HISTORICAL AND LITERARY KNIGHTS

 Historical and literary knights

Knighthood emerged in medieval Europe around the 9th and 10th centuries as a response to the need for heavily armed cavalry to defend territories, particularly against Viking, Magyar, and Saracen invasions. Knights became central to the feudal system, swearing fealty to lords in exchange for land (fiefs) and protection. Training began in boyhood, with noble-born children serving as pages before becoming squires in their teenage years. By around 21, if deemed worthy, they were knighted in a formal ceremony, often with religious blessings.

WALTER SCOTT AT 250: SO MUCH MORE THAN A GREAT HISTORICAL NOVELIST

Ulmus Media/Shutterstock

Daniel Cook, University of Dundee

Wander through Edinburgh and you will find glimpses of Scotland’s most famous novelist, Walter Scott, everywhere: pubs named after characters or places in his books, his walking cane and slippers in The Writers’ Museum, and snippets of his work adorning the walkways of Waverley train station – named after his first and most famous novel. And just outside, towering over Princes Street Gardens, his statue stands beneath an elaborate monument affectionately dubbed the “Gothic Rocket”.