The Medieval knight and Chivalry

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. “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 ceremony was very involved, solemn and religious. The night before, the soon-to-be knight knelt on an altar praying to God and reflecting on his future knighthood. The next day, he was clothed all in white. He attended a mass where he made his vows. He made a vow to use his sword in defense and protection of all. He also made vows to maintain knightly honor and integrity and to live by the Code of Chivalry.

After the mass, the knight received his armor and his sword. After he was fully dressed in the armor, he knelt before a lord as he received the accolade. The accolade was three taps on the shoulder with a sword, along with the words, “In the name of God, St. Michael and of St. George, I dub thee knight, be gallant, be courteous, be loyal”(Mills 159). The young, newly knighted man now went into the world, as he tried to prove himself worthy of his knightly title.

“Chivalry was a military order in the Middle Ages, the members of which, called knights, were pledged to the protection of the Church and the succor of all who were in distress or in any way oppressed”(Mills 153). The word chivalry comes from the French word chevalier. Chivalry was based on ten basic ideas. The first was prowess: a knight was to seek excellence in all activities expected of him, seeking strength to use in the service of justice. The second was justice: they were to always seek the path of ‘right’, unburdened by personal interest. Knights were to understand that the sword of justice could be a terrible thing, so it must be tempered by humanity and compassion. If others agreed with the 'right' that the knight saw, and they sought it out without giving into the temptation for convenience, they would earn recognition beyond measure. The third was loyalty: knights were to be known for stable commitment to the people and ideals they chose to live by.

The fourth idea behind chivalry was defense: the ide...

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...or winning. Tournaments became more popular as the idea of chivalry spread.

“ As tournaments grew in popularity, they turned from blood sport into pageant, governed by elaborate codes of conduct, and attended by large crowds. By the late 1100s tournaments were often choreographed to reflect the chivalric romances of the day and were held to celebrate events like weddings and births”(Dersin 72).

The ideals of chivalry were essentially Christian. These ideals were of service, loyalty, fearlessness in the cause of right, integrity in word and deed, courtesy, generosity and consideration for those in distress or need. Although only few knights fully achieved the ideals of chivalry, the concepts set a standard of honor for all men to strive for. Thereby proving to be a civilizing influence in the violent and chaotic time known as the Middle Ages.

Works Cited

1. Buehr, Walter. Chivalry and the Mailed Knight. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons,

1963.

2. Mills, Dorothy. The Middle Ages. New York: G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 1935.

3. Time-Life Books, ed. What Life Was Like in the Age of Chivalry.

4. Williams, Jay. Knights of the Crusades. New York: American Heritage Publishing

Co., 1962