Knights are a fundamental part of storytelling and this all goes back to Medieval and Middle Ages knighthood. The precursor for knights, as they’re widely known, date back to Ancient Rome and the Pre-Carolingian age. The first knights began appearing during the 8th century during the reign of Charlemagne, a prolific emperor and king during the Carolingian age. Knights continued to gain prominence throughout the first crusade and then the culture of knighthood began coming into prominence during the Middle Ages. 

During the 10th century, knights began being trained and knights with the most military experience were the most sought after by lords and other members of the noble class. Knights were born to the noble class and typically born to other knights or lords. When they were seven, they became pages and began their training. At age 14 knights became squires and were required to master the seven points of agilities—riding, swimming and diving, shooting different weapons, climbing, participating in tournaments, wrestling, fencing, long jumping and dancing. Then, at 21, squires became eligible to be knighted. 

Knights are frequently depicted in popular culture, most notably the Knights of the Round Table depicted in the Matter of Britain. The Matter of Britain is a body of medieval literature and legends associated with British royalty, notably King Arthur. Lancelot du Lac was one of the Knights of the Round Table and was a close companion of King Arthur. Lancelot has been depicted in a variety of films, with Frank Nero portraying the character in 1967’s “Camelot” and Richard Gere portraying the character in 1995’s “The First Knight.”

Take a look at the gallery below to check out 75 of our favorite heroic knight tattoos. Then let us know your favorite tattoo from this list in the comments section on social media.