Feudalism: Chivalry and Knights

1. Feudalism: Chivalry and Knights

2. The Beginning of Knights • Began under the reign of Charles Martel (Grandfather of Charlemagne) • Observed that Muslim horse riders had success in the battle field • Created his own mounted army • Found success with improved technology • Leather saddles and stirrups • Metal spikes to stop horses

3. Role of the Knight • Hired by Nobles and Lords to protect their territory • Paid in land, Fiefs, and provided military service • Wealth produced on the Fiefs allowed the Knights to focus solely on fighting • Could afford to pay for costly weapons, armor, and warhorses • Lords demanded at least 40 days of combat a year

4. Training • Most spare time of a Knight was spent training • Wrestling and Hunting • Began training at the age of 7 • Become a Page: Sent to the castle of another lord to wait on the hosts and practice fighting skills. • Age 14 became a Squire • Acted as a servant to a Knight • At age 21 became a full fledged knight.

5. Code of Chivalry • Complex set of ideals created in 1100s • Demanded that a knight fight bravely in battle • Fight for 3 masters • The Feudal Lord • The Heavenly Lord • His Chosen Lady • A chivalrous Knight protected the weak and defended the poor • Loyalty, Bravery, and Courteous • Most knights failed as they treated the poor brutally

6. Life of a Knight • After being dubbed a Knight most young knights traveled for a few years • Fought in local wars to gain experience • Participated in Mock battles called tournaments • Combined recreation with combat training. • Brutal and bloody competitions • High prize for winning

7. War • Actual battles were more bloody and brutal than tournaments • Massive walls and castles dotted the landscape in Europe • Castles were the most brutal site for battles • Attacking armies used a number of weapons and tactics to gain control while defenders used a number of tricks and locations to defend. • Pouring boiling water, oil, or molten lead on enemy soldiers • Archers would shoot from the top with armor piercing bolts

8. Glorified Life • Most of the Brutality was replaced by stories of chivalry, knighthood and tournaments • Epic Poetry told of the greatness of knighthood. • Recounted heroic deeds of love, adventure, and heroism • Stories of knighthood have made a huge impact on modern culture • Brave heart, Gladiator, and Star wars all examples of epics. • Chivalry still impacts love and marriage and honor today

9. Love and Chivalry • Under the code a knights duty to his lady was as important as his duty to his lord • This often became difficult when the two obligations collided • Troubadours and Epic Poems often tell of love and lost love • Traveling musicians and poets • Made knights seem more romantic than brutal • Nobel women were, in their eyes, the prettiest and fairest.

10. Women’s Roles • Most women in feudal society were powerless • As were most men • But women had the added burden of being thought of as less. • Impacted by the church view of women • Noble women • Could inherit land • Could also send knights to war at request of lord • Could command knights if husband was gone • Sometimes fought if need be. • But most were confined to the home or in many cases the convent • Most didn’t own land because it was passed to sons, not daughters

11. Women’s Roles Nobles Peasants • She gets up at 7a.m., and her chaplain is waiting to say morning prayers . . . and when she has washed and dressed . . . she has breakfast, then she goes to the chapel, for another service, then has dinner. . . . After dinner, she discusses business . . . then has a short sleep, then drinks ale or wine. Then . . . she goes to the chapel for evening service, and has supper. After supper, she relaxes with her women attendants. . . . After that, she goes to her private room, and says nighttime prayers. By 8 p.m. she is in bed. • I get up early . . . milk our cows and turn them into the field. . . . Then I make butter. . . . Afterward I make cheese. . . . Then the children need looking after. . . . I give the chickens food . . . and look after the young geese. . . . I bake, I brew. . . . I twist rope. . . . I tease out wool, and card it, and spin it on a wheel. . . . I organize food for the cattle, and for ourselves. . . . I look after all the household.