Yeah i’m pretty sure it happened here in England, rarely I admit, but I have no idea about Bohemia or even the Holy Roman Empire overall.
If our main character is going to end up as a Knight in this game, I’d prefer it if they save that one for Act III or something. You don’t really become a knight like that if you’re a blacksmith’s son, generally you had to be the son of a knight, but of course there could be exceptions if he’s a successful warrior and prove to be a great asset in the civil war. Still, he’d most likely just end up being a man-at-arms. They could be almost like knights, being well-trained and well-equipped and all that. except they weren’t knights. At least that’s what wikipedia tells me:
Man-at-arms (also called armsman or coistrel) was a term used from the High Medieval to Renaissance periods to describe a soldier, almost always a professional warrior in the sense of being well-trained in the use of arms, who served as a fully armoured heavy cavalryman.[a] It could refer to knights or noblemen, and to members of their retinues or to mercenaries in companies under captains. Such men could serve for pay or through a feudal obligation. The terms knight and man-at-arms are often used interchangeably, but while all knights equipped for war certainly were men-at-arms, not all men-at-arms were knights. (…) The military function that a man-at-arms performed was serving as a fully armoured heavy cavalryman; though he could, and in the 14th and 15th centuries often did, also fight on foot.
(…) one of the easiest ways for a man to improve his social rank was through military service; another method was through the church. In the Norman states, unlike in many other contemporary societies, the knighting of men of common birth who had demonstrated ability and courage on the field of battle was possible. Although rare, some non-knightly men-at-arms did advance socially to the status of knights. The knighting of squires and men-at-arms was sometimes done in an ignoble manner, simply to increase the number of knights within an army (such practice was common during the Hundred Years’ War). In chivalric theory, any knight could bestow knighthood on another, however, in practice this was usually done by sovereigns and the higher nobility.
So yeah, looking at that last quote, there could be a slim chance you could get knighted for doing excellent service in combat… which I guess the bard or the thief characters wouldn’t achieve. You could also maybe become a good friend with a knight, maybe save his life in battle, maybe he’s older than you and is almost like your mentor… and in the end he knight you because he formally has the right to do so as a knight himself.
1 Like
In czech hystory there is one king: George from Poděbrady who as only king from all the czech kings was not from roayal family. Well he was from nobility but what made him a king was not his blood but his brains and ambition. So if simple man who would prove himself were to aquire noble title then there is a little of slightiest posibility that he could became a king.
That does not mean that I would like our protagonist to became king. Just saying that there is always posibility.
(interesting fact: George was crowned in 1458 which is pretty close to “our” story)
with the way the game is designed, where you don’t have to charge into the story, i think you could play as a refugee/blacksmith indefinitely, until you decide to change profession or interact with the nobles, possibly entering the storyline that way.
Also i believe craftsmen where held higher than standard peasants
I agree, craftsmen were most certainly higher than peasants although they were still commoners(blacksmiths were not exactly the most respected commoners). By this time in the high/late middle ages it was very hard for a commoner to become a knight. The only way I can see Henry being knighted is after a large battle or siege.
I read an account from an earlier time period of a soldier getting in a fight with a knight. The soldier won took the armor and made himself a knight. Then he found some noble to fight for and ended up saving the noble or something and being awarded land. Of course There no way of knowing if this is true or not. But If i ended up accidentally killing a knight and I was a skilled soldier I would go for it.
There is no “nation” and “nationality” stuff, this is medieval! There is only God and your liege lord! 
just offtopic
that sounds like parzival/perseval. it’s fiction. you don’t take some knight’s armor and “make yourself a knight”
I really do appreciate your comment. Same question. For me it’s a sci-fi to level-up from blacksmith-rat to King of the World. There are so many games when it is possible. But why in KCD?
It was more of the fact that a blacksmith is more than a common commoner
Well they were very much needed so there were many of them but they were not disrespected. Examples of less common commoners: Goldsmith, Silversmith, Bower, Armorer
This sounds interesting 
It diversifies the game, and lets you play your own little, secular story.
Hey. I fonud this interview with Dan Vávra. Especialy intereting thing he said in relation to this topic is: "Our goal is to give you authentic experience what it’s like to be a knight in medieval times."
So it seems our blacksmith migh really become a Knight.
Here is the source: http://pcgmedia.com/exclusive-interview-kingdom-come-deliverance-creative-director-daniel-vavra/
1 Like
I believe that king had the right promote anyone to knight for some heroic acts or so. Or maybe not and it’s just a game thing to allow us actually more enjoy the game and not stuck with crafting horseshoes 
lords typically had hundreds of knights under their command. they have to come from somewhere.
By the 1403 ‘knighthood’ was far less common than it had been in earlier medieval centuries. The cost and social requirements were massively prohibitive and a huge number of squires deliberately chose to forgo knighthood all together. In a military context knights, squires and senior soldiers were all considered to be ‘men-at-arms’ as a generalization for anyone who could afford to be properly armoured. Within the ‘men-at-arms’ soldiers could command companies of soldiers though knights would never allow themselves to serve under someone of lesser rank. A blacksmith could potentially be a commander of a company eventually but it’s virtually impossible for them to end up knighted and totally impossible for someone from non ‘knightly class’ to command an army unless everyone of better social rank was already dead.
I hate the trope of Blacksmith/farmer/peasant becomes knight/hero/general, the training and skills learned virtually from birth by knights would mean that it’s virtually impossible for a non-noble to go toe to toe with one and win let alone rise to some sort of greatness. Why not make Henry a low level squire to start with instead, it would help explain why he has the ability to ride a horse or swing a sword and give him a much more believable story arc.
Yes but i want a castle 
And I want space rocket!
2 Likes