The Chivalric Code of Medieval Knights

989 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Medieval society and knights in Europe

Today when people hear, “chivalry,” the modern idea connected with the word is romance. Many would picture a man holding a door open for a woman, or think of the phrase, “Chivalry is dead!” In reality, chivalry was a more so of a code of conduct, and the concept of it only being tied to romance is actually a very small part of it. This conduct was a mix between where the individual’s social status was, how knights dealt with treaties, and the glory, freedom, and respect that came with it. Two French rulers began this around the late eighth and early ninth century. This helped inspire their troops and get them thinking positively with such a dull atmosphere. Many history analysts saw this “as a code of moral behavior of upper-class men that showed ‘their romantic ideas of justice; their passion for adventures; their eagerness to run succor of the distressed and the pride they took in redressing wrongs and removing grievances’” yet this is not the most important part of chivalry (Phillips 5). This is where the new interpretation fits into modern chivalry, the concept where you show your love and devotion through small meaningful gestures to a lover.
Before diving into what chivalry is about, it is necessary to understand about the time surrounding its prime existence. This Middle Ages lasted roughly about 1,000 years long. War and religion strongly influenced the way life was carried out and how rulers lived. It is believed that the idea of knighthood originated with a famous emperor from France named Charlemagne. He made two authoritative commands, the most popular is, “Charlemagne’s Code of Chivalry.” This began what modeled the way knights would live their lives for many years to come. These “virtues are seen time and again in ...

... middle of paper ...

...lry." Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2014. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
“History of Europe." Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2014. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"Knights." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2013. Student Resources in Context. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
"Medieval Literature." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2012.Student Resources in Context. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.
Phillips, Catherine. "Charades from the Middle Ages? Tennyson's Idylls of the King and the Chivalric Code." Gale Student Resources in Context. Detroit: Gale, 2007. Student Resources in Context. Web. 26 Mar. 2014.
"Romance." Britannica School. Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 2014. Web. 25 Mar. 2014.
"The Medieval Castle." Science and Its Times. Ed. Neil Schlager and Josh Lauer. Vol. 2. Detroit: Gale, 2001. Student Resources in Context. Web. 31 Mar. 2014.

Show More
Related

  • Comparing Wife Of Bath's Tale 'And Le Morte D' Arthur

    694 Words  | 2 Pages

    Life during the Middle Ages was full of social change, division, and classism. This feudal society of Britain was divided into three estates. (social classes) Within the second estate was the the knight who was a soldier for the king who fought in many battles. Even though the knight is expected to have the strength and the skills to fight in battle, all knights during the Medieval period additionally had a chivalrous aspect to them. Chivalry was the honor code of a knight which included bravery, courtesy, honor, and gallantry toward women. Within the stories of the “Wife of Bath’s Tale” and “Le Morte d’Arthur”, the code of chivalry was broken by knights which show the corruption of England’s feudal society.

    Read More

  • Athenian definition of democracy

    1224 Words  | 3 Pages

    - - - The New Penguin Atlas of Medieval History. London, England, Penguin Books, no publication

    Read More

  • Code of Chivalry

    538 Words  | 2 Pages

    This code of chivalry all came from King Arthur. It all began with Arthur’s father, Uther. Uther gets a sword from the Lady of the Lake and this sword is named Excalibur. Later on in the battle among England, Merlin (the magician) grants Uther his wish in return for whatever he asked for. As for this wish, Uther slept with Egrain’s wife as he asked and impregnated her with his soon to be son, Arthur. When Arthur was born Merlin came for what he was promised, and took Arthur away with him, raising him. What Merlin did know was that Uther’s son was soon to be the new King of England. This soon to be king, Arthur, must become a knight and granted the right to be king. However; there are three examples of chivalry from the two texts, "Sir Gawain and the Green Knight" and "Morte d’Arthur" are courage, honor and to protect the queen and all women.

    Read More

  • Chivalrous Code

    769 Words  | 2 Pages

    Chivalry began in the 12th century in the form of a knightly code of conduct,

    Read More

  • Morte d Arthur

    944 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the Medieval Period, knights dedicated their lives to following the code of chivalry. In Sir Thomas Malory’s Le Morte d’Arthur, a number of characters performed chivalrous acts to achieve the status of an ideal knight. Their characteristics of respect for women and courtesy for all, helpfulness to the weak, honor, and skill in battle made the characters King Arthur, King Pellinore, and Sir Gryfflette examples of a what knights strove to be like in Medieval society. Because of the examples ofchivalry, Le Morte d’Arthur showed what a knight desired to be, so he could improve theworld in which he lived.

