The Knight: A Portrait of Europe's Warrior Elite

by Alan Baker

An up-close introduction to the most admired warriors in history
""They mounted their horses, grasped the lances made of fine Bordeaux Steel, closed the visors of their helmets, and made their way to their stations for the first course. Spurring their horses on, they advanced toward each other at full gallop, lowering their lances as they approached. The tip of Clifford's lance caught Boucmel high on his breastplate and was deflected off . . . directly into the young squire's mail hood, piercing his neck clean through.""
This tragic account of an ambitious young Frenchman's senseless death during a ""friendly"" joust with an English knight underscores the ever-present danger that stalked the flower of European youth in the Middle Ages. In The Knight, you'll meet John Boucmel, Nicholas Clifford, and scores of other warriors who risked their lives to fill the medieval lists and battlefields in a relentless quest for fame, glory, and victory.
This vivid, fast-paced narrative whisks you from the blood-soaked fields of Normandy in the Hundred Years' War to the battered walls of Jerusalem in the first Crusade, from a sumptuous feast in an English castle to the pomp and pageantry of a spectacular thirty-day jousting tournament. You'll discover how knights were trained; how they paid for their expensive weapons, armor, and horses; and how the solemn vows they took influenced their behavior both on and off the battlefield. Discover the truth behind the countless legends of the Age of Chivalry in The Knight.

Genres: History, Historical, Nonfiction

224 pages, Hardcover

First published February 4, 2003

Reviews

[Terezi Pyrope · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alan Baker's "The Knight" proves to be a quaint, short, and informative book about the noble mounted warriors who dominated the battlefield during the Middle Ages. Baker provides fascinating information about the various aspects of knighthood and the society around them, from medieval feudalism to the ancient Romans with their dabbles in castles and siegecraft to the rise of mercenaries and the subsequent dissipation of devout piety in a militaristic regard during the eighteenth century.
However, a majority of the information given in the book could be considered worthless or inconsequential, with stress on unimportant or non-beneficial names and events, and the subject often derailing into an irrelevant topic or story. I personally did not mind the brief deviations of the topic at hand, and enjoyed the small tastes of assorted teachings about early Europe, but depending on the reader's preference of such inconsistencies it can come to pose a significant problem. Also, the lack of substantial citations combined with a relatively small bibliography, especially from such an acclaimed non-fiction historical author, is surprising and even slightly dubious.
By any means, if you're simply interested in discovering the barebone basics of knighthood and war during the Middle Ages and aren't adamant about perfectly citable information, this book should be of definite consideration. Baker also includes a section that lists books for potential further reading if the subject catches the reader's fancy.

[Luke Rodas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. It gives a lot of information about the 14th century.

[Agata · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wouldn't have read it if it wasn't for research for my book set in that time period. At times it could be interesting and educating but mostly it was just very boring. Now don't get me wrong, I've read historical non-fiction before and I know that there are ways to not make it boring. I was expecting for it to be a lot about the knights, their lives, habits etc. but there were also too long passages about crusades and orders and stuff like that and that wasn't what I exactly signed up for? Like more than half of the book was like that and I found myself not paying attention a lot and having to reread a part.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

An informative and approachable history book. Sometimes the author blends colourful speculation with historical evidence in a somewhat unprofessional way. The book also seems a bit directionless. But I would honestly recommend this to anyone interested in medieval knights and culture without diving into anything too dense.

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent overview of Knights and their world. The book gives great summaries of jousting, armor, social, and political life. Facts are then described with primary sources to give the reader better ideas and accounts. An overall great look into the world of the medieval knight!

[M · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just okay.

[Kamil Kornatowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

#add correct polish edition

[Bekah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who enjoys history will find this to be a very interesting and informative read. This book basically covers the origin, history, and weapons of the knights, and does a remarkable job of covering a good deal of history while still keeping it alive and fascinating. Understandably, it doesn't deliver in depth insights into the vast subjects, but rather offers a captivating overview.

[Jack · Rating 2 out of 5]

Parts of this book I found great, and parts were really slow.