I am writing, a story, don't know if it will be a short story or a novella or what have you. Anyway I am wanting some good books or good websites for research on the steps on becoming a knight. my story is going to start just before the boy becomes a page. and I want the book to be mainly his process of becoming a knight, then have another book about his knighthood. anyway, my mc will be a poor boy who gets to go on the journey to become a knight. I was kicking around the idea of a woman becoming the first female knight, and I might but Im not sure. sorry for rambling, any good places to research or websites would be awesome. thank you in advance
You'll need to specify the time period and geographic location before any answers are really meaningful.
that would be a great question haha. ummm im thinking 1300 or 1400's and im not sure about geographical location
Hmm, well the custom would be to take it as an English knight, but more ambiguously you are open to the rest of western Europe of the period that you're sticking to for the modern sense of a medieval knight. To go about your research, I'm sure there are historical websites that you can have a look into regarding the responsibilities of such a knight, and then apply those struggles to your female lead?
thanks, I went to the library today, and got some books to ready and study about knights, im thinking if I do a knight story it will be from 12-13 century. but I read a section about samurai and I might go that route with my book. I am not sure, im researching both of them then I will make a decision. I never know what website is accurate on things, i know its a fiction book but i would like to be accurate about things in the book. Any information i get online im making sure that there is the same information in multiple locations so i know its true
I'm correct in assuming it is a historical novel? If that is the case then it is essential that you decide on a geographical location before you develop your story much further. The point being that the culture and plainly the political differences will have a massive impact on the way that your characters perceive the world around them
I would double check the history, poor boys would not have had the access to become Knights as it was an elite class and the feudal system was extremely rigid- the law stretched to what you could wear and eat. I believe owning a warhorse at that time as the equivalent to owning a top sports car now. For a female knight I suppose the closest you'd get is Joan of Arc. I think other 'warrior women' of the period like Black Agnes were more myth than human but worth looking into. If you can get access to books or websites by Dr Ian Mortimer (I mention him because I enjoy his writing) or other historians who specialise in the era it would help. I think the BBC would have some stuff on medieval times, Prof. Robert Bartlett did a series on the Normans which you can probably track down. but as others have said you'll need to decide an era and location because what I refer to is English law/history. Hope that helps.
Yea, I know that a female knight is not possible, if I want female I will choose to do samurai as they did have females. im actually leaning more towards the samurai story right now and not sure if I will do a male samurai or female samurai, I don't know what century, im thinking either 11-12 or 13-14 im not sure yet, im still kinda figuring out an outline, and researching. Ill know what I want to do by end of the day tomorrow.
