Talk:Knight

The article keeps referring to knighthoods as titles and to honorifics of knighthood (such as Sir/Dame) as titles. In terms of Western nobility, knighthood is not a title nor are the honorific styles that may be used by such people titles. This distinction isn't splitting hairs, it's actually important in such matters and this knowledge demonstrates how familiar the writer is with the subject.

Titles of nobility are those ranks of the high nobility, ranging from baronial lordships up through Viscounts, Counts/Earls, Marquesses, to noble Prince & Duke. Most continental barons are lesser barons, not the high barons (Lords) of the more familiar British system most English speakers are acquainted with, and thus not of the high nobility. Even so, [Baron][Titlename] is and remains a "title" of nobility whether it belongs to the lesser nobility (the Noblesse) or to the high nobilty - this exception to the standard rule that a title (baron) is always of the high nobility can confuse the issue if it's not pre-emptively pointed out.

Generally a continental baron (also Scottish titles of baron) which is a division of the lesser nobility ranks below a British knighthood in status. The British variety of knighthood (the type rightfully styled as Sir/Dame) is a much higher distinction than almost all continental varieties of knighthood - which for cultural/historical reasons are far more junior in the usual scheme of things to a British knight. Also British knighthoods carry enormous social prestige - even more so than the prolific mainland European titles, [German] Baron of X and [Hungarian] Countess of Y (although with some illustrious exceptions). In most quarters a British knighthood conveys even more prestige than a British life peerage, which is technically the more senior honour. If I'm confusing you, forget all about this and just read on.

Statuses that are not titles are: knighthoods and any designations of minor nobility (i.e. not that of Baron or a higher noble rank). In England the minor noble designations of the European nobilities aren't usually considered noble in the English system but divisions of the gentry: i.e. Commoners. The minor French rank of "Vidame", the German" Edler" and "Ritter" and all varieties of knighthood are not "titles" but categories/divisions of untitled nobility (in continental nobilities), or the gentry (in England).

Let me try to summarise all this: unless you are dealing with the rank of baron and the ranks above it then the person you are referring to has a "style" or an "honorific" rather than a title. As a rule of thumb titles come after a name whereas styles and honorifics come before a name. Mr is not a title, it's a style - as are [Dr][Name], [Prof][Name], [Sir][Michael][Smith], and so forth. "Sir' is the honorific styling appropriate for a British knight, [Sir][Name] in this case is not his title. If he is the "Emeritus Professor of Biology" then (confusingly) that is a title. However [Prof][Name] is a style. "The 45th President of the United States" is a title, "Mr President" or "President Obama" are both stylings and not titles. Titles of nobility are always at least Baron or greater (Viscounts, Counts/Earls, Marquesses, Dukes, etc). Lesser noble/aristocratic categories are never "titles".

"Prince Charles" is the conventional styling for royalty, however "Charles, Prince of Wales" is his name and his title, i.e. "The Prince of Wales". "His Royal Highness" and [Prince][Forename] are not titles but honorifics outlined in law that the British kingdom and its people style him with as an exalted royal personage. He's properly addressed by us as "Sir" not because we like him, or care much for him, but because he's his country's equivalent of a Vice President of sorts. His high office calls for respectful treatment because the British People accord him this high rank. That's why these technical seeming distinctions (title or style or honorific) matter more than people often realise.

I hope some of this is helpful 210.246.24.174 (talk) 18:00, 5 November 2020 (UTC)

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"Knighthood finds origins in the Ancient Greek hippeis (ἱππεῖς) and Roman equites.[3]"

Since the Latin was official language in medieval Western Christian West, they had to find a word to describe knights in Latin language, that was the "Equites". But real ancient Roman Equites had different societal role than medieval knights.--Pharaph (talk) 13:24, 10 May 2023 (UTC)

In the image used to show an artistic rendition of a chevaliere, I believe the subject is a male with long hair? If you zoom in, you can see their beard/mustache. 45.133.125.141 (talk) 11:36, 3 October 2023 (UTC)

Good spot. Original image title is clear this is a "knight". This defeats the purpose of using the image, so image removed to avoid confusion. Monstrelet (talk) 14:21, 3 October 2023 (UTC)

Today I learned that the word knight is similar to the german word Knecht. While pronounciation is quite different, the spelling is indeed somewhat related: knight - Knecht.

I looked at wikipedia just now to find out how that word came into the english language. Unfortunately wikipedia is not clear on this and states that it is not known. That may be the case, but even then I think it might be useful to add a sentence or so explaining which may have been the earliest sources for that word in written documents. Surely it must have been written down back then, say, 10th century or even before that. Perhaps if anyone can find out, it might be useful to at the least mention one document where that spelling is used, even if it may not be the first use. Right now if you look at the wikipedia article, you don't get to see how it originated. ~2026-14804-91 (talk) 11:12, 2 April 2026 (UTC)