Origin
Cyril Sheldrake was originally the Squire to his father Percy Sheldrake, the first person to go under the name of the Knight. After his father’s death he adopted the mantle of Knight and took in Beryl Hutchinson as his Squire. Now after Cyril’s death Beryl has become the new Knight.
Creation
As the Squire, Cyril Sheldrake was created by writer Bill Finger and penciler Bob Kane. His first appearance is in Batman #62, released in December, 1950. Writer Grant Morrison reinvented Cyril as the Knight in JLA: Classified #1, released in January, 2005. His death occurs in Batman Incorporated Vol 2 #6, released in February, 2013.
Major Story Arcs
Knight
Percy’s son, who also received the magic armor his father once wore, was his father’s Squire until his death. Since his father had made his armor resemble Batman and a traditional Knight of the Round Table, Squire was often compared with Robin. The two were called the “Batman and Robin of England”. Occasionally, Batman and Robin teamed up with the Knight and Squire to fight Neo-Nazis. Soon Percy and Cyril came to join the Batmen of all Nations (International Club of Heroes) with Batman and Robin. Percy came to believe the benefactor to the Club of Heroes John Mayhew murdered a woman, but was never able to prove it, eventually Cyril’s father was killed by his arch nemesis, Springheeled Jack. Cyril is quick to say that Percy lost his confidence in his abilities because he could never prove Mayhew of his crimes. After the death of his father Cyril lived in excess and recklessly it was the friendship with Beryl Hutchinson and her mother that cleaned him up. Afterward, he asked Beryl to be the new Squire as he took on the role of her father as The Knight. Knight and Squire then joined the Ultramarine Corps and remained with that team for some time, but became brainwashed by Gorilla Grodd and the Sheba who attempted to use them as weapons in taking over Earth. The Justice League of America blamed the Ultramarine Corps for these actions as much as Grodd and banished them to the infant universe of Qwerq but after the Corps fixed problems on Qwerq they were allowed to return.
The Black Glove
At some point the remaining Club of Heroes’ (Batman, Robin, Ranger, Wingman, El Gaucho, Musketeer, Raven Red, Chief Man of Bats, Squire, and Knight himself) members were all invited to an island where they used to meet only to be hunted down by a mysterious organization called The Black Glove who had gambled on who would survive: the Heroes or their attackers. Knight himself was a suspected traitor to the other Heroes as Mayhew was supposedly murdered but was proven not to be since he had a bomb implanted in him that Chief Man-of-Bats removed with crude surgery and the traitors were revealed to be Mayhew (confirming Percy’s beliefs that he was a criminal) and Wingman. Mayhew killed Wingman and attempted to escape in a plane only for Batman to take the plane leaving Mayhew to jump out of the aircraft. Batman came back and picked up the remaining heroes as the island exploded.
Batman RIP
When Batman came under attack by the Black Glove again, Robin called the Club of Heroes as reinforcements. Knight and Squire were the first to receive the message. They arrive at the exact moment they were needed saving Robin they told him to go save Batman as they calmed the crime wave down. The Knight’s old group the International Marine Corps was seen battling Darkseid’s forces in Final Crisis it is assumed they have been forced to break up after that. Knight and Squire along with many members of the Batmen of All Nations were next seen after the supposed death of Batman in Gotham City helping the Batman family and battling the eruption of criminals.
Blackest Night
Dick Grayson recruits the Knight in an effort to resurrect the original Batman by using a Lazarus Pit. Unfortunately the corpse was just a decoy form Darkseid’s attack. This led to the decoy getting into a fight with Knight, Squire, Batman and Batwoman.
New 52
Knight and Squire are still affiliated with Batman Inc. He and Beryl take part in a huge battle alongside other members of Batman Incorporated. Soon afterwards, he alongside Squire and the Outsiders investigate Leviathan’s base and discover a bomb which explodes destroying the base and injures Knight and the others.
Finding himself taken hostage by Talia, Knight awakens finding Beryl on the brink of death. After Beryl stops breathing he is able to revive her, only to be attacked by one of Talia’s pawns, The Heretic. Subsequently, The Heretic strangles Knight, and ultimately breaks his neck, killing him.
Afterwards his body is taken away by the Ro-bats. Beryl breaks down in Nightwing’s arms. She feels his death is her fault, and that she should have saved him.
Knight’s funeral was seen in Batman incorporated #8, it was attended by hundreds of British people, and Princes William and Harry, who the Knight saved when he was Squire with his father. The British Prime minister is trying to find ways to bring the Knight back to life, and is looking into using a Lazarus pit.
Knight’s Squire, Beryl Hutchinson, has now taken on the role of the Knight, and is taking the fight back to Levithan in an attempt to take back Gotham.
Powers and Abilities
Knight is a very skilled detective, and investigating crime scenes. He’s also very proficient at hand to hand combat, holding his own and defeating super-powered foes. Knight’s armor is magical, capable of repelling light or small projectiles, as well as bladed weapons. He also has an american butler.