    Read More

  • Macbeth vs Scotland, PA

    2343 Words  | 5 Pages

    The Web. The Web. 23 Nov. 2011. The "Middle Ages - Information, Facts, and Links." ENotes - Literature Study Guides, Lesson Plans.

    Read More

  • The Knight's Code Of Chivalry In Medieval Times

    1357 Words  | 3 Pages

    One of the most fascinating time periods in history is a time called the Dark Ages, also known as the Medieval Times. These were times of knights and damsels in Distress. Such times are very mysterious to historians today, due to the fact that there was very little record keeping at the time. However, what little record keeping there was, tells tales that are not always believable. Stories of great castles and kingdoms that have never been found, dragons, and magic. One thing that has been very consistent throughout all the stories is the knight’s code of chivalry. The knights of the time, all followed an unspoken code of chivalry to each other and the weak whom they protected. “Defend the weak, protect both young and old, and never desert

    Read More

  • Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    1856 Words  | 4 Pages

    Miriam-Webster defines chivalry as “the system, spirit, or customs of medieval knighthood” or more simply, “the system of values (such as loyalty and honor) that knights in the Middle Ages were expected to follow” (Miriam-Webster). Knights of the Middle Ages

    Read More

  • Knights and Thier Role In Medieval Society

    456 Words  | 1 Pages

    Knights associated in groups which they called orders. They vowed loyalty to the king they fought under and formed military org...

    Read More

  • Examples Of Courtly Love In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    949 Words  | 2 Pages

    Chivalry was a big part of this fourteenth century and it was embodied throughout the men of king Arthurs round table. In General, Chivalry was a set of religious values and moral goals that medieval knights

    Read More

  • Chivalry, by Maurice Keen: Book Review

    1040 Words  | 3 Pages

    When Maurice Keen set out to write a book on the components and development of chivalry, he did not know it would be “the last word on a seductive subject,” as stated by one Washington Post reviewer. Instead, Keen was merely satisfying a curiosity that derived from a childhood fascination of stories filled with “knights in shining armour.” This juvenile captivation was then transformed into a serious scholarly interest by Keen’s teachers, the product of which is a work based upon literary, artifactual, and academic evidence. Keen’s Chivalry strives to prove that chivalry existed not as a fantastical distraction, as erroneously portrayed by romances, but instead as an integral and functional feature of medieval politics, religion, and society. The thirteen chapters use an exposition format to quietly champion Keen’s opinion of chivalry as being an element of an essentially secular code of “honour” derived from military practices.

    Read More

  • Code Of Chivalry In Sir Gawain And The Green Knight

    972 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... has changed drastically. During the Middle Ages, chivalry was a code of brave and courteous conduct for knights. During the Middle Ages, the people who lived during this time use chivalry as a code of conduct .There are some forms of Chivalry today but to a smaller degree than in the Middle Ages. Some examples of chivalry today are helping the elderly, family, and friends with some activities. It’s not possible to be as chivalrous as the knights in the Middle Ages were because our lifestyles have changed. Since the beginning of the Middle Ages, chivalry has been an important part of life. Society had high expectations for knights. Knights strictly followed by these rules and were punished both physically and socially if they broke them. They had many responsibilities such as protect the church, serve their lord, protect the weak and practice courtly love(Chivalry).

    Read More

  • What Have We Learned From The Middle Ages Essay

    1793 Words  | 4 Pages

    Hamm S., Jean. Term Paper Resource Guide to Medieval History. Santa Barbara, California. Greenwood Press. 2010. Print.

    Read More

  • Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; A Romance?

    1094 Words  | 3 Pages

    Closely associated to the romance tradition are two idealized standards of behavior, especially for knights: courage and chivalry. The protagonist within many medieval romances proved their worth by going on quests, as many a knights went in those times, thus returning with great tales of their travels and deeds. Many modern people think of chivalry as referring to a man's gallant treatment of women, and although that sense is derived from the medieval chivalric ideal, chivalry could be seen as more than that. Knights were expected to be brave, loyal, and honorable-sent to protect the weak, be noble to...

    Read More

  • The Importance of Social Class Exposed in The Canterbury Tales

    1142 Words  | 3 Pages

    Print. "The Middle Ages: Feudal Life." Learner.org. Annenberg Foundation, 2012. Web.

    Read More

More about The Chivalric Code of Medieval Knights

Open Document