Bors' Dilemma - he chooses to save a maiden rather than his brother Lionel

Chivalry^[1] is a term related to the medieval institution of knighthood. It is usually associated with ideals of knightly virtues, honor and courtly love. The word is derived from the French word chevalier, indicating one who rides a horse (Fr. cheval). Image File history File links Bors_and_Lionel. ... Image File history File links Bors_and_Lionel. ... In Arthurian Legend, Sir Bors was a Knight of the Round Table. ... Bors chooses to save a maiden rather than his brother Lionel Sir Lionel is the younger son of King Bors of Gaunnes (or Gaul) and brother of Bors the Younger in Arthurian legend. ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times. ... A statue of an armoured knight of the Middle Ages For the chess piece, see knight (chess). ... The Virtues of a Knight (Knightly Virtues) included the following: Charity Chivalry Courage Courtesy Determination Selflessness Endurance Faithfulness Honour Humility Justice Kindness Loyalty Mercy Morality Nobility Patience Perseverance Prudence Sympathy Truthfulness Wisdom Categories: Warrior code ... Honor (or honor) comprises the reputation, self-perception or moral identity of an individual or of a group. ... Court of Love in Provence in the 14th Century (after a manuscript in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris). ...

Today, the terms chivalry and chivalrous are used to describe courteous behavior, especially that of men towards women.

Etymology

A knight being armed.

The terms originated in the early history of mounted "knight" (French: chevalier), and "horse" (French: cheval), which happened in France in the late 10th century. Knights possessed military training, a war horse and military equipment which required a substantial amount of wealth and prestige to acquire. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 443 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2024 × 2738 pixel, file size: 693 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 443 × 599 pixelsFull resolution (2024 × 2738 pixel, file size: 693 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File historyClick on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. ...

Between the 11th century and 15th centuries Medieval writers often used the word chivalry, but its definition was never consistent between authors, and its meaning would change on a regional basis, and even over time.^[2] Further, its modern meanings are different from its medieval meanings.^[2] Thus, the exact meaning of chivalry changes depending on the writer, the time period, and the region, so a comprehensive definition of the term is elusive.^[2]

Medieval written references

The term chivalry is very commonly found in medieval chronicles, vernacular literature and other written records, but its meaning varies. It can refer to a company of mounted knights. It can mean the status of being a knight, either as an occupation or as a social class. In legal documents, references to lands held in chivalry imply a type of land tenure in which military services was owed, as in feudalism. In literary texts, such as The Song of Roland, chivalry means a worthy action on the battlefield. Roland pledges his fealty to Charlemagne; from a manuscript of a chanson de geste Feudalism, a term first used in the late modern period (17th century), in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval European political system comprised of a set of reciprocal legal and military obligations among the... Eight phases of The Song of Roland in one picture. ...

From the 12th century onward chivalry came to be understood as a moral, religious and social code of knightly conduct. The particulars of the code varied, but codes would emphasize the virtues of courage, honor, and service. Chivalry also came to refer to an idealization of the life and manners of the knight at home in his castle and with his court.

Medieval knights glorified and identified with the valor, tactics and ideals of ancient Romans. ^[2] For example the ancient hand-book of warfare written by Vegetius called De Re Militari was translated into French in the 13th century as L'art de chevalerie by Jean de Meun. Later writers also drew from Vegetius such as Honore Bonet who wrote the 14th century L'arbes des batailles, which discussed the morals and laws of war. In the 15th century Christine de Pizan combined themes from Vegetius, Bonet and Frontinus in Livre des faits d'armes et de chevalerie. Vegetius (Publius Flavius Vegetius Renatus) was a celebrated military writer of the 4th century. ... De Re Militari (Latin On military matters) was a treatise of late Roman warfare that became a military guide in the middle ages. ... Jean de Meun or Jean de Meung (c. ... Christine de Pizan instructing her son. ...

History

"Stitching the Standard" by Edmund Blair Leighton: the lady prepares for a knight to go to war.

