Knight Chess

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The term 'knight' is derived from the Old English word 'cniht', which means 'boy' or 'servant'. This word is a cognate of the German word 'Knecht', also meaning 'servant, bondsman, vassal.' The meaning of 'cniht' changed over time from its original meaning to 'household retainer,' and by 1100, it referred specifically to a mounted warrior in the heavy cavalry. The term 'knight' was not used until around 1300, when the verb 'to knight' (to make someone a knight) appeared. The word 'knighthood' shifted from 'adolescence' to 'rank or dignity of a knight' during this time. In ancient Rome, an Equestrian was a member of the second-highest social class, often translated as 'knight.' However, the medieval knight was called miles in Latin, which meant 'soldier,' normally infantry. The word 'knight' is derived from Germanic languages and is related to words such as 'Ritter' (German), 'ridder' (Dutch and Scandinavian), and 'cavalier' (French). These words are all derived from the Proto-Indo-European root reidh-, meaning 'to ride.'