knightly

Knightly refers to anything pertaining to knights, the medieval warrior status, or the code of conduct associated with them. Historically, a knight was a mounted warrior who owed fealty to a lord in exchange for land, protection, and status within a feudal hierarchy. Becoming a knight typically involved a staged process: education as a page, service as a squire, and a dubbing ceremony in which the lord or king formally granted knighthood, accompanied by an oath of fealty and promising military service.

The term is closely linked to the system of chivalry, a moral and social code emphasizing bravery, courtesy, honor, and defense of the weak. In literature and romance, knighthood is often idealized in Arthurian legends and medieval romances, with ideas of steadfast loyalty, courtly love, and martial prowess.

In practical medieval society, knights were landholding nobles who exercised military and judicial authority in their territories. They protected borders, led feudal levies, and administered local justice, often under the governance of a liege lord. Armour evolved from mail to full plate by the late Middle Ages, and weaponry shifted accordingly.

Knightly orders emerged in the High Middle Ages as groups of knights bound by religious vows and military obligations, such as the Knights Templar, Knights Hospitaller, and Teutonic Knights, later focusing on charitable work as well as warfare.

In modern usage, "knightly" describes actions or traits associated with knights—valor, honor, courtesy, and chivalry. It also appears in fantasy settings to evoke a medieval or idealized ethos.