Famous Knights in History

William Marshal (1147-1219) is widely regarded as one of the greatest knights in British History. Serving five English Kings - from King Henry II to King Henry III, he was knighted in 1166 and his Cardinal contemporary Stephen Langton declared him "best knight that ever lived." Marshal served some of Christendom's greatest leaders, from Eleanor of Aquitaine to Richard the Lionheart. He fought in battles across Europe, survived court intrigue and exile, put his seal to the Magna Carta and proved to be the best friend a king could have, remaining loyal to those he served through disaster and victory. Then at the age of 70, despite all the odds, he saved England from a French invasion.

Sir James Douglas (1289-1330) was a feudal lord and a Scottish Knight who was one of the most influential commanders in the Wars of Scottish Independence. James Douglas was only a child when his father died fighting with William Wallace against the English invasion of Scotland. Sent to Paris for his own safety, it was there that he learned the ways of knighthood. On his return to Britain, he found King Edward I unwilling to restore his family’s lands, and so joined Robert the Bruce in the revolt that led to Scottish independence. A leading fighter in the Scottish guerrilla war, Sir James captured Douglas and Roxburgh Castles (1307 and 1314) and fought in the famous Scottish victory at Bannockburn (1314). He became one of Bruce’s closest companions, and was known by the English as the Black Douglas.

When Bruce – now King Robert I – died in 1329 he asked Sir James to take his heart to Jerusalem. Diverted to a crusade against the Saracens in Spain, Douglas saw a fellow knight become surrounded at the Battle of Teba. Throwing Bruce’s heart ahead of him, he charged into the thick of the fighting, and died a warrior to the last.

A Norman lord from southern Italy, Tancred joined the First Crusade alongside his uncle Bohemond of Taranto. The First Crusade was the closest the crusaders ever came to taking the Holy Land, and Tancred was one of its leading lights. His courage, leadership and politicking allowed him to carve out lands for himself in the conquered territory, becoming the first Prince of Galilee and regent of Antioch. Over the next decade, he reinforced his position, while his reputation as a knight spread across Europe and down the ages. He died of typhoid, but his legend lived on through Radulph of Caen’s Gesta Tancredi.

Real or legend? The verdict's still out there but nevertheless King Arthur is one of England's most infamous legends and indeed knights. According to medieval records and legend, King Arthur led the defence of Britain against Saxon invaders in the late 5th and early 6th centuries AD. While there is no one canonical version of his life story, during the Middle Ages the Arthurian story developed into a full-fledged legend and complex story, with an emphasis on a noble kingdom called Camelot, the Knights of the Round Table and the queen, Guinevere, who has an affair with the knight Lancelot.

Richard I, better known as "Richard the Lionheart," served as king of England from 1189 to 1199. Born on September 8, 1157, in Oxford, England, Richard I, better known as "Richard the Lionheart," served as king of England from 1189 to 1199. By age 16, Richard was commanding his own army in a revolt against his father, and became a central Christian commander during the Third Crusade. He was seen as a hero by his subjects and remains an enduring iconic figure in England today.

In 1362, Edward the Black Prince married Joan of Kent and was created prince of Aquitaine and Gascony by his father. Edward and his wife went to live in his new French domains. In 1367, Edward led an expedition to Spain, to restore the deposed King Pedro of Castile, and proved himself again with victory at the Battle of Najera in northern Castile. Edward returned to Aquitaine, where he made himself unpopular with the nobility by levying taxes to pay for his Spanish expedition. They rose in revolt against him and in 1370 Edward besieged the city of Limoges. When it fell, 3,000 of its inhabitants were massacred. A year later, Edward returned to England. During his lifetime he was known as Edward of Woodstock. The title of Black Prince developed after his death and may refer to black armor that he wore.

After Christian fighters captured Jerusalem during the First Crusade, groups of pilgrims from across Western Europe began visiting the Holy Land. Around 1118, a French knight named Hugues de Payens founded a military order devoted to protecting these pilgrims, calling it the Poor Knights of the Temple of King Solomon (later the Knights Templar). In 1129 the knights received the formal endorsement of the Catholic Church, and new recruits and lavish donations began pouring in from across Europe. Known for their austere code of conduct and signature style of dress (white habits emblazoned with a red cross), the Templars established new chapters throughout Western Europe. They developed a reputation as fierce warriors during the Crusades and set up a network of banks, gaining enormous financial sway. At the height of their influence, they boasted a sizable fleet of ships, owned the island of Cyprus and served as a primary lender to European monarchs and nobles.

While most historians agree that the Knights Templar fully disbanded 700 years ago, some people believe the order went underground and remains in existence to this day. In the 18th century, certain organizations, most notably the Freemasons, revived some of the medieval knights’ symbols and traditions. More recently, stories about the legendary Templars—that they dug up the Holy Grail while occupying the Temple Mount, for instance, or harbored a secret capable of destroying the Catholic Church—have found their way into popular books and films.

The famous story of Knights of the Round Table includes our earlier mentioned King Arthur. The Knights of the Round Table played an important part in the story and legend of King Arthur. The Arthurian legend revolves around the Code of Chivalry followed by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. The basis for the code of Chivalry followed by King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table were Honour, Honesty, Valour and Loyalty. Knights of the Round Table were known as 'Brothers in Arms'. Medieval writers such as Geoffrey of Monmouth wrote books retelling the supposed adventures of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table - such as the History of the King's of Britain detailed the British Kings of the Dark Ages and gave rise to the Arthurian legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.

Popularized by the Monty Python and the Holy Grail, The Black Knight was a mysterious yet powerful knight that appeared in many different versions of medieval King Arthur tales. In some cases, Black Knight is used to refer to a random knight who appears as a competitor to one of the Arthurian knights.

The most notable reference to a Black Knight is the tale of Sir Morien. According to a 13th century narrative of King Arthurian legends, Morien is called a son of a Moorish princess and is named the Black Knight because of his African lineage

Sir Henry Percy was part of one of the most powerful Northern Families of the 14th century. Knighted at the age of 13, Sir Henry Percy fought in his first battle only a year later, helping to capture Berwick Castle. He proved an excellent warrior and leader, famed for his skill and courage in tournaments, on crusade in Prussia, in England’s wars with France and in fighting Scottish border raiders.

Hotspur helped put the rebel Henry Bolingbroke on the throne as King Henry IV in 1399. But the two then fell out. Hotspur himself rebelled in 1403, and was killed in battle by royal forces at Shrewsbury. The King wept for his friend’s death, but displayed his head on a pole as a warning to other traitors.