An Italian knight from the town of Prato in Tuscany, in about 1340. He is fully armed for war, in the latest style of plate armour, with a surcoat worn over it. His horse, a magnificent destrier, or charger, is equipped with a cloth caparison displaying his coat of arms. (From Address to Robert of Anjou, King of Naples, from the town of Prato in Tuscany, c. 1335–40. British Library, London)

Sir Geoffrey Luttrell being presented with lance, helmet and shield by his wife and daughter-in-law. The image emphasizes his family and his lineage, with the martlets of his coat of arms shown clearly. His horse is barded as befitted a knight, and bears a grand crest. A triangular pennon on the lance is another demonstration of his knightly status. (From The Luttrell Psalter, 14th century. British Library, London)

King Arthur presiding over the Round Table. Legends of Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table are popular – you probably know them already – but you shouldn’t take them too seriously. (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris)

King Edward III of England in the robes of the Order of the Garter. With only 26 Garter knights, it was a high honour to be among their number. The French created their own order, that of the Star, with 300 knights, soon after the creation of the Garter. (British Library, London)

War involves truces, treaties, and formal agreements of all sorts as well as fighting. Here a sealed document is handed over by a group of knights to a king and his followers. (British Museum, London)

Hunting is a popular recreation for the knightly class; it also provides good opportunities to practise using weapons. Gaston Phoebus, the count of Foix, wrote a hunting manual, which he presented to the duke of Burgundy. This page shows knights armed with swords hunting wild boar. (From The Hunting Book by Gaston Phebus, Burgundy, 1407. Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris)

Hunting is a popular recreation for the knightly class; it also provides good opportunities to practise using weapons. Gaston Phoebus, the count of Foix, wrote a hunting manual, which he presented to the duke of Burgundy. This page shows a group of knights and a lady engaged in falconry; dogs are being used to collect the ducks, herons and other water-birds killed in the sport. (Hawking, from Traités de Fauconnerie et de Vénerie, 1459. Musée Condé, Chantilly)

In this tournament scene from a manuscript of Froissart’s Chronicles, the participants are shown parading through a town. Tournaments are grand events, and the festivities often last for several days. Here heralds display banners with the arms of the king of England as knights on richly caparisoned horses pass below; ladies watch the proceedings. (From Jean de Froissart, Chroniques, 15th century. British Library, London)

Court festivities might involve elaborate entertainments. In 1393 there was a disaster when Charles VI of France and five of his friends, dressed as wild men, danced to celebrate of the marriage of one of the queen’s ladies in waiting. One of the costumes was set on fire by a torch, and at least four of the dancers died. The king was saved by the duchess of Berry who used her cloak to extinguish his flaming costume. (Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris)

The Jousts at St Inglevert, from a manuscript of Froissart’s Chronicles. In 1390, three French knights, one of whom was Boucicaut, set up camp at St Inglevert near Calais for a month, and challenged all comers to joust with them. About a hundred Englishmen responded to the challenge; in most cases the French knights triumphed. (From Jean de Froissart, Chroniques, 15th century. British Library, London)

Walter von Klingen, a follower of the German king Rudolf of Habsburg, is here shown victorious in a joust, unhorsing his opponent. Ladies watch the contest from a balcony above. (From Codex Manesse, Zurich, c. 1310–40. University Library, Heidelberg)