Knight Costumes – Whether It Be Agincourt Or The Rising Sun, There Is A Costume For You
Knights as we know them were mainly seen in middle ages Europe (around the 8th century through to the 16th century). You would immediately think of a knight as a man dressed in a suit of armor and wielding a broadsword. However knights existed in other cultures. For instance, a Samurai was the equivalent of a knight in Japanese society. A samurai had the same sort of duties and code of honor that characterized Chivalric knights of medieval times. So here are a few great knight costumes that may interest you for a fancy dress party or even Halloween.
The battle of Agincourt was a famous battle that involved many knights. It was during the middle of the medieval period and may have been one of the first signs that the age of knights was coming to an end. The battle was a pivotal battle in the hundred years war between England and France. The battle was won by England and King Henry V and has been immortalized by the Shakespearean play.
During the battle, the chivalric code of behavior and the arms and armor that the knights used was seen to contribute to the downfall of the French forces. To this extent it signaled the beginning of the end for the noble knight that was finally mocked by Cervantes in Don Quixote.
The French forces were noblemen, dressed in suits of armor and on horseback. They were up against men they perceived as commoners in the English. But the English used the longbow rather than heavy armor. And they used it to devastating effect. The French knights, governed by their code of honor, ditched any semblance of strategy and tactics and charged head long towards the English ranks. The English rained down a volley after volley of arrows that cut the knights to pieces. As more knights poured into the fight the battlefield became crowded. The wieldy armor put the knights at a distinct disadvantage to the unarmored English archers, who proceeded to slaughter the knights where they stood. It was a famous victory for the English.
Samurai lived by a similar code of honor and their role in Japanese society seemed very similar to European knights. They had to protect the weak and earn honor and respect in battle. They would even go so far as to commit suicide if they acted dishonorably in battle. Samurai wore a form of armor markedly different from medieval European suits. It was more flexible but even that was no match against modern weapons. The samurai dress ended in the 19th century but the code of honor was still evident in the Japanese army during the second world war.
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