Gaining honour, respect and glory is all-important to the medieval knight. And embarking on a crusade to the Holy Land in pursuit of the ‘infidels’ is one way of getting it. Of course, there’s also the promise of land and untold riches. And by demonstrating their love of God in this way, the crusaders believed they could secure their access to paradise. But how did the fabled knights fare on their way to Jerusalem? Chose to cross the Mediterranean by boat rather than enduring the long and challenging overland route came with serious challenges: Which boats should they use? How would they cope with the crossing? And how could they keep their essential war-horses alive? The story of Heinrich von Neuffen provides unprecedented insights into this largely unknown aspect of the crusades. But beyond the pious motives of the crusades, courtly love also played an important role in the life of a knight. Fighting for a lady’s favour in the joust could elevate him to superstar status. Impressive fighting prowess would be rewarded with admiration and popularity everywhere. Only the glory of fictional superheroes like King Arthur, Percival, Roland or Tristan could surpass that of a successful knight.
