A dismounted fighting man. During the bulk of the Middle Ages, the role of infantry was considered to be the role of the common man, a distinction is retains to a degree even in modern warfare. Generally, medieval infantry was more lightly armoured than the heavy
cavalry that formed the heart of a medieval army. During the 14th century, the English experimented with the use of infantry and
artillery to great effect, defeating the cavalry-heavy armies of France and Spain and the massed
spearmen of the Scots. Gradually,
knights began to fight on foot as often as they fought mounted, but by this time the use of gunpowder changed the role of the knight and gave him the tactical role of officer rather than cavalryman.
