When Knighthood Was In Flower

Every now and again someone comes up with an unusual question that piques your interest. About a month ago the friend of a friend asked an interesting question. My friend Angela, knowing my interest in English/Scottish history, thought I might like to tackle this one. On hearing the question I immediately formed a theory. Couldn't help it since the answer, at least to me seemed obvious. Just the same, I thought I'd do some research and see if I was right.

The question is:
 Why were some writers given knighthood, way back when and why not today?

So I did some research. Mind you, there was probably more I could have done but since I'm writing a blog and not a college thesis, I limited the information I looked up.

I went back to the time of Queen Elizabeth I since more attention was paid to writers at that time, as well as in her father's, ( Henry VIII ) day.

Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542) was one of those who hung around Henry's court. If he'd found somewhere else to go he might have avoided trouble. In his favor, he was ambassador to the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles II of Spain. Working with the Earl of Surry, the two men were the first ones to introduce sonnets into English. Wyatt, himself didn't see any of his own works published during his lifetime. He received a knighthood in 1535 but trouble arrived in the form of Anne Boleyn when he was accused of being her lover, or one of them. He was held in the Bell Tower where he witnessed Anne's execution on May 15, 1536.

Sir Edmond Dyer (1543-1607) was employed in missions to the Netherlands in 1554 and Denmark in 1589. He was knighted in 1596.

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618) was named captain of Elizabeth's guard and was known as an explorer. He established a colony near Roanoke Island. His journals kept the queen informed of his accomplishments. He was knighted in 1585.

Sir Phillip Sydney (1554-1586) had a little more going for him, being the nephew of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. Dudley was a confidant and favorite of Elizabeth's. There were also rumors about their closeness.  Anyway, Sydney often served in the diplomatic service as a political liason between the queen and the Protestant faction.  Sydney was knighted in 1583, under rather odd circumstances. His friend Prince Casimir was to be admitted to the Order of the Garter but couldn't attend the ceremony so he asked Sydney to stand in for him. The only way Sydney could qualify to do the favor was to be knighted. Once again, politics intervened.

William Shakespeare's works have been around for centuries. The problem with his background is  his mysterious childhood. No one knows his real date of birth. For that matter, there are questions about whether or not he really existed. He's thought to be a blend of several writers, in the same way that King Arthur and Robin Hood are, in theory, blends of several people of their times. There's really no definitive documents to say otherwise.

William Wordsworth (1770-1850) helped found the Romantic Movement in English Literature. He also became Poet Laureate in 1843 and kept the title for the rest of his life. He had no political ties.

During the Regency period, George Gordon Byron (1788-1824) was a titled lord by right of birth and had no need of a knighthood. 

Alfred, Lord Tennyson had a middle class birth but he could claim noble/royal ancestry. He became Poet Laureate after the death of Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Prime Minister Disraeli twice offered Tennyson a baronetcy which he declined. In 1883 he finally accepted a peerage title of baron from Prime Minister Gladstone. That gave him the privilege of sitting in the House of Lords in 1884.

Apparently writers like Charles Dickens whose works have survived and still are enjoyed for over a hundred years didn't have the proper connections to allow them to achieve knighthood.

When I searched for more current names given knighthood I really couldn't find any for writing, although the most familiar names are celebrities in the Arts and Entertainment field: Anthony Hopkins, Sean Connery, Elton John, Paul McCartney to name a few.  One man, a well-known director/producer, earned an honorary title for having doubled theater attendance in Great Britain during the 1980s.  To me, that was the oddest reason to bestow a title, even if it is honorary.

 There's also the feminine form of knighthood awarded to Maggie Smith, Judith Dench and Diana Rigg. The ladies have the privilege of adding "Dame"  in front of their names. These are off the top of my head and I'm sure there are others I've missed. No offense meant to any of them.

My impulsive theory proved true for the most part. While the works of Elizabethan, Regency and Victorian writers have pretty much survived down to our day, these men achieved their knighthoods, not through their writings but through their relationships with nobility and/or their political activities.

Most of us have little political influence and we aren't related to royalty. We might not have titles to reach for but we can hope to achieve success and a sense of accomplishment by entertaining our readers.