Chivalric Code of Conduct Chivalry The word, "chivalry", comes from the French word, "chevalerie", which means "skills to handle a horse." The ability to handle a horse, especially in combat, was of utmost importance to a medieval knight. As the Middle Ages progressed, the term "chivalry" began to take on new meanings. It was around the time of the preaching of the first crusade (1095 AD) that the Christianization of knights began in earnest. With the crusades as a "holy war" the pope needed the support of the nobles and knights of Europe to help him with his agenda of ridding Jerusalem of Islam, and returning the "land of Christ" to Christian sovereignty. By bestowing the title of Christian warriors to the knights, the pope had begun the evolution of a code of conduct that all knights were supposed to follow. The protection of the poor, women and children, and defense of the church were just some of the chivalry codes that a knight was supposed to always obey. In combat when nobles and knights were taken prisoner, their lives were spared and were often held for ransom in somewhat comfortable surroundings. This same code of conduct did not apply to non-knights (archers, peasants, footsoldiers, etc.), who were often slaughtered after capture. However well-intended this "chivalric code" was, it rarely affected most knights, who plundered, slaughtered, and looted often when given the chance. Our modern notion of knights is very much based in the ideas of chivalry, and it is the survival of medieval romantic writings that tend to show knights as the chivalrous ideal, that sways our view of medieval knighthood. Medieval Romances In the late Medieval and Code of Chivalry To fear God and maintain His Church To serve the liege lord in valor and faith To protect the weak and defenseless To give succor to widows and orphans To refrain from the wanton giving of offence To live by honor and for glory To despise pecuniary reward To fight for the welfare of all To obey those placed in authority To guard the honor of fellow knights To eschew unfairness, meanness and deceit To keep faith At all times to speak the truth To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun To respect the honor of women Never to refuse a challenge from an equal Renaissance period, the important European literary Never to turn thy back upon a foe. trend was to write fantastic fictions in the mode of Romance. Exemplary work, such as the English Le Morte d'arthur by Sir Thomas Malory (c.1408 1471), recount the marvelous adventures of a chivalrous, heroic knight, often of super-human ability, who, abiding chivalry's strict codes of honor and demeanor, goes on a quest, and fights and defeats monsters and giants, thereby winning favor with a lady. Medieval romance stories focus not upon love and sentiment, but upon adventure and the hero s struggle to achieve perfection as defined by the Code of Chivalry.
Reading Selections-- Le Morte d Arthur, by Sir Thomas Malory (page 190) Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, by the Gawain Poet (handout) Was there ever a real King Arthur? Historians say yes, but not the one of the legends and stories. Back in the sixth century A. D., after the Romans vacated the British Isles because of their own troubles back home in Italy, Britain became an unstable mosaic of little kingdoms, each rules by its own despotic king or chieftain. Then, somewhere in the land, a strong chieftain appeared who managed to weld some of the little kingdoms together, repel the advances of Saxon invaders to the south, and make a larger kingdom called England. There are some scholars who suggest that this chieftain or king was not a Briton but a Roman, Cassius Arturus. But no one knows for sure. Whoever he was exactly, he was obviously the sort of leader around whom legends cluster. Through the years, and then through the centuries, people told each other stories about Arthur, giving him credit for all sorts of brave deeds, making him the focal figure of any exciting story of war or magic or romance, and changing the background details to make them contemporary and familiar. About the beginning of the Middle Ages, in the 12th century, a man named Geoffrey on Monmouth wrote down what he called the history of Arthur. It was a hodgepodge of all the tales and legends that had grown up over the years around the name of Arthur. In 1470, Sir Thomas Malory wrote out the whole Arthurian story once again, changing it, rearranging it, and adding bits and pieces from all the versions he had heard. He set the story in the early Middle Ages and he was the one who made Arthur the father of chivalry. From King Arthur, His Knights, and Their Ladies by Johanna Johnston
King Arthur: His Life and Legends We will be viewing the A&E Biography of King Arthur. As you watch the film pay close attention to what is based on historic information and what is simply legend. Respond to the following questions to demonstrate your understanding of this Legendary Hero. 1. Above all, what is this tale of King Arthur? 2. Do historians know for certain whether or not there was really a King Arthur? 3. Who was Merlin? Explain what he did. 4. Explain how King Arthur was chosen as King of England. How does this differ from the way American leaders are selected? 5. What is the name of his Court? 6. What are five specific characteristic of the chivalric code? (Look back on previous notes) 7. Explain the idea of Courtly Love 8. What was Merlin s prediction about Arthur marrying Guinevere? 9. What was considered the most important weapon of a knight? Explain. 10. Explain King Arthur s two swords. 11. What was more important that Excalibur?
12. Who was Mordred? Who were his parents? 13. What was the round table? What does is symbolize? 14. Who was Lancelot? Whom did he love? 15. What vision did Lancelot have? 16. Explain the significance of the Holy Grail, what was it? 17. Who was Galahad? 18. What was the one thing that ONLY Galahad could do, and explain why. 19. Why did Galahad die so soon after seeing the Grail? 20. Who is known as the greatest Authurian writer? 21. What did Mordred do when Arthur left to pursue Lancelot? 22. How did Arthur die?
Code of Chivalry During reading, list examples of when King Arthur or Sir Gawain follow the Code of Chivalry Le Morte d Arthur Gawain and the Green Knight 1. To fear God and maintain His Church 2. To serve the liege lord in valor and faith (bravery and confidence) 3. To protect the weak and defenseless 4. To give aid to widows and orphans 5. To avoid unnecessary cruelness 6. To live by honor and for glory 7. To refuse any monetary reward 8. To fight for the welfare of all
Le Morte d Arthur Gawain and the Green Knight 9. To obey those placed in authority 10. To guard the honor of fellow knights 11. To avoid unfairness, meanness and deceit 12. To keep faith 13. At all times to speak the truth 14. To persevere to the end in any enterprise begun 15. To respect the honor of women 16. Never to refuse a challenge from an equal 17. Never to turn thy back upon a foe.