Knight's Tale, A

Knights were part of the fabric of Middle-Ages life. Chaucer’s famous story, The Knight’s Tale, gives us romantic account of a knight’s existence. (Follow the link to a summary of the tale at Harvard University’s web site.)

Realistically, though, the life of a knight was not always glamorous or romantic. Loaded down with heavy armor, they rode horses capable of carrying at least 400 pounds.

Astride their protected mounts, knights would hone their battle skills by hunting and jousting. Doing battle in the "lists" (the place of jousting) was sometimes as ferocious as fighting the king’s enemies.

One knight - known during his day as the greatest of all - was not someone else’s vassal. He was Edward of Woodstock, the Prince of Wales, son of King Edward III.

Later he was known as "The Black Prince."