The Knight’s Code of Chivalry, a timeless concept, governed medieval European knights with principles of honor, loyalty, courage, and humility. It symbolized a noble way of life and guided soldiers, embodying aspirations for a just society.
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What is Chivalry?
Chivalry is a collection of beliefs and activities connected with medieval knights. The name “chivalry” is derived from the Old French phrase “chevalerie,” which translates as “knighthood.” It was created in the 12th century as a code of behaviour for knights to follow daily.
What is the Knights’s Code of Chivalry
In the 12th century, medieval Europe witnessed the emergence of the Knights Code of Chivalry, guiding the conduct of elite fighters who played a crucial role in protecting the feudal system. As knights’ authority grew, the code aimed to regulate their actions and maintain law and order.
Knights adhered to a Code of Chivalry, emphasizing courage, loyalty, and honor while upholding Christian principles. This code also incorporated a romantic aspect, urging knights to be courteous and gallant, inspiring tales of courtly love and chivalric romance.
Code of Chivalry in the Dark Ages
The Dark Ages in Europe, from the fifth to the eleventh century, marked a tumultuous period post-Roman Empire. Amidst upheaval, the concept of chivalry and knighthood was nascent and not fully developed. The era laid the groundwork for the subsequent High Middle Ages.
Even throughout the Dark Ages, though, fighters were still expected to preserve certain beliefs and standards. Ideals like courage, loyalty, and honour were among them. Warriors were required to protect the weak and defenceless while defending their people and territory.
Code of Chivalry – The Song of Roland
The Song of Roland, an 11th or 12th-century Old French epic, immortalizes the Knight’s Code of Chivalry through the heroic tale of Roland, a valiant French warrior. In the Battle of Roncevaux Pass, Roland exemplifies chivalric virtues, depicting the ideal knight ready to sacrifice for king and country.
The Song of Roland also depicts women’s roles in chivalry. Women are shown as a source of inspiration for knights, and their beauty and elegance are emphasised as important aspects of the chivalric ideal.
The poem depicts :
- Roland’s love and devotion to his lover
- Alda, as a noble and pure manifestation of chivalric romance.
Knights Code of Chivalry and Vows of Knighthood
The particular vows of the Knight’s Code of Chivalry varied according to period and place. Still, they typically contained the following:
- Loyalty: Knights were required to be faithful to their masters and carry out their responsibilities with honour and honesty.
- Courage: In combat, knights were supposed to be courageous and confront danger and hardship with strength and resolve.
- Justice: It was demanded that knights obey the law and defend the poor and defenceless against injustice and oppression.
- Courtesy: Knights were supposed to treat others with respect and attention, particularly ladies and those of inferior status.
- Piety: Knights were supposed to be devoted Christians who followed the Church’s precepts.
The pledges of the Knight’s Code of Chivalry are embodied in the character of Roland, the hero of the narrative, in the Song of Roland, a medieval epic poem. Roland makes the following commitments:
- To be faithful to his lord, King Charlemagne, and to serve him honourably and honestly.
- To be courageous and bold in combat and to face death with dignity and courage.
- To defend the poor and defenceless against injustice and to maintain justice.
- To be kind and respectful to others, particularly ladies and those of lower positions.
- To uphold his honour and reputation and to always behave with integrity and honesty.
- Being a sincere Christian and adhering to the Church’s doctrines.
Knights Code of Chivalry Described By The Duke of Burgandy
In the late 15th century, the Duke of Burgundy characterised the Knight’s Code of Chivalry as having 10 qualities. Each of these characteristics was represented in the life of a medieval knight and influenced their behaviour in war and daily life:
- Faith
- Charity
- Justice
- Sagacity
- Prudence
- Temperance
- Resolution
- Truth
- Liberality
- Diligence
Chivalry and Christianity
The Church wielded considerable authority and influence over society during the medieval period, especially the nobles and knights.
Knighthood rituals were frequently held in the presence of clerics, and knights were compelled to take pledges of devotion and service to their ruler and the Church. Because it was considered that a knight’s standing as a warrior should be accompanied by a sense of religious devotion and piety, the Church played an important part in bestowing knighthood.
Knights were also obliged to attend religious events and festivals throughout the year, and they frequently contributed large sums of money and property to the Church.
In return, the Church imparted spiritual instructions, support, and blessings to knights, establishing that chivalry was more than a civil status.
End of Chivalry
As social and political conditions worsened in Europe, chivalry declined in the late medieval period. The introduction of gunpowder during the Hundred Years’ War weakened the code as knights struggled against soldiers armed with cannons.
The Renaissance shift towards cost-effective mercenaries and the rise of individualism eroded chivalry, as knights lost military relevance and humanism prioritized secular values over communal ideals.
In addition to these considerations, political unrest and instability in Europe during this period aided in the decline of chivalry. The Hundred Years’ War and earlier battles had a catastrophic influence on European countries’ social and economic institutions. The feudal structure collapsed as a result, as did the authority and influence of the nobles, especially knights.
Summary
In medieval Europe, the Knight’s Code of Chivalry was a set of standards and principles governing knightly behaviour. The code stressed principles like honour, loyalty, courage, and humility, and it functioned as a guide for troops as well as a way of life that reflected the ambitions of a noble and egalitarian society. The code demanded knights demonstrate courage, loyalty, and honour, as well as adhere to the values of the Christian religion.
Although, as Europe headed towards the Renaissance, Knights and their Knights Code of Chivalry almost became irrelevant. But, even today, those codes are something to live by to be a better person.
Also, if interested, check out “ BROADSWORDS – A LETHAL WEAPON OF THE MEDIEVAL ORIGINS.MEDIEVAL TORTURE MASK: A GLIMPSE INTO THE DARK PAST OF MEDIEVAL EUROPE”, Understanding the Medieval Knight Ranks and Hierarchy
