As this only seems to happen in the United Kingdom, we are not sure for the reason of this.
There is two schools of thought on this, 1, that the knight was a Crusader, but there is an argument against this, saying if this was true then knight effigies on the Continent would reflect this as well, but as all the effigies over there are shown with straight legs, I have to agree with the argument.
2, that the knight died in battle, as some of the effigies are shown on a rough background, it is thought that the knight died in battle. The rough background symbolising a battlefield.
I doubt that we will never know the reason for showing these effigies with crossed legs.
I believe like many Buddhist images they are a message saying 'We understand the value of yoga'. They are a yoga stretch as is sitting for long periods in knights pose (right knee up left knee on ground) as someone told me the Knights Templar did. The yoga versana pose is similar. These stretch and release tension in the muscles on the left side of the body which become tense when subject to fear and trauma. Many ancient warrior schools used yoga and meditation to help deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and to prevent fighters from losing control in battle. Of course only people who have a deep experience of their psycho-physical unity can understand this mind/body effect. Such people leave little messages like this for each other, other people tend to think this stuff is nonsense! Only a theory but I have experimented with this leg crossing and it is a very good yoga stretch - although I don't know of it being used in any yoga style - indicating it was probably a rather advanced practise.
Crossed legs on recumbent statues of English knights typically symbolize the individual's participation in the Crusades. It is known as the "Crusader stance" and signifies that the knight had taken a vow to go on a Crusade during their lifetime. It is a common motif in medieval funerary art.
crossed blades
Symbolic of Christ's rule and reign over Islam and the other religions at that time.
Knights belonged (and still belong today) to wealthy aristocratic families. In the medieval period when a knight died his family would often pay for an elaborate raised stone tomb to be erected over his grave, with a stone sculpture (effigy) of the knight as he looked in his prime (not usually as an old man). Sometimes effigies were not arranged until some time after the knight died, so he would be shown wearing armour of a slightly later period than his own - for this reason it is always wise to treat tomb effigies of knights with caution, since they may not accurately portray the knight as he really looked. Effigies are always of recumbant (lying down) figures, usually either completely "rounded" sculptures, or sometimes only three-quarters of the complete figure, attached to a kind of stone plinth serving as a bed for the effigy. The knight might have his helmet as a pillow and a lion or some other creature serving to support his feet. Tomb effigies are not the same thing as brasses, which would normally be set into a small, flat gravestone. The links below take you to images of medieval tomb effigies:
No, he died in l959. Last film was crossed swords. one wonders if his fade-out was (Once a Knight is enough!) dunno.
Queen Elizabeth I, or Tudor never wore armor in the field. If she did, certainly the armor itself or illustrations of her as a Female Knight would have survived. It should be noted there were Queens in Armor. the funeral effigy of Anne of Bohemia- considered an English Queen has her in feminized Knight get-up. The famous Matilda of Tuscany was also a full-dress Female Knight -and she survived her missions intact. There were many other than Joan of Arc, but Queen Elizabeth was not one of them. ( Isabella of Spain did wear armor!)
It is known she died ( In Childbirth) in l504. She was some distance from the Spanish capital, so there would have been delays- no automobile hearses, etc in l504. An unusual aspect of her memorial effigy is she is displayed- in statuary form as a Female Knight- a Queen at Arms -holding her sword- the crown over a knightly helmet- it is really something,. She did wear armor in the Field- Joan of Arc was not the only Female Knight!
The setting of "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" is primarily medieval England, encompassing King Arthur's court at Camelot, the mysterious Green Chapel, and various other locations as Sir Gawain embarks on his quest. The story is rich in imagery and symbolism, capturing the essence of a mystical and chivalrous world.
a knight is a knight
The branch Don Quixote selects to replace his shattered lance is actually just a common, dried-up pig's tail. This replacement is incongruous because it lacks the grandeur and symbolism of a proper knight's lance, highlighting Don Quixote's misguided quest as a delusional knight errant.
Brandin knight of Pitt is related to Brevin Knight. But Brandon Knight of Kentucky is not related
Michael Knight - Knight Rider - was created in 1982.