How knight influence medieval Europe in a variety of ways

Emergence

The emergence of knight can be traced back to ancient Roman Republic. Equites in military force strengthened the military force of both Roman and its surrounding tribes. However, at that time, not only the use of so called “horse rider” was only restricted in army, but also the fact that the usage in military force was really simple, simply used at overseeing Infantry square, most notably Testudo. Thus, at the time of three Punic Wars, large quantity of horses were needed and the horses’ prices were consequently high, so horses were merely available among nobles. They can be seen as original knights.

 

The wide-spread of knight was after the set up of Frankish Kingdom and the corresponding rise of Feudal system. Originally, knight was only a portion of lords’ private military force. As the feudal system developed, kings granted land (fiefs) to lords in exchange for military service from their knights, cementing their position as a powerful warrior class due to some knights who became violent and harmed the manor. After that, manor rose and the rule of lords in their manors was strengthened. They may rule out rebels and those knights, also known as knight-errant, had a huge impact on medieval culture and society. They, like bards, although were not members of nobles class, were largely free and wandered through Christian world. Unlike knights that served a lord, knight errand did not have any family crest on their armors. However, both knights went through a similar process of training starting when they were just 6 or 7 years old and they justified themselves in the battlefields to earn the title of a knight. The oath:

The Oath

I will be kind to the weak.

I will be brave against the strong.

I will fight all who do wrong.

I will fight for those who cannot fight

I will help those who call me for help.

I will harm no woman.

I will help my brother knight.

I will be true to my friends.

I will be faithful in love.

Social Aspect

Knight can only be canonized by his affiliated knight or his lord. Most of them held a so called knight spirit, which was largely constitute of courage, honor, chivalry, and a commitment to justice. They helped the weak, protected women, help fight against the devil strong, and be loyal to lord. They were a relative new born social group apart from those well-established nobles or, of course, tenants. In army, they helped their lords to win battles, the most known event was obviously Crusades. They helped to won back Jerusalem two times, one in the First Crusades in 1099, the second in Sixth Crusades in 1229. Knights who won back Jerusalem with Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II and Aymond of Saint-Gilles and Godfrey of Bouillon were highly treated. In their manor, they defended justice for the poor. Many tenant’s son set becoming a knight as their life goal because that was the only chance they could advance their class. The position of a knight was a sign of nobility and a goal for many, influencing social mobility and reinforcing the status of the landholding class. 

Secondly, knight demonstrated county love, referring to the love faith part of their oath. Flourishing in the 12th century, particularly in the courts of Aquitaine, Provence, and Champagne, it was less a widespread social practice and more a sophisticated game of manners and a powerful subject for poetry, song, and romance literature. At its heart, courtly love was a code of behavior between a knight and a married lady of higher status. The knight would devote himself entirely to his lady, swearing unwavering loyalty and service. His love for her was not meant to be easily satisfied; rather, it was a passionate, often agonizing yearning that served as a source of spiritual refinement and moral improvement. Through his devotion, the rough, warrior knight was transformed into a refined, eloquent, and courageous gentleman. This love was inherently paradoxical: it was passionate yet often unconsummated, adulterous yet spiritually elevating, individualistic yet strictly governed by a complex set of rules.

Literature

Since medieval society was relative unenlightened and locking, exclusively due to the integration of politics and religion. Sometimes, religion even had a bigger influence on politics than king’s power. Thus, medieval literature was relative homogenous and had restricted themes, mostly related to religion and bible stories. However, some of the literature was related to knights. The "knightly spirit"—the evolving ideal of chivalry—did not just appear in medieval literature; it actively shaped its form, themes, and purpose. The values of the knightly class became the DNA of the romance genre, influencing everything from plot structure to character development. They had a similar structure though and lack of innovation, this was  criticized by renaissance writers and their works, famously known as <Don Quixote>. The structure involved narrative structure: The Quest, inner life of the hero: The Birth of Character, a world of marvel and symbolism and the central themes: The Refinement of Violence.

Always, a knight receives a challenge—to find a holy relic, to rescue a maiden, to defeat a monstrous foe, or to seek the mysterious Holy Grail. This journey is not just a physical trek through a perilous wilderness; it is an externalized metaphor for an internal spiritual and moral journey. The obstacles he faces—other knights, dragons, enchanted castles—represent vices like pride, lust, or despair that he must overcome to prove his worth. Throughout the beginning of the story, knight will face psychological challenges and they will solve it. The knight was often torn between the demands of the chivalric code. The most famous conflict is between love and duty. In Chrétien de Troyes's Lancelot, the hero’s utter devotion to Queen Guinevere drives him to perform incredible feats of valor, but it also forces him into dishonorable acts (like riding in a cart, a mark of shame) and ultimately threatens the collective fellowship of the Round Table. This exploration of interior conflict—of doubt, passion, shame, and devotion—was a major step toward the modern development of complex literary character.

The world of romance is not the real medieval world. It is a "once upon a time" world of enchanted forests, mystical castles like the Grail Castle (Carbonek), and magical creatures. This setting literalizes the sense of wonder and the supernatural intervention that guides the worthy knight. The environment itself becomes an active participant in testing his faith and virtue.