Medieval Chivalry, Explained

The Life of a Medieval Knight: • The Life of a Medieval...
Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
00:42 - History
02:49 - Rules of Chivalry
07:40 - The Realities of Chivalry
Some sources:
Medieval Chivalry by Richard W. Kaeuper
www.history.com/news/chivalry...
Chivalry in Medieval England by Nigel Saul
Chronicles by Jean Froissart
Follow me:
/ ​
/ harrisonholt2​
Music:
Angevin, Thatched Villagers Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
Fireside Tales by Darren Curtis
#chivalry #knights

[@burebor9940]

"The code is more what you'd call "guidelines" than actual rules." -Barbossa

[@theobolt250]

Arrrh! 😁😜

[@forickgrimaldus8301]

True of Pirates same is of Knights but for Knights ironically its more true as Pirates tend to follow their own rules as to not get killed by other Pirates usually their own crew. Chivalry is basically a form of self control/control of Knights as the video and others pointed out its about keeping knights in line and diciplined. (remember Knights can be very violent some are even criminals that Rob people called Robber Barons and or extort people on highways.)

[@retardeter]

Your crush likes you.

[@carolinebyrne9392]

ITS AN AWFUL PITY THAT MODERN WOMAN CANT SEE THIS AS A VERY HIGH FORM OF LOVE PROCTION AND RESPENT FOR WOMAN

[@carolinebyrne9392]

i dont see whats so VERY WRONG with a man who TREATS a woman like a LADY to me hes a REAL man

[@jameswoodard4304]

An often overlooked aspect of chivalry was it's revitalization in the 19th Century. The Romantic movement of the time brought the more idealized forms of Chivalry into the present. This was also the time in which the concept of chivalry was moralized and democratized to a far wider extent. For example, all British males (especially from the middle classes and the wealthy, no longer just the nobility) were expected to behave like "gentlemen." This was explicitly the application of a modernized form of an aristocratic ethos and etiquette onto the broader population in general. Being a "good sport," "behaving like a gentleman," showing deference to ladies, and caring for one's percieved character in the eyes of others became the social expectation of a broad swathe of European society that never would have been touched by the old aristocratic code. This was a time of increased idealism in many areas including romantic patriotism, moral purity, masculine virtue which sought expression in acts of bravery and sacrifice, an appreciation of poetry and romantic literature, and others. Much of this was crushed brutally by the realities of WWI. The idea of sacrificial death against all odds for nothing other than glory and duty to ones king and kin, changed from a romantic ideal to a grotesque mockery in the trenches of Europe. This, followed by economic decline, the failute of romantic political idealism after the endless stream of Revolutions that spread across Europe ended not in utopia but in complete defeat and even reversal, were followed by WWII in which romantic nationalism was shown to be a dangerous farce capable of inhuman atrocity, then the long and often cynical struggle of the Cold War. Chivalry was, for a time, renewed, modernized, and democratized into a form that had sweeping effects across Western Civilization only to quickly be stomped out again by the crushing and tragic realities of the 20th Century.

[@rfvtgbzhn]

Yes, chivalry was one of the many things that the bourgeoisie adopted from the aristocracy in the 18th and 19th century, as they where fighting for power, which included the destruction of the notion that aristocrats where superior to them. The bourgeosie basically tried to get to the same level, while still retaining and even increasing superiority to normal peasants and workers. However as the workers became a larger and thus more powerful part of society, played an important role in the revolutions starting from the mid 19th century they adopted some of these things, like many of the modern manners originated from the courts and where later taken over first by the bourgeoisie and later also by workers. Other things like militarism declined a bit after the world wars, but still plays a big role in some countries, for example the USA.

[@davea6314]

Question: Did you completely write your comment yourself or did you copy and paste it from another person's work? I ask because your writing is unusually well polished and formulated for a KZbin comment. I'm wondering if you have a graduate degree in history as I do, or perhaps you are just skilled with copy and paste...

[@jameswoodard4304]

@davea6314 , I have a BA in History and type my own comments.

[@davea6314]

@@jameswoodard4304 James, Your writing style and knowledge is impressive. You are exactly the type of fellow historian that it would be a privilege to co-author a book with. I earned an M.A. in history. I'm currently in a suburb of Chicago, are you anywhere near me? Do you write for a living? -Dave

[@jameswoodard4304]

@davea6314 ; I'm an aspiring writer of fiction and on Christian spirituality, and I live in South Texas. I lost most of my interest in writing on History per se in college. Thus, my lack of graduate work in the field. My writing interests are quite niche, I'm afraid.

[@sonofthebearking3335]

So many people have the black or white views of chivalry, bitterly or enthusiastically preaching either one. I am so glad to see a well rounded and colorful presentation of it, thank you! Many Guidelines still worth aspiring to today.

[@cyrillian13]

You put a significant amount of work into these videos. You're doing an amazing job!

[@lorddervish212quinterosara6]

love the video and the art featured on it, I hope in the future you talk about Monasteries or Religious Knight orders

[@SilverScribe85]

To me, Chivalry means the following things Safeguarding the helpless Honoring those we love Refraining from wanton (or unprovoked) offense Exercising moral values in all that you do, be it in war or at home Having an uncompromising sense of morality, no matter what These are far more important than holding doors open for others, buying dinner for your love or placing one's coat over a puddle to help them across

[@martinschulz9381]

Good video. Chivalry was imperfect (like everything in the real world) as the knights were still snobs looking down on serfs and lower segments of society, but was definitely a good movement and a step in the right direction.

[@NoRockinMansLand]

Funny how men are still expected to be chivalrous when the idea of it was itself romanticised and idealised

[@richyokel]

Great video, thanks for taking the time to explain.

[@BleedingLiar17]

Very informative and thank you for sharing ❤

[@jozuameesters7270]

Im binging your vids, awsome work and awsome art!!

[@Digital2pulse]

For my parents to name me after Sir Lancelot, it feels like an honor, and so I will try not to taint that name too much and try to do many good things in my life, but what can I say, even he wasn't a perfect knight as people in his time believed

[@sweetmatcha]

Your name is Lancelot?

[@Digital2pulse]

@@sweetmatcha yea, my mom said my dad was reading about camelot before i was born and thats how they got my name haha

[@forickgrimaldus8301]

Sir Lancelot isn't historical though unfortunately, but yes as time went on much like Superman, people add more "bad" qualities to him, make him more complex than his 1st appearances. A real example of a Knight would be Sir William Marshal

[@yukongetit4603]

That's awesome, usually Europeans talk badly about their ancestors but it's so nice to see someone show a lil love and respect to the cultures and time my ancestors thrived in ❤️

[@thevisitor1012]

Just stay far away from your bosses' wife and you should be good.

[@NotSure109]

For an interesting look at the reality versus ideal of chivalry as pertains to women, a few centuries later Jonathan Swift wrote "The Lady's Dressing Room", a poem that gives a first hand male account of the crumbling of the pedestal women were placed upon.

[@Dawn.tless.]

Thank you very much for the clear & basic explanation, quite chivalrous of you man

[@jobgomez3684]

Thank you for sharing this

[@arielledayan7085]

Your channel is amazing!! Please keep making videos

[@annbe1l]

Thank you! This was just what I was looking for!

[@Matthew2063]

Such an interesting video. Thank you so much!!

[@uykuykuykkuhkhukuh]

Be a good guy protect innocents and destroy evil in all it's forms Simple and easy

[@WallNutBreaker524]

Underrated Channel this is. Very nice.

[@shorewall]

great and nuanced video!

[@boneman137]

Solid video, well done

[@davea6314]

Even with the code of chivalry among knights, if you were a peasant in the Middle Ages you could be expected to be treated harshly by knights.

[@MiSebastianT]

Lots of inaccuracies in this video

[@jure6528]

@@MiSebastianT mind telling?

[@MiSebastianT]

@@jure6528 sex. Date of inception of medieval romances. Etc

[@yukongetit4603]

Well that's biased, that's like me saying police are bad because some abuse their power.

[@davea6314]

@@yukongetit4603 It is absurd for you to put modern police in the same category as knights of the middle ages. Perhaps you watched too many absurd movies that give a false overly romanticized view of knights of the middle ages. In the middle ages, knights and other nobles could openly brutalize peasants with no consequences and it was permitted within most feudal societies of the time...etc...

[@lionofthemorning7997]

The Chivalric Code was most likely very similar to Bushido, & served the same purpose for society as a whole.

[@baneofbanes]

Thing is Bushido didn’t really exist until the imperial era.

[@NoRockinMansLand]

But it didn't work

[@TomorrowWeLive]

not even slightly. Chivalry is about protecting the weak. The Japanese had absolutely no regard for peasants or women

[@marcfrancisteodoro7720]

Amazing video!

[@vendetta1306]

Well made video my sir

[@vangso]

Good stuff, congratulations! However, I have to point out, that the chivalric romances was originated not in the 14th but far earlier in the 12th century. Chrétien de Troyes was the most famous and talented author of the arthurian romances (Lancelot, Perceval etc) he wrote his works between 1150-1190.

[@theobolt250]

What I would like is some light shed on the role of Eleanor of Aquitaine. It is known that her Court did play a role of some significance where the ideal of Courtly Love is concerned. Keep in mind that she was more or less a powerhouse in her own right and had a mind of her own on a number of matters. Respect for women was one of them.

[@luxhistoriae1172]

That is mostly due to her regional culture. In Aquitaine and others souther French region woman were in equality with men on heritage and justice and would even sometimes make act of presence in the battlefield. But everything changed when the northerner attacked during the albigeois crusade

[@betinivinicius]

You say that we don't know why chivalry became a code of ethics. We actually do. The knights derive from the warrior monks that were started to protect the churches, which also protected the orphans and widows. They were the model for the knights of later.

[@BelieverOfChrist2]

knights existed longer than warrior monks, because chevalier simply means horse rider. Knights weren't nice people trying to help the poor, but rather wealthy people with swords & armour who killed any peasant that didn't listen to them

[@lotkf1]

I've seen some of the rules they made for themselves, too bad you only covered the narrow scope of what people think today but good job at calling this version what it is: fantasy. Strange, the version I read never made it to the internet.

[@notabot2732]

Finally!

[@sergiorodriguezballestero714]

Love to see a comparation with japanese Bushido... BTW excellent and well done video

[@user-iv4rj8fb8z]

I liked, subscribed, and am now leaving a comment.

[@colinellesmere]

Well done. Good work.

[@BeranM]

Courtly Love a.k.a. The Friend Zone

[@mortified776]

I giggled unreasonably long at the image of knights toilet papering someone's manor.

[@SalixAcroCat]

Kinda makes me think of contemporary police and soldiers: expected to live by ideals- but do they really?

[@heroesofhylia]

Some do, some don't. You have your bad apples in every bunch, unfortunately.

[@SalixAcroCat]

@@heroesofhylia unfortunately 🤷‍♂️

[@SirThomasJames]

It was probably exactly like that

[@mangot589]

Most of them do, little SJW. You’re totally free not to call on them when you’re in trouble!

[@SalixAcroCat]

@@mangot589 hmmm, sounds like you think that behaviour is acceptable rather than an issue in need of address

[@myragroenewegen5426]

The truth of what chivalry meant in practice is probably best learned from accounts of how men in military outfits behaved among themselves. We think of chivalry as a matter concerned with high-born women and with knight assumed noble roles in society, but women would mostly have been experienced at arms length, as would the nobler people hiring knights. I'd expect that understanding acceptable behavior would have been gained as primarily a homosocial education, alongside and from the male upper-class fighting community and other men one interacted with regularly.

[@ProvostDana]

Did anyone else get really confused about the map and reverse the land and water?

[@GageRieder-rm2ri]

Very good

[@jamesbohlman4297]

The knights would take each other as POW's during battle but would not spare the rank and file infantry from the other side.

[@Allyourbase1990]

They really were the original gangsters

[@JonathanQiao]

The code of Chivalry seems analogous to the training video for US soldiers in world war 2 that told them how to behave while in Britain. Sure there will be those that take the code completely seriously but there will be those who don't see any benefits for themselves for following the code. With no clear incentive to follow and no clear punishment for breaking the rules it does seem reasonable for some knights to not follow the code simply because it is not in their best interests and others to follow for the sake of self gratification.

[@sethleoric2598]

0:03 not me, i think about medieval soldiers doing helicopter spins.

[@emmayardy3]

I'm watching this for homework 🥲

[@scxrs139]

amazing content and incredibly informative, but ended up on x1.5 playspeed due to speed of speech.

[@jkbrown5496]

The "modern" idea of buying the woman's meal as chivalry is amusing since "treating" a woman comes from the "charity girls" of the 1890s to 1910s. (working class shop girls in the big city who "dated" men for nights out on the town). These girls distinguished themselves from those women who took cash. This practice moved into the middle class (in the US) in the 1920s.

[@ohhhduk2092]

I’ve always dreamed about livin n during these times idk why like in a castle

[@traqueliacooper5132]

I must ask and would appreciate it if you could send me an answer to this question. I don't know about you but I keep thinking knight and vikings and pirates are or were as 1 like some of the same people would have held the title to all of the 3 positions listed, I think it's just way to many similarities between the 3 especially knight and vikings and vikings and pirates. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with me and you and your family remain blessed

[@AG26498]

How the hell can you compare a mercenary to someone who swore loyalty to their lord with their lives.

[@mohanupendra2242]

All that good stuff, Chivalry seems cool.🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔

[@sinfulyetsaved]

How to enact a chilverist code to a capitalistic system and societies is key to increasing the well being of humanity. Furthermore, showing respect to our women who hold the highest God given job to raise our children which determine the health of societies future. (side note on Constantinople) They were Roman catholic knights that raped nuns, destroyed iconography, and burned churches in the east because of the schism and refusal to be controlled under papal authority.

[@alwinbenjamin]

👏🏻

[@goddess-of-beer]

I thought sex was included in the knight-lady relationship and knights would keep it secret so that they would save the lady's honour??

[@NathanDudani]

First and nice video

[@camcam8995]

I’m wondering when chivalry changed the mean like being extremely nice to women all the time😂

[@BeranM]

FINNA CRUSADE UP N DIS BISH! BOUTA GET CHIVALROUS AF, YO!

[@princevesperal]

Was the "chivalric code" taken seriously? I think a good comparison would be our modern notions of "human rights". Do we actually believe in that, or is it just a romantic and idealised story that we tell ourselves? Certainly, we still have war crimes today despite the Geneva Conventions; but all things considered, we are doing much better than we used to before we had them. The civilising effect is there; it's just imperfect.

[@onsra7602]

yagmur hocaya selamlar

[@FlosBlog]

„The knights put their ladies on a pedestal which was a standard unable to live up to“ listen up boys 😂

[@jeanfitzsimmons7442]

When you teach a person violence, they tend to be violent, even when in normal life when violence is not needed and not at all appropriate. Too bad there is no chivalric rule taught to those in violent occupations. Statistically, normal life becomes difficult for many of those engaged in those occupations.

[@user-pt5xc1pp4z]

And we know what the non-mutual and incorrect form of Chivalry is called...it's called Simping, No one ultimately wins with Simping...

[@sebastianalvarez9098]

So the original simps used to be knights. Interesting.

[@Andrew-gn9qp]

Knights weren't simps, their duty was to their liege, not to women.

[@cars81434]

@@Andrew-gn9qp True but those dreaming to being knights or going to knights always heard stories about knights serving a lord and protecting the weak that they think any girl would be into that. And a great way to get laid

[@sonofthebearking3335]

It's okay to simp if you get jacked and kill people with extreme prejudice at the same time I.e. BROTHER DOST THOU EVEN HOIST?

[@jackstod]

@@cars81434 that's why your a American very simple minded.

[@ran7645]

^ “a American” lol how ironic.

[@ronaldosalbego826]

Itália Origens Salbego

[@yukyuk1511]

the first 17 seconds have absolutely nothing to do with 'Chivalry'. Looks like a complete misunderstanding/misinterpretation of 'Chivalry'.

[@bellas2650]

no shit. that's what they were saying.

[@kevinvelado9907]

I wouldn't call this video correct, especially with the conclusion he gave as if chivalry was something most (more than 50%)of all knights or nobility that would fight. You have cases where at time chivalry is thought to be at its height. 1386 Jacuqe Le Gris and Jaun de Garouges. The last duel as it's called in literature and popular media is a true story where the last recorded and legal trial by combat happened in France. This all happened because Carouges' wife reported to have been raped by Le Gris who for months is poetically described by writers as courtly loving the on wife. Carouges took this to his lord who despised him, then to the King of France who sanctioned a fight when verdict could be placed. Carouges won and Le Gris wounded from the duel and then hanged by the neck. Not very chivalrous? I'd say so.

[@philippekogler]

a little more chivalry noadays would be welcome.....

[@jackstod]

you don't deserve it..

[@CorporationSKY]

Whatever modern chivalry has been reduced to, it backfired in all ways in the romantic sense to women. Women respond well to chaos. Unfortunately if you treat her like a queen,she will treat you like a peasant. Let that simmer in your spirit.

[@shamwow9889]

its no different then the Soldier's creed, 7 Army values, NCO creed, etec.

[@unfolding169]

So it’s just simping?

[@m3_yuu]

💀

[@celestialhylos7028]

Always has been🗡🗡🗡🛡

[@webuyhouse8917]

@@celestialhylos7028u people are insufferable

[@GoldKingsMan]

Poor French Knights.

[@doublezero2001]

They acted this way to people of the upper class

[@slickshift6186]

The moors

[@samih5130]

🙃🙃🙂🙂👍👍

[@supersoldier64]

So…courtly love was basically just a pretentious form of simping…good to know.

[@dalecarpenter8828]

the clergy being the vatican banksters of the day?

[@hamidious]

Looking at Medieval history, Chivalry was not really a thing

[@ChristnThms]

The one I always think is funny is when a woman says she wants chivalry to return. I'm like, "So, you're okay with being considered property? No? Oh, you just mean you want free shit from men. Got it." The modern usage of the word has come to ONLY mean men are enslaved to women, and that women have no reciprocal duty. Interesting use of the word, since at the same time, we're continually assured that men have all the power and women are oppressed... Chivalry is funny like that.

[@bellas2650]

Is this a joke? I genuinely cannot tell if you are being sarcastic or not. Lmao.

[@danielpetersen6622]

Excellent videos but the narrator should be wearing a man's shirt!

[@mimiky7577]

christian capobianco vio esto

[@jure6528]

CHIVALRY IS DEAD