Illustrated with sumptuous images ranging from manuscript illuminations and PreRaphaelite paintings to photographs of authentic armor, swords, and castles, plus maps and a timeline, this book is at once a detailed history of knights and a chronicle of their cultural creations and legacy. This vividly written and lavishly illustrated volume describes the origins of knighthood, the training and lifestyles of knights, and the vital role these warriors played in medieval military campaigns. It also explains heraldry and the various military and honorific orders of knighthood, and examines the portrayal of knights and literature and art.