Horses in the Middle Ages seems to disappear from record during the 17th century. Many modern draft breeds claim some link to the medieval "great horse," with some historians considering breeds such as the Percheron, Belgian and Suffolk Punch likely descendants of the destrier. However, other historians discount this theory, since the historical record suggests the medieval warhorse was quite a different 'type' to the modern draught horse. Such a theory would suggest the war horses were crossed once again with "cold blooded" work horses, since war horses, and the destrier in particular, were renowned for their hot-blooded nature. Throughout the period, horses were rarely
Knight of the Swan Knight of the Swan The story of the Knight of the Swan, or Swan Knight, is a medieval tale about a mysterious rescuer who comes in a swan-drawn boat to defend a damsel, his only condition being that he must never be asked his name. The earliest versions (preserved in "Dolopathos") do not provide specific identity to this knight, but the Old French Crusade cycle of "chansons de geste" adopted it to make the Swan Knight ("Le Chevalier au Cigne", first version around 1192) the legendary ancestor of Godfrey of Bouillon. The "Chevalier au Cigne", also known as Helias, figures