Knight
Knight was the term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages denoted by the prefix "Sir" in front of the recipient's given name. They were bound to a code of honour, holding their word as their bond. (TV: The Crusade) The title was only bestowed upon those in the service of the monarch, or who had become favoured in their sights. (TV: Tooth and Claw) Sir Robert de Wensley believed that all good knights served "the king in heaven". (AUDIO: The Doctor's Tale)
In the UK
In the United Kingdom, a knighthood was invested in a ceremony in which the monarch tapped both shoulders of the recipient with a sword. (TV: Tooth and Claw)
Both the Fifth and Tenth Doctors were knighted, by King John (in reality the android Kamelion) in 1215 and Queen Victoria in 1879 respectively. The latter also bestowed the title of "Dame" upon Rose Tyler. (TV: The King's Demons, Tooth and Claw) Brigadier Alistair Gordon Lethbridge-Stewart was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II. (TV: The Poison Sky, PROSE: The Dying Days)
During the Crusades, knights were the primary leaders of the English forces. While fighting Saladin, Richard I of England was frequently surrounded by knights whom he held in high regard. He knighted Ian Chesterton while in Palestine in 1190. (TV: The Crusade)
