Becoming a knight took years of training, during which a young man learned how to fight, ride, and behave in a proper, knightly manner. The knight in training had to be the son of a knight, a requirement dictated by law in all western and central European kingdoms. The road to knighthood started for the candidate when he was a young boy and did not end until he was out of his teens.

The Early Years

During his first few years, a knight's son was raised and instructed by his nurse, his mother, and the other women of his father's household. He was taught how to behave, with particular emphasis on courtesy, since knights were expected to have good manners—at least toward members of their own social class.

The boy's first knightly training came when he was given...