St. Martin Is Dubbed a Knight 1317 - 1319

St. Martin is Dubbed a Knight 1317 - 1319

Chapel of St Martin, San Francesco, Assisi, Italy
Fresco

St Martin, the Pannonian-born Roman knight of the fourth century, abandoned a successful military career in order to dedicate his life to religion. The fresco series of the chapel is faithful to the legends relating his life. The story of his investiture may have been particularly dear to Simone Martini, who was himself a knight.

~ Simone Martini

Sienese painter, born in Siena, 1283; died either in the same place or at Avignon in 1344 or 1349. This artist is now declared to have been a direct pupil of Duccio, whom he surpassed in the decorative quality of his work Vasari states that he was a pupil of Giotto, but this statement is refuted by an examination of Simone's works, and also by all the evidence that has been gathered regarding the Sieneseschool. The earliest of Simone's authentic works is his great fresco in Siena of the enthroned Virgin and Child, painted originally in 1315, and restored by the master himself in 1321, after it had suffered damage from damp. In 1320 he painted an altar-piece for the church of St. Catherine at Pisa, which has now been taken to pieces, and although the greater part is in the Academy at Pisa, two other portions are in other buildings in the same city. In the following year he was at Orvieto, painting an altar-piece for the church of San Dominico which is now preserved in a museum of that city, and then he returned to Siena, where he was busily engaged in 1328 on his splendid portrait of Fogliano, painted in honour of that general's capture of Montemassi. A little later on we hear of him at Assisi, where he painted a wonderful series of works relating to the life of St. Martin, adorning the chapel of St. Martin in the church of San Francesco. The latter part of his life was passed at Avignon in the service of the papal court then resident in that place, and there he decorated various portions of the cathedral and several chapels and rooms in the papal palace. It was in Avignon that he met Petrarch, and there painted the portrait, so famous in later years, of Madonna Laura.

He is said to have painted a portrait at Avignon of Petrarch himself, commissioned by Pandolfo Malatesta, but if he did this, it was during an earlier visit to Avignon, and respecting it we have not much information. We are only certain concerning his second visit to the place after having been called by Pope Clement VI. The exact date of his funeral is proved by certain Sienese records as 4 August, 1344, but the record is not sufficiently clear as to whether his body was transported from Avignon to Siena for burial, or whether he actually died in Siena. There are several of his works in the city of his birth, one at the Louvre, one in Berlin, an exceedingly fine one at Antwerp, and a remarkable signed and dated picture at Liverpool. In the museum at Altenburg there is one of his works, and there are at least three in private collections in America. The portrait of Petrarch attributed to him was sold in 1867 at the Poniatowski sale, and at the same sale there was sold a portrait of Laura, which was undoubtedly his work.

A knighthood (or a damehood, its female equivalent) is one of the highest honours an individual in the United Kingdom can achieve.
While in past centuries knighthood used to be awarded solely for military merit, today it recognises significant contributions to national life.
Recipients today range from actors to scientists, and from school head teachers to industrialists.
A knighthood cannot be bought and it carries no military obligations to the Sovereign.

The Queen (or a member of the Royal Family acting on her behalf) confers knighthood in Britain, either at a public Investiture or privately.

The ceremony involves the ceremonial dubbing of the knight by The Queen, and the presentation of insignia.

By tradition, clergy receiving a knighthood are not dubbed, as the use of a sword is thought inappropriate for their calling. They are not able to use the title 'Sir'.

Foreign citizens occasionally receive honorary knighthoods; they are not dubbed, and they do not use the style 'Sir'.
Such knighthoods are conferred by The Queen, on the advice of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on those who have made an important contribution to relations between their country and Britain.

Foreign citizens given knighthoods over the years include Chancellor Kohl, President Mitterrand and Mayor Giuliani of New York.

The origins of knighthood are obscure, but they are said to date back to ancient Rome, where there was a knightly class Ordo Equestris (an order of mounted nobles).

Knighthood became an established military guild in many European countries, and it had certain characteristics: a would-be knight would undertake strict military training from boyhood, including some time as an assistant (an esquire) to a knight with whom he rode to war.

He would also have to prove himself worthy according to rules of chivalrous behaviour, such as 'faithfulness to his Saviour and his Sovereign', generosity, self-denial, bravery and skill at arms.

In addition, he would be expected to have the financial ability to support the honour of knighthood, so that he could provide himself with arms, armour, horses and the required number of armed followers to render military service to his Sovereign for a minimum period each year.

In former times, no person could be born a knight: even monarchs and their heirs had to be made knights.