Regardless of the diverse written definitions of chivalry, the medieval knightly class was adept at the art of war, trained in fighting in armor, with horses, lances, swords and shields. Knights were taught to excel in the arms, to show courage, to be gallant, loyal and to swear off cowardice and baseness.^[2] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Accolade Edmund Blair Leighton (September 21, 1853—September 1, 1922) was a British painter of medieval scenes of chivalry. ...

Related to chivalry was the practice of heraldry and its elaborate rules of displaying coats of arms. When not fighting, chivalric knights typically resided in a castle or fortified house, while some knights lived in the courts of kings, dukes and other great lords. The skills of the knight carried over to peacetime activities such as the hunt and tournament. Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. ... For other uses, see Castle (disambiguation). ... King William I and King Harold II of England are portrayed hawking in the Bayeux Tapestry. ... Tournament by Jörg Breu the Elder 1510s, depicting jousting A Tournament, or tourney (from Old French torneiement, tornei[1]) is the name popularly given to chivalrous competitions or mock fights of the Middle Ages and Renaissance (12th to 16th centuries). ...

The tradition of the chivalric "knight in shining armor" can be traced back to the Arabs, with notable pre-Islamic figures like the Bedouin knight Antar The Lion (580 CE). He is believed to be the model of this tradition. [3] Charles Reginald Haines noted traits "such as loyalty, courtesy, munificence...are found in eminent degree among the Arabs." Medieval Spain, which he calls the "cradle of chivalry", could bear that pre-modern title, due to the direct impact of Arab civilization in al-Andalus. "Piety, courtesy, prowess in war, the gift of eloquence, the art of poetry, skill on horseback, dexterity with sword, lance, and bow" was expected of the elite Moorish knight. [4] Richard Francis Burton, when characterizing this strain of thought in the writings of Europe as a whole, maintained "were it not evident that the spiritualising of sexuality by imagination is universal among the highest orders of mankind", he continues, "I should attribute the origins of love to the influences of the Arabs' poetry and chivalry upon European ideas rather than to medieval Christianity." [5] The frequent clashes between the Christians and Muslims preceding the Christian Crusades leave no doubt that orders of the knighthood and the tradition of courtly love were transmitted into Europe by way of the Muslim occupation

Christianity had a modifying influence on the virtues of chivalry. The Peace and Truce of God in the 10th century was one such example, with limits placed on knights to protect and honor the weaker members of society and also help the church maintain peace. At the same time the church became more tolerant of war in the defense of faith, espousing theories of the just war; and liturgies were introduced which blessed a knight's sword, and a bath of chivalric purification. In the 11th century the concept of a "knight of Christ" (miles Christi) gained currency in France, Spain and Italy.^[2] These concepts of "religious chivalry" were further elaborated in the era of the Crusades, with the Crusades themselves often being seen as a chivalrous enterprise.^[2] Their ideas of chivalry were also further influenced by Saladin, who was viewed as a chivalrous knight by medieval Christian writers. The Peace and Truce of God was a medieval European movement of the Roman Catholic Church which applied spiritual sanctions in order to control and stop the violence of feudal society. ... Just War theory is a doctrine of military ethics studied by moral theologians, ethicists and international policy makers which holds that a conflict can and ought to meet the criteria of philosophical, religious or political justice, provided it follows certain conditions. ... From the Greek word λειτουργια, which can be transliterated as leitourgia, meaning the work of the people, a liturgy comprises a prescribed religious ceremony, according to the traditions of a particular religion; it may be refer to, or include, an elaborate formal ritual (such as the Catholic Mass), a daily... This article is about the medieval crusades. ... Saladin, properly known as Salah al-DÄ«n Yusuf ibn Ayyub (Arabic: , Kurdish: ) (c. ...

The relationship between knights and the nobility varied based on region. In France being dubbed a knight also bestowed noble status. In Germany and the Low Countries, knights and the nobility were distinctly different classes. In England, the relations between knights, nobles and land-owning gentry were complex.

In the later Middle Ages, wealthy merchants strove to adopt chivalric attitudes - the sons of the bourgeoisie were educated at aristocratic courts where they were trained in the manners of the knightly class.^[2] This was a democratization of chivalry, leading to a new genre called the courtesy book, which were guides to the behavior of "gentlemen". Thus, the post-medieval gentlemanly code of the value of a man's honor, respect for women, and a concern for those less fortunate, is directly derived from earlier ideals of chivalry and historical forces which created it.^[2]

Modern debates

There are a number of questions historians debate related to chivalry. In his monumental study of Chivalry, The Broad-Stone of Honour, Kenelm Henry Digby offered the following definition: "Chivalry is only a name for that general spirit or state of mind which disposes men to heroic actions, and keeps them conversant with all that is beautiful and sublime in the intellectual and moral world." The Broad Stone of Honour, or Rules for the Gentlemen of England, is a book written by Kenelm Henry Digby and published first in 1822 by F. C. & J. Rivington of London. ... Kenelm Henry Digby (c1800-1880) was an Anglo-Irish writer born at Clonfert in Ireland, though he certainly did not regard himself as Irish. ...

It is still debated as to what extent the exploits of notable knights such as Godfrey of Bouillon, William Marshal and Bertrand du Guesclin set new standards of knightly behavior, or were instead reflections of existing models of conduct.^[2] Bronze statue in the Hofkirche of Innsbruck. ... William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke (1146–1219) was an English aristocrat and statesman. ... Statue of Bertrand du Guesclin in Dinan Bertrand du Guesclin at the Saint-Denis Basilica, near Paris Bertrand du Guesclin (c. ...

Another common debate is whether, since knights bore arms, the ranks of knights were open to anyone who had the physical requirements and skills, or restricted to only those who were born into knightly families.

Classifications in literature

Knights of Christ by Jan van Eyck

When examining medieval literature, chivalry can be classified into three basic but overlapping areas: Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (593x1785, 726 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (593x1785, 726 KB) Jan van Eyck painting Ghent Altarpiece, finished 1432. ... Portrait of a Man in a Turban (actually a chaperon), probably a self-portrait, painted 1433 Jan van Eyck or Johannes de Eyck (pronounced: vān ike)(c. ... Medieval literature is a broad subject, encompassing essentially all written works available in Europe and beyond during the Middle Ages (encompassing the one thousand years from the fall of the Western Roman Empire ca. ...

1. Duties to countrymen and fellow Christians: this contains virtues such as mercy, courage, valor, fairness, protection of the weak and the poor, and in the servant-hood of the knight to his lord. This also brings with it the idea of being willing to give one’s life for another’s; whether he would be giving his life for a poor man or his lord.
2. Duties to God: this would contain being faithful to God, protecting the innocent, being faithful to the church, being the champion of good against evil, being generous and obeying God above the feudal lord.
3. Duties to women: this is probably the most familiar aspect of chivalry. This would contain what is often called courtly love, the idea that the knight is to serve a lady, and after her all other ladies. Most especially in this category is a general gentleness and graciousness to all women.

These three areas obviously overlap quite frequently in chivalry, and are often indistinguishable. Court of Love in Provence in the 14th Century (after a manuscript in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris). ...

Different weight given to different areas produced different strands of chivalry:

1. warrior chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to his lord, as exemplified by Sir Gawain in Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle
2. religious chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to protect the innocent and serve God, as exemplified by Sir Galahad or Sir Percival in the Grail legends.
3. courtly love chivalry, in which a knight's chief duty is to his own lady, and after her, all ladies, as exemplified by Sir Lancelot in his love for Queen Guinevere or Sir Tristan in his for Iseult

One particular similarity between all three of these categories is honor. Honor is the foundational and guiding principle of chivalry. Thus, for the knight, honor would be one of the guides of action. Sir Gawain and the Green Knight Gawain (Gwalchmei, Gawan, Gauvain, Walewein etc. ... The original Gawain manuscript, Cotton Nero A.x. ... The Wedding of Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnelle is one of several versions of the loathly lady story popular during the Middle Ages; an earlier version appears as The Wife of Baths Tale in Geoffrey Chaucers The Canterbury Tales, [1] and the later folk ballad The Marriage of... For other uses, see Galahad (disambiguation). ... Percival or Perceval is one of King Arthurs legendary Knights of the Round Table. ... For other uses, see Holy Grail (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Lancelot (disambiguation) and Sir Lancelot (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Guinevere (disambiguation). ... This article is about the Knight of the Round Table. ... Iseult of Ireland as portrayed Sophia Myles in Tristan & Isolde, 2006. ...

Notes

Wiktionary (a portmanteau of wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 151 languages. ... Old French was the Romance dialect continuum spoken in territories corresponding roughly to the northern half of modern France and parts of modern Belgium and Switzerland from around 1000 to 1300. ... Equestrianism relates to the riding of horses. ... Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. ... Not to be confused with Golgotha, which was called Calvary. ... Middle French (French: ) is a historical division of the French language which covers the period from (roughly) 1340 to 1611 [1]. It is a period of transition during which: the French language becomes clearly distinguished from the other competing Oïl languages which are sometimes subsumed within the concept of...

See also

• Knight
• Bushido
• Chivalric order
• Romance (genre)
• Courtly love
• Court of Chivalry
• Don Quixote
• Feliciano de Silva
• Jomsvikings
• Pas d'Armes
• Nine Worthies
• Warrior code

Knights Dueling, by Eugène Delacroix For other uses, see Knight (disambiguation) or Knights (disambiguation). ... Japanese samurai in armor, 1860s. ... Chivalric Orders were created by European monarchs after the failure of the Crusades. ... As a literary genre, romance or chivalric romance refers to a style of heroic prose and verse narrative current in Europe from the Middle Ages to the Renaissance. ... Court of Love in Provence in the 14th Century (after a manuscript in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris). ... The Court of Chivalry is a civil court in England. ... This article is about the fictional character and novel. ... Feliciano de Silva (1491–1554) was a Spanish writer. ... The Jomsvikings were a company of viking mercenaries of the 900s and 1000s, dedicated to the worship of such deities as Odin and Thor. ... Pas dArmes (Passage of Arms) was a type of knightly chivalric tournament that evolved in the late 14th century and remained popular through the 15th century. ... Oldest known sculptures of the Nine Worthies at the old city hall Cologne, Germany. ... Warrior code is an ethical code followed by warriors, often those that were privileged by birth, belonging to nobility or another privileged caste to preserve their honour. ...

References

Bouchard, Constance Brittain. "Strong of Body, Brave and Noble: Chivalry and Society in Medieval France." ISBN 0801485487. Cornell University Press, 1998.

• Keen, Maurice (1984). Chivalry. ISBN 0300031505 / ISBN 0300107676 (2005 paper reprint). The standard work on Chivalry.
• Sweeney, James Ross (1983). "Chivalry", in Dictionary of the Middle Ages, Volume III.
• Charles Reginald Haines (1889). "Christianity and Islam in Spain, A.D. 756-1031"
• Charles Anderson Read (2007). "The Cabinet Of Irish Literature; Selections From The Works Of The Chief Poets, Orators, And Prose Writers Of Ireland - Vol IV" (Paperback)

Maurice Keen (b. ... Dictionary of the Middle Ages: Supplement 1 (2003) The Dictionary of the Middle Ages is a 13-volume encyclopedia of the Middle Ages published by the American Council of Learned Societies between 1982 and 1989, with a supplemental volume added in 2003. ...

External links

• "Ye Compaynye of Cheualrye (The Company of Chivalry) 14th Century Re-enactment Group"
• "Chivalry", Old Catholic Encyclopedia, 1914.
• "Chivalry", Encyclopædia Britannica, full-article, newest edition.
• "Chivalry during the Reign of Edward III", from Shadow Realms.