Middle Ages
he nobles of the Middle Ages were fierce and proud people. They had high-sounding titles, such as Duke, Count, or Baron, which their ancestors had received from the king in return for services they had done on the battlefield or in council. All the land which did not belong to the church they owned, and they looked down on the poor laboring peasants who lived on their estates as hardly better than cattle. Not all of them indeed were cruel or wicked, but they believed that their "gentle blood" made them far superior to other people.
Knights were most noted for fighting on horseback, but they also battled on foot. Heavy cavalry of mounted knights with lances and swords broke the lines of many medieval armies -- they were considered an important advantage in battle. The use of knights in warfare became increasingly popular throughout the Middle Ages, and knights were integral to armies throughout Europe. However, with the introduction and increasing use of gunpowder and firearms in the 16th century, the skills of knights became obsolete for warfare. Knighthood eventually became more of a ceremonial honor than an actual military profession.
Knights were most noted for fighting on horseback, but they also battled on foot. Heavy cavalry of mounted knights with lances and swords broke the lines of many medieval armies -- they were considered an important advantage in battle. The use of knights in warfare became increasingly popular throughout the Middle Ages, and knights were integral to armies throughout Europe. However, with the introduction and increasing use of gunpowder and firearms in the 16th century, the skills of knights became obsolete for warfare. Knighthood eventually became more of a ceremonial honor than an actual military profession.