Children to Benefit from New Knights and Castles Kids App

London, 6 June 2011

Children across the world can today (6 June) learn about heroic knights, courtly love and historic castles at the touch of a button, as Encyclopædia Britanni,ica releases its latest educational mobile app.

Knights and Castles, which has been released on iTunes looks at the rise of the chivalric knight and knightly orders, life inside a medieval castle and further medieval legends.

Aimed at children aged 8 – 12, the app is sourced from Britannica’s expert curriculum-based content, and is specifically designed to help them with homework, projects and exams, when looking at the middle ages.

The app also includes exclusive Britannica content on: The complete A – Z of Arthurian Knights The history of castles in Europe A history of Knighthood Daily life as a Knight Further information on life in the Middle Ages

Priced at £4.99, the app is packed with facts, interactive features, quizzes and games, bringing chivalric knights and historic castles to life. It is available for download on the iPod touch, iPhone and iPad.

Ian Grant, Managing Director of Encyclopædia Britannica UK, said: “Educational apps are fast becoming one of the most important learning platforms in the 21st century. Not only do they deliver interesting and relevant content at the touch of a button, they are a great way of keeping children engaged while they explore new topics and subjects.”

“We’re excited to release Knights and Castles as part of Britannica’s on-going commitment to providing topical and expert content for all of our users.”

Knights and Castles is the latest in a series of informative and educational mobile apps developed by Britannica. Other titles in the series include Volcanoes, Dinosaurs, Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome, Aztecs, Solar Systems and Rainforests.

Each app is themed around an individual national curriculum topic and are available on www.britannica.co.uk/apps.

Top Ten Facts about Knights and Castles: A Knight’s education began at the age of seven Before becoming a Knight, a young man would serve as a page, a squire and then an armour-bearer to a nobleman Knights were “dubbed” (officially given the title) at the age of 21 Knights were governed by the Chivalric Code of Religion, Honour and Courtesy The word comes from the Old English word “cniht”, meaning horseman Most castles were built in Europe between AD 800 and 1400 Keep castles began to appear in the 1100s as builders preferred to use stone over wood Castle walls were often more than 4.6 metres thick The castle’s defences were managed by the constable, who commanded the guard Castles were often self-contained, with kitchens, storehouses, stables and other buildings to serve the residents

About Encyclopædia Britannica
Britannica was founded in Edinburgh in 1768 at the height of the period of European history known as the “Enlightenment”. Its aim was to publish clear, current and correct information, based on a scientific approach to knowledge.

It is the most comprehensive and oldest continuously published reference work in the English language and is revered worldwide for its editorial integrity. Britannica strives to help its users become confident global citizens, by delivering expert and up-to-date knowledge and being global leaders in providing a source for life-long learning.

Encycloppædia Britannica (UK) Ltd is a subsidiary of Encycloppædia Britannica Inc. who are leading providers of learning and knowledge products. Britannica is proud to be one of the world's most trusted sources of information.

In 2011 Encyclopædia Britannica was named as one of the UK’s most respected brands in the annual Consumer Superbrand Survey. Britannica was one of only eight media reference companies to make the top 500 brands in the UK and was the only one to be listed in the top 50.

About Britannica Online & Mobile:
Today Encyclopædia Britannica has a larger and more diverse line of online and mobile products than ever before. Our outlook is shaped by our tradition of excellence and an understanding of what knowledge seekers need in the digital age.

In 2002 Britannica introduced Britannica Online School Edition, a comprehensive reference and education service specially designed for primary and secondary schools. It has undergone several significant upgrades in the years since.

In 2006 Britannica introduced Britannica Online Public Library Edition, delivering three products in one, including separate home pages for adults, students, and children. The product allows libraries to tailor the product to their patrons' needs.

In 2011 Britannica launched six titles in a series of educational mobile applications for children. The Ancient Romans, Ancient Egypt, Solar System, Volcanoes, Rainforests and Dinosaurs apps will be followed by a further 60 project-based programmes later in the year.

Image Quest was launched in January 2011 to provide one million digital images to universities, colleges and schools. Fully rights-cleared for educational use, Image Quest brings together collections from the National Geographic, Getty Images, and Oxford Scientific and many others, into an easy-to-use online portal.

Britannica's Online Academic Edition delivers relevant, web-based content for further and higher education. It is continuously updated, revised and developed with new articles, allowing its users to research confidently with expert information and a host of research tools designed to support advanced study.

For further information about Britannica and its products, please visit: http://www.britannica.co.uk/

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For further information, please contact:
Eoghan Hughes
PR Manager
Encyclopædia Britannica
(0044) (0)20 7500 7800
ehughes@britannica.co.uk