Knight of Tortall

From the Tamora Pierce Wiki

Knight of Tortall is a title given to a noble of Tortall who has completed training and passed the Ordeal of Knighthood. Customarily, noble families send their eldest sons to become knights, and younger sons often follow, although younger sons also have the options of pursuing studies instead.^[1]

A knight bears a shield, usually of his or her family coat of arms. They receive the title "Sir Knight" or "Lady Knight". "Sir" is never a hereditary title in Tortall; the lords of fiefs, whether or not they are knights, have the title "Lord" (if not a higher title such as "Duke").

Contents 1 Ideology 2 Training 2.1 Page 2.2 Squire 2.3 Ordeal of Knighthood 3 Service 4 Lady Knights 5 List of Tortallan Knights 6 References

[edit] Ideology

The ritual instruction of would-be knights before their Ordeal of Knighthood lays out the duties and ideals of knighthood:

[edit] Training

Training for knighthood typically consists of four years' training as a page in the Royal Palace followed by four years as a squire in service to the palace or to an active duty knight.^[3]

Squires are eligible to take the Ordeal of Knighthood at age eighteen^[3] (assuming they've completed training by this age), except the Crown Prince, who is eligible at age seventeen.^[4]

[edit] Page

Page training takes place at the Royal Palace, under the supervision of the royal training master. Most pages begin at age ten or eleven, although it is not unheard of to start at an older age. Pages are part of the palace service, and perform duties such as waiting on table at banquets and running errands for any noble who asks^[3].

Training for pages is strict and exacting. They spend half of each day on combat training, and half on book learning.^[3] Subjects of physical training may include: staff; sword; jousting; archery on foot and mounted; weapons such as axes and maces; normal riding and trick riding; and hand fighting; shield work.^[3][5] Subjects of academic learning may include: reading and writing; mathematics; deportment; history and law; philosophy; study of plants and animals; magecraft for the Gifted; and the study of Immortals.^[3][6]

Although there are many traditions, the training master has a great deal of discretion over how training is conducted. The training master is selected by the King, with advice from his counselors.

[edit] Squire

Pages are generally made into squires at age fourteen.^[3] A squire is usually chosen by a knight to be his or her personal squire. It is then the knight-master's obligation to outfit the squire, supervise his or her training, and prepare him or her for knighthood.

A squire will serve approximately four years, or until they are age eighteen, when the squire may undergo the Ordeal of Knighthood.

[edit] Ordeal of Knighthood

The Ordeal of Knighthood is the most vital part of a knight's training. Squires undergo the Ordeal during the Midwinter Festival every year. Those who survive are knighted.

After undergoing a ritual bath where they receive instruction from two knights, the would-be knight must spend the night in contemplation, then enter the Chamber of the Ordeal alone at dawn. They are forbidden to make any sound during the Ordeal or the preceding night. If they are still alive when the chamber doors open, and don't immediately run away or confess to some disgrace, they are knighted in a ceremony that evening.

Knights are forbidden from discussing what goes on during their Ordeal.

[edit] Service

Most young knights fight in the service of Tortall, but this is not strictly required.^[7] This duty may include border patrols under the direction of the royal training master.^[8] Knights are also called upon to serve in time of war.

The crown often gives monetary rewards to knights for excellent service.^[9]

[edit] Lady Knights

Historically, daughters of noble families had the option to undergo the same training as their male counterparts and become knights. At that time about a third of the knights of the realm were female^[10]. However, the practice was banned for about a hundred years from c.340-442 HE^[11]. When this happened there already were no more female knights and the realm had too much peacekeepers; in addition to that the conservatives were in power and the cult of the Gentle Mother very popular.^[10] The re-institution of lady knights was the subject of much controversy and the discovery that a girl had taken part in the education for knights disguised as a boy lead to stricter rules, including the introduction of the big examinations for pages at the end of their fourth year.

Lady knights, though nobles, do not generally make noble marriages.^[12]

[edit] List of Tortallan Knights

Lady knights denoted with *

• Acton of Fenrigh ^[13]
• Alanna of Pirate's Swoop and Olau*
• Alexander of Tirragen
• Anders of Mindelan
• Ansil of Groten
• Cleon of Kennan
• Conal of Mindelan
• Esmond of Nicoline
• Faleron of King's Reach
• Gareth of Naxen
• Gareth of Naxen the Younger
• Geoffrey of Meron
• Imrah of Legann
• Inness of Mindelan
• Jasson II of Conté^[14]
• Jerel of Nenan
• Jonathan of Conté
• Keladry of Mindelan*
• Liam of Conté^[14]
• Lionel of Trebond^[13]
• Merric of Hollyrose
• Myles of Olau
• Nealan of Queenscove
• Nualt of Rosemark
• Paxton of Nond
• Prosper of Tameran
• Quinden of Marti's Hill
• Raoul of Goldenlake
• Roald II of Conté
• Sabine of Macayhill*
• Sacherell of Wellam
• Seaver of Tasride
• Stigand of Fenrigh
• Tullus of King's Reach^[13]
• Vannic haMinch^[13]
• Voelden of Tirrsmont
• Wayland of Darroch
• Wyldon of Cavall
• Zahir ibn Alhaz

Entered training, but did not become knights:

• Francis of Nond - died during the Sweating Sickness as a page.^[15]
• Joren of Stone Mountain - died during the Ordeal of Knighthood^[16]
• Vinson of Genlith - confessed to rape after the Ordeal; disgraced^[9]

[edit] References