Alfred knighted his grandson Athelstan; William I was knighted when he became king (although he had previously been knighted in Normandy); Edward III, Henry VII and Edward VI were all knighted, after coming to the throne, by one of their subjects.

The conferment of knighthood involved strict religious rites (encouraged by bishops who saw the necessity of protecting the Church, and of emphasising Christian ideals in order to temper the knights' ferocity), which included fasting, a vigil, bathing, confession and absolution before the ceremony took place.

The first and simplest method of knighting was that used on battlefields, when the candidate knelt before the Royal commander of the army and was 'stricken with the sword upon his back and shoulder' with some words such as 'Advances Chevalier au nom de Dieu'. (The action of touching the sword on the recipient's shoulder is known as dubbing.)

The second method involved greater ceremony, which could include the offering by the knight of his sword on the altar.

Although the monarch's 'lieutenants in the wars' and a few others of high birth could knight others, over the years successive Sovereigns began drastically to limit the power to confer knighthood - particularly Henry VIII.
Eventually, it became the custom for monarchs to confer all knighthoods personally, unless this was quite impracticable.

In ceremony of knighting, the knight-elect kneels on a knighting-stool in front of The Queen, who then lays the sword blade on the knight's right and then left shoulder.
After he has been dubbed, the new knight stands up, and The Queen invests the knight with the insignia of the Order to which he has been appointed, or the Badge of a Knight Bachelor.
Contrary to popular belief, the words 'Arise, Sir ...' are not used.

Order of Knighthood Ceremony - Preparation

• The Order of Knighthood Ceremony was highly ritualised which started with a Night Vigil in the Chapel of the Castle. During his last night as a Squire he prepared for the vigil by ritual bathing - the body needed to be thoroughly cleansed as a symbol of purification

Order of Knighthood Ceremony - Clothing

• The Knight wore a white vesture to symbolise purity covered by a red robe which symbolised nobility
• His shoes and hose were black which symbolised death

Order of Knighthood Ceremony - The Ritual

• A sword and shield was placed on the altar
• The Knight knelt or stood at the Chapel altar, in silent prayer, for ten hours

Order of Knighthood Ceremony - The Ceremony
Knighthood was conferred in the adoubement ceremony, or the accolade.

• In the morning he was joined by others to hear Mass and a lengthy sermon on the duties of a knight
• A sponsor took possession of the sword and shield which had been blessed by the priest
• The sword and shield was passed to the lord who was to conduct the knighthood ceremony
• The Knight was presented to the lord by two sponsors in a Public ceremony
• The Knight took his vows and swore an oath of allegiance to the lord

Order of Knighthood Ceremony - The Vows and Oath of Knighthood
The Oath of Knighthood was an expression of such sincerity that it was backed up by the threat of divine retribution should the uttering prove false. Anyone who broke the Oath Knighthood would be seen as to have committed a crime against God which would lead to eternal damnation. The Knight swore an oath of allegiance to the lord and swore the following vows and oaths:

• Never traffic with traitors
• Never give evil counsel to a lady, whether married or not; he must treat her with great respect and defend her against all
• To observe fasts and abstinences, and every day hear Mass and make an offering in Church

Order of Knighthood Ceremony - The Dubbing

• This final part of the Knighthood ceremony would have been conducted by a local knight, or by a greater noble, or even the king
• the monarch eventually acquired the exclusive right to confer knighthoods known as Fount of honour
• The lord presented the sword & shield and 'Dubbed' the squire who was pronounced a Knight when the lord would say, "I dub thee Sir Knight." .
• 'Dubbing' was a blow struck with the flat of the hand or the side of the sword and was regarded as an essential act of the knighting ceremony
• The actual dubbing of the new knight used in granting the accolade of knighthood was called the Colée
• The sponsors then put spurs on the knight and his sword was girded on
• At the end of the Knighthood ceremony a Knight could claim the title "Sir".
• A Knight was recognised by Middle Ages society as a man who possessed great combat skills and who adhered to the Code of Chivalry

The Knights Shield displayed an heraldic blazon which identified the Knight. The Shield and Spurs were symbols of Knighthood. A disgraced Knight had his spurs hacked off and his shield was hung upside down as a sign of dishonor.

Order of Knighthood Ceremony - The Celebrations

• Music and a Fanfare would accompany and celebrate the Knighthood
• The celebrations would continue with a feast attended by fellow knights, nobles and sometimes royalty
• The women and ladies of the court or manor would join the feasts which were accompanied by music and dancing
• A tournament was often arranged for the following day allowing the new Knight and his fellows to demonstrate their knightly skills