Medieval Chivalry Essay - 2847 Words

Western Civilization Medieval Chivalry and Knighthood During medieval times knighthood was a class culture, cherished and jealousy guarded by the knightly caste. Knight had the honor of defending the king as well as their country. On the bloody fields of battle a code of chivalry evolved that tempered anger and fury with mercy. It created ways of turning the grim business of fighting into something tolerable, perhaps even acceptable. Chivalry was not only looked upon as a code for war; it was looked upon as a setting for stories of love and romance. Chivalry meant a higher social status as well as recognition. Chivalry as we know it denotes the ideals and practices considered suitable to be a noble. Over time chivalry has been used as†¦show more content†¦Servants were taught exactly what it meant to be a knight. They were tight the responsibilities of knighthood and what their duties exactly were in defending their lord. Aside from the military training of a knight there was a certain set of manners and customs that developed which is known as chivalry. Part of this was the cultivation of manners that should be used in the courts. It furthered the idea of the social service as well as the ideas of loyalty, virtue and generosity. It was the idea of noblesse oblige- privileges, which came along with responsibilities. Along with the courtly manners came the idea of romantic love and the chivalrous devotion of a knight to his lady. In the early history of knighthood there were two types of knights and two types of ceremonies to convey honor. One of these knights was known as a knight of the sword; a knight who had only been given an accolade. The other type was a knight who had been given a religious ceremony before the accolade, these were known as knights of the bath. There were also two ranks in dignity of knighthood. The first were youngsters aspiring to be knights. They had to work for a prince or somebody f a high rank. The second rank was known as the esquires. These men wereShow MoreRelatedMedieval Chivalry Essay1668 Words   |  7 PagesEach different aspect of the code of chivalry held a separate role in society. Whether it be religious or barbaric, chivalry tended to hold a moral guideline among those who followed it. This moral guideline held them true to their duties to man, God, and women (Sex, Society, and Medieval Women). All of which are reflected in the three themes of Chivalry: Warrior chivalry, religious chivalry, and courtly love chivalry (Sex, Society, and Medieval Women). These three hold their individual roles, allRead MoreEssay on The Medieval knight and Chivalry1383 Words   |  6 Pages The Medieval Knight and Chivalry The Medieval knight followed a strict and detailed Code of Chivalry, which dictated his lifestyles and actions throughout the medieval ages. A man went through a lot to become a knight. The training took years and it was very tedious at times. â€Å"The obligations of knighthood were so heavy that sometimes squires refused knighthood and remained squires all their lives†(Buehr 33). After all the years of training, one day made it all worthwhile. The knighting ceremonyRead MoreThe Use Of Gunpowder And Firearms Triggered The Decline Of Chivalry1224 Words   |  5 PagesMilitary speaking, it is often stated that the introducing of gunpowder and firearms triggered the decline of chivalry. Richard Kaeuper, on the contrary, explains that this improved military technology â€Å"may be too abrupt, for who would not be reluctant to sign a specific, dated death warrant to mark the end of [chivalry, which is] so persistent and so complex.†1 Moreover, it is not the first time that knights had to adapt to new military techniques. For instance, during the Hundred Year War (1337-1453)Read MoreChivalry Essay1802 Words   |  8 PagesHow important was chivalry in molding the cultural world of the upper classes? The word chivalry comes from the French term â€Å"chevalrie† which when literally described meant the warrior attributes of armed knights on horseback. When the word was first used it did not have many, if any, of the moral or social aspects with which were later attributed to it. Reaching the later periods of the Middle Ages there begins to be a consensus opinion on the definition of a chivalrous knight. This knight wouldRead MoreThe Canterbury Tales, written by Chaucer, and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, written by an1600 Words   |  7 Pagesfourteenth-century examples of medieval romance. Medieval romances captured the heart of their audiences as narratives and stories that featured a protagonist, often a knight, and dealt with religious allegories, chivalry, courtly love, and heroic epics. The concept of the knight emerged from the remnants of the Anglo-saxon literature and ideals and influence of the Christian religion and church. There is a distinct difference betw een the famous pagan heroic like Beowulf and the romantic medieval tales like SirRead More The Contradiction of Chivalry and Courtly Love Essays899 Words   |  4 PagesThe Contradiction of Chivalry and Courtly Love Two conflicting disciplines are prevalent throughout Arthurian Legend; that of chivalry and that of courtly love. The ideal of each clash throughout the medieval tales, and it is impossible to interfuse the two models for society. Chivalry is a masculine code, an aggressive discipline, whereas courtly love is based upon women - their needs, wants, and desires. The consistent problem if Lancelot and Guinevere’s adulterous relationship in differentRead MoreThe Code of Chivalry Essay1032 Words   |  5 Pagesmotto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom to serve all, but love only one† (Balzac 1). During the Medieval Age, there once existed a moral system that introduced a set of conducts such as, virtues, honor, and courtly love. This was known as the Code of Chivalry. These codes where available and practiced in knights daily life. The idea of chivalry is extremely valuable to the people, that even everything a knight wore symbolized something valuable or unique. In othe r words, chivalry was no gameRead MoreChanges to Knighthood throughout the Years942 Words   |  4 Pagesof seven, especially if they want to be in the arms profession. Start out by serving their fathers, around the age of 12, they then move onto serving the house receiving more advanced instructions in military subjects and morals. The original medieval nights were originally servants who kept their lords lands after they served in their lords armies. With time christian values were added to knighthood â€Å"involving respect for the church, protection of the poor and the weak, loyalty to one’s feudalRead MoreEssay about Chivalry in the Middle Ages: Illusion or Reality?1922 Words   |  8 PagesThe ideals of chivalry are inextricably linked with the medieval period, and even today it is an ideal we still pay lip service to. Many historians however have questioned whether the knights and nobility of the time actually took it any more seriously than we do. Johan Huizing a described it as â€Å"a cloak for a whole world of violence and self-interest† , an â€Å"illusion of society [that] clashed with the reality of things† , and in our rather cynical age, this is probably the predominant view of theRead More Arhurian Romances Essay1376 Words   |  6 Pages Chretein de Troyes, Arthurian Romances nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;From the Classical age through the medieval age, women were greatly disrespected. They did not have any say in anything and were not appreciated. In Classical texts such as The Odyssey, the women were treated as if they were animals. They did not have the respect of others and some were thought of as whores. In the stories of Erec and Enide, Lancelot, and Perceval, we see a dramatic change in this, due to the system of government