The knightly culture of medieval Europe: concept, development

In the middle Ages among the major landowners, the feudal lords formed a very closed Corporation of professional soldiers called knights. Among themselves they were United not only similar lifestyles, but also shared personal ideals and ethical values. The combination of these factors laid the basis of a kind of chivalric culture, not knowing analogues in the next century.

The elevation of the status of feudal lords

It is considered that medieval military and agricultural estate, known today as chivalry first began in the eighth century in the Frankish state in connection with his transition from Hiking to horse folk troops squads vassals. The impetus for this process was the invasion of the Arabs and their allies ─ the Christians of the Iberian Peninsula, together seized Gaul. The peasant militia the Franks, before the infantry could repel cavalry of the enemy and suffered one defeat after another.

As a result of who was in power, the Carolingians were forced to resort to using signorina, that is, the local feudal lords, which had a large number of vassals, and is able to form them into a strong mounted army. Those responded to the call of the king, but demanded for their patriotism privileges. If in former times he was the only commander of a voluntary militia, now the army consisted of people who held him in direct proportion to that excessively elevate its status. Thus began the birth of chivalry and the chivalric culture with which we are now inextricably linked to the idea of the middle Ages.

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Class titled nobility

In the era of the Crusades across Europe, a large number of religious-chivalric orders, with the result that they entered into feudal lords formed a very closed social group of hereditary aristocracy. Under the influence of the Church (and to some extent the poetry) it has a unique knight culture, a brief description of which is dedicated to this article.

In the following centuries in connection with the strengthening of state power and the advent of firearms, to ensure the superiority of infantry over cavalry, and the formation of regular armies, the knights lost its value as an independent military force. However, their influence they preserved for a very long time, becoming a political class owned by the nobility.

Who was one of the knights?

As mentioned above, the knightly culture of Medieval Europe originated among the big feudal lords ─ media titles and owners are not only extensive land holdings, but many teams, sometimes comparable to the armies of entire countries. As a rule, each of them had the pedigree, rooted in the mists of time, and surrounded it with an aura of the highest nobility. These knights were the elite of society, and for that reason alone could not be numerous.

The next rung of the social ladder of that era were the noble offspring of the ancient names, in view of the circumstances did not have large land holdings and, accordingly, deprived of material wealth. All their property was in the famous name, military training, and inherited the weapon.

Many of them were formed from their farmers groups and at the head of them served in the armies of the big feudal lords. Those who did not have serfs souls, often traveled alone, accompanied only by a squire, and sometimes join random squads, becoming mercenaries. Among them were those who did not disdain to outright robbery, just to find the funds to maintain a lifestyle appropriate to the knightly dignity.

Isolation of a new aristocratic class

One of the most important elements of chivalric culture of the middle Ages consisted in the fact that the professional military service was restricted to lords. There are many cases when all the traders, artisans and other “black people” at the legislative level to prohibit the carrying of weapons and even horse riding. At times of noble knights was filled with such unbridled arrogance that they defiantly refused to fight in battles if they involved the infantry formed, as a rule, the commoners.

The Stability of a knightly culture, which has endured for several centuries, largely due to the fact that their camp was extremely introverted. