Fact Sheet: Knighthood and Chivalry

Wednesday, May 31, 2006

By: Andrew, Graham, Meaghan, Michael

Resource: Newman, Garfield. Echoes from the Past: World History to the Sixteenth Century. Canada: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Ldt., 2001. P  During the 10th century, knights were actually just mercenaries; fighting for themselves and their personal ambition 5  During the chaotic times in Europe, they posed a threat to the 4 peasants and the Church alike due to their constant plundering and violence 7  In order to stem this behavior, society developed chivalry; a chode of ethics that established acceptable behavior for knights (and later nobles)  In the 13th century, a Catalan poet (Ramon Lull) wrote the first book on the subject of chivalry  The book set out the rules to be followed by the knights; virtues such as justice, piety, honor and to defend the Christian faith, the King and the weak  This idea of chivalry did not fully emerge until the Late Middle Ages P  In the Middle Ages, boys that were destined to become Knights would have started training at the age of about 5-7 5 4  Until adolescence, these Knights in training were given the title of “Pages” 8  Pages were assigned duties in a lord’s household while getting an education that included - music, writing, reading, manners and religion.

5  As part of knight training they also would receive knowledge in hunting, fishing, wrestling, 4 falconry and riding horses. 9

 At the age of 14, Pages became Squires and would service grown-up knights.

 Squire training continued when they worked with Knights on routines like honing battle skills, fighting and combat; this helped both the squire and the knight as both would receive something from working on knight tactics (Practice for the knight and experience for the squire)

 Squires slept on the floors beside the Knights bed, and served food to Knights at dinner  Squires also would follow Knights into battle; therefore experiencing the daily life of knights and learning their position in society

 A knight’s duty was to serve his kingdom, king and god as well as basically make a suitable predecessor for his position as a knight; the entire circle would strengthen the Kingdom in which the knights were serving.

 After seven years a Squire was to become a Knight himself, and Knights were treated as a higher member of society and were high along the King’s side in the “pecking order”

 Knights were warriors that were among a higher class

 Knights also followed Chivalry which is like the Law of Knightly behavior

 Knights also protected the castle during the day and were around the castle and community to help keep law and order and to keep the kingdom’s citizens in order

 Knights also were given homes and living quarters inside the Castle walls and were always available to serve the community Resource: Ormrod, Mark. Life in the Middle Ages. New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. P  Chivalry: The laws of war observed by medieval knights. Chivalry is also used 4 as a more general term to express the ways of behavior that all members of 6 nobility were expected to follow.

Resource: Hanawalt, Barbara A. The Middle Ages. England: Wayland Ldt., 1998. P  Many knights left on crusades, but those who remained in Europe established a new code of militaristic virtue/ honor dubbed chivalry 8  Originally came from word ‘chevalier’ meaning “mounted warrior” 3  The code stated that a knight was to be:  Courageous (to the point of foolishness)  Loyal/trustworthy  Generous to a conquered foe  Eager to defend the Christian faith  This code was practiced only by male nobles  Noble women later became part of the code as they were seem as objects of respect/courtesy  Religious ceremonies were used in the initiation of knights Resource: Rudorff, Raymond. Knights and the Age of Chivalry. New York: The Viking Press, 1974. P  Different Orders that were comprised of knights include: - Knights Templar – Originating in the early years of the Kingdom of 1 Jerusalem, they were a group of poor knights that dedicated their life to 1 the art of fighting, and renounced all other possessions, becoming the 7 guards of the pilgrims. They became highly wealthy as an organization - because of the many gifts presented to the Order by grateful kings and 1 others, and yet were independently poor. They lived as monks would. 2 This Order reported directly to the pope, and was immensely powerful. 7 - The Knights of the Hospital (The Hospitallers) – Less ferociously dedicated to warfare, but modeled after the Templar, these knights cared for the poor, the sick, and the pilgrims. - Teutonic Knights - Hospitallers of St Lazarus - Knights of Our Lady of Mountjoy  The most important of these Orders were the Templars and the Hospitallers, because of the dominant roles they played in the crusades.