Most armies contained significant numbers of spearmen, archers and other unmounted soldiers. Many infantrymen in prolonged wars would be mercenaries. The infantry was recruited and trained in a wide variety of manners in different regions of Europe all through the Middle Ages, and probably always formed the most numerous part of a medieval field army. Many countries developed their styles of light cavalries, such as Hungarian mounted archers, Spanish jinetes, Italian and German mounted crossbowmen and English currours. Light cavalry was used as scouts, skirmishers or outflankers. Later in the Middle Ages, light cavalry would also include sergeants who were men who had trained as knights but could not afford the costs associated with the title. In much of the Middle Ages, light cavalry usually consisted of wealthy commoners. The light cavalry consisted usually of lighter armed and armoured men, who could have lances, javelins or missile weapons, such as bows or crossbows. During the crusades, holy orders of Knights fought in the Holy Land (see Knights Templar, the Hospitallers, etc.). The cost of their armour, horses, and weapons was great this, among other things, helped gradually transform the knight, at least in western Europe, into a distinct social class separate from other warriors. The medieval knight was usually a mounted and armoured soldier, often connected with nobility or royalty, although (especially in north-eastern Europe) knights could also come from the lower classes, and could even be enslaved persons. See also: Heavy cavalry and Light cavalry

Late medieval knight