Fantasy Guide: Evolution of a Knight
Knights can become knights overnight for their bravery or loyalty. But for nobles, that career path is a lot more complex. Here are a few career paths before they can be a knight.
A knight in training becomes a page usually around seven but can be one at five or four. Pages cam serve knights or nobles including ladies. They usually handle odd jobs such but mostly are used to fetch things for their masters. They are trained while this career is going on.
Squires are usually inducted at fourteen but this can be younger, however. They are trained in combat and in manners by their knight/lord. Their master may be a relative or an ally of a parent. Squires serve their master in battle, cleaning armour, taking care of horses and watching their backs. Squires are also in charge of clothes and sometimes even chamberpots.
Once a knight finishes knight school or does something exceptional, they are ready to be knighted. The night before the ceremony, a knight holds a vigil in a church/temple. He must pray all night while fasting to show a penitent and devout soul. A knight sometimes walks the streets barefoot to show humbleness. They are tapped on the shoulder by a fellow knight/lord/king/noble by a sword. Only these ranks can create a knight. The knight is then asked to swear a set of vows.