One of the first works of European literature to explore the ideals of knighthood within the fictionalised setting of the Arthurian court, Chrétien de Troyes’ 12th-century Old French poem told the story of Lancelot’s quest to free a captive Queen Guinevere, and their subsequent, ill-fated love affair. Lancelot, the Knight of the Cart by Chrétien de Troyes Fletcher’s masterful biography penetrates the myths surrounding Díaz de Vivar to expose a warrior who was neither a crusading zealot nor a nationalistic hero, but a man of his time: an ambitious, land-hungry mercenary who used his martial prowess to achieve advancement. Like William Marshal, El Cid was a self-made man who rose through the ranks, serving both the Christian kings of Castile and the Muslim lords of Zaragoza in the 11th century. Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, or El Cid (the Master), was the legendary champion of the Spanish reconquista. JRR Tolkien was one of the work’s greatest (and most influential) fans. In strict terms, Beowulf was not a knight, but rather a Scandinavian warrior, immortalised in an epic Old English poem composed in the early middle ages (but perhaps not written down until the eighth century). More than 1,000 years ago, audiences were transfixed by the stirring tale of Beowulf’s battle with the monster Grendel, and the story - replete with magical swords, an evil witch and even a dragon - retains its power to this day. Here are 10 of the best works revealing the careers of other famous medieval warriors. Yet he was from far being the only knight, whether historical or fictional, to leave his mark on the middle ages.
The real-life Lancelot of his era, Marshal lived through what many saw as the golden age of chivalry, in which the rituals, practices and ideals of knighthood were first established. Having helped to negotiate Magna Carta and stem the tide of French invasion in the early 13th century, Marshal ended his days as one of the richest and most powerful barons in England. Born the landless younger son of a minor English nobleman, Marshal served no fewer than five kings of England and was on intimate terms with the likes of Eleanor of Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart. Revered as the greatest knight of his generation, William Marshal, the subject of my latest book, personified both the chivalrous qualities and grasping ambition of this warrior class. Knights stood at the forefront of European history for centuries, serving as conquerors and keepers of the peace in a barbarous era fraught with conflict and immortalised as heroes in epic myths and romanticised tales. Whether it be a gallant, armour-clad noble racing to the rescue of an imperilled damsel, or a blood-soaked warrior engaged in a savage massacre, the image of the knight in action is inimitably linked to our popular conception of the medieval world.
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