the Greek hoplite, the Roman..." (more)
Key Phrases: women troubadours, medieval nobility, knightly class, Holy Land, Middle Ages, First Crusade (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"A carefully researched, concise, readable, and entertaining account of an institution that remains a part of the Western imagination.""--Los Angeles Times""(Gies's) writing is fresh and direct, her scholarship is exact but relaxed, she makes qualifications without squirming, and she approaches her subject with excitement." -- "The New Yorker"

Product Description
"A carefully researched, concise, readable, and entertaining account of an institution that remains a part of the Western imagination."--Los Angeles Times

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Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (May 20, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060914130
• ISBN-13: 978-0060914134
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #548,331 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The concept, the ideal, and reality of Knighthood., January 26, 2007

By	Thorulf "Norseman" (Minnesota) - See all my reviews

Another gem of Medieval studies by Professor Gies!
Within you will find an account of Western European Knighthood from the perspective of the Anglo-French tradition.
The Knight is described and defined in terms of the mounted warrior-elite he was, his training, his role in society, in the Chivalric ideal presented by Troubadors,...and the grim reality in warfare.
Professor Gies uses three notable knights in history as a sample of how they varied in character, in deed, and in living up to the Code of Chivalry: William Marshall and John Fastolf of England, and Bertrand du Guesclin of France.

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly readable, thoroughly researched, August 1, 2004

By	W. D ONEIL "Will O'Neil" (Falls Church, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Knight in History (Hardcover)

It would be pretty hard to find a better concise history of European knighthood than this book by Frances Gies. Her research is very thorough and she understands the Medieval world well. At the same time, she brings her subjects alive and never lets her erudition intrude to interrupt the flow of the story. In little more than 200 pages of well-written text she traces the whole arc of the knight's history, from Charlemagne to the end of the Hundred Years War -- and beyond into the long twilight of knighthood down to the Victorian era.

After tracing the origins of knighthood she gives a vivid description of the First Crusade. Then she turns to the troubadours and the development of the literature of knighthood, as well as its impact on the knights themselves. Next she takes up the career of a very notable knight of the second half of the 12th century, William Marshal in an account filled with details that reveal his character and that of knighthood in his time. The story of the remaining Crusades is organized around an account of the crusading orders, particularly the Knights Templar. Next comes a vivid mini-bio of one of the most remarkable characters of history, the mid-14th century French knight and commander Bertrand Du Guesclin. Then the story of Sir John Fastolf, a major English commander of the 15th century (only very tenuously related to Shakespeare's Falstaff) nicely illustrates the transition between the world of knightly warfare and that of armies on the modern pattern. A final chapter traces the lingering influence of knighthood in early modern Europe.

There are many well-chosen black-and-white illustrations, extensive source notes, and a good bibliography.

The book addresses the knight's armor and fighting techniques, but only briefly. Combats and battles, too, are treated largely in schematic fashion. The focus is on the knight's character, his views of himself and his world, and his place in his society. There is also a clear summary of the overall development of the patterns of Medieval warfare.

Although there is some mention of knighthood elsewhere, the book concentrates very strongly on England and France; treatments of Southern and Central Europe of comparable quality would be very welcome. Gies does not have an ideological slant or a theory to defend -- she neither "debunks" nor extolls. Since the book's writing, two decades ago, further evidence has been discovered which naturally alters some details, but on the whole the book holds up very well.

5.0 out of 5 stars A fantastic analysis of the everyday life of a Knight, December 27, 1999

By	historyone (Republic of Texas, USA) - See all my reviews

Since I have an interest in the Middle Ages (900AD-1500AD) I was recommended this book by a history professor, and I wasn't dissapointed. This is an interesting analysis of the Knights in Medieval Society not only of England and France, but Europe in general. Easy to read, analytical and comprehensive this explains the initiation, rituals, valor and hardship that the Knight had to endour everyday. The author(s) have written many outstanding books of the middle ages and this is a welcome addition to the series they have written. A MUST have book for anyone studying the middle ages or the casual reader who picks it up in a store or library.