Does anyone know why Sir Francis Scott Key was knighted?

Question

I am just curious to why and who knighted him. It just seems fairly strange that the man who wrote the "Star Spangled Banner" at Ft. Henry would have "Sir" in his title, seeing that would make him less likely to be discontent against the English crown. Any ideas?

I am just curious to why and who knighted him. It just seems fairly strange that the man who wrote the "Star Spangled Banner" at Ft. Henry would have "Sir" in his title, seeing that would make him less likely to be discontent against the English crown. Or is this a misnomer? Any ideas?

Or is this a misnomer?

Answer 1

According to Wikipedia--and my own knowledge of US history--Francis Scott Key was never knighted.

There are no knighthoods conferred in the United States.

Till the end of his life, he was simply Mr. Key, or perhaps he appended "Esquire" (abbreviated "Esq.") to his name, since he was an attorney by profession.

Could you possibly have confused the honorific of "Esquire" with "squire?" In the Middle Ages, a man aspiring to knighthood usually served a kind of apprenticeship under a knight, and until the "apprentice" was knighted, he was called a "squire." This was also a term for certain members of the landed gentry in England.

Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Sir Francis Scott Key

Answer 3

i'm not sure of your source, or as quickly as you're complicated him with somebody else, yet i don't think of Key ever appropriate-primary a knighthood from each and every physique...yet fairly not from George III who became the king for the period of the two the sought after conflict and the conflict of 1812. consistent with risk you're questioning of Sir Francis Drake?

Answer 4

I'm not sure of your source, or if you're confusing him with someone else, but I don't believe Key ever accepted a knighthood from anyone...but particularly not from George III who was the king during both the Revolutionary war and the War of 1812. Maybe you're thinking of Sir Francis Drake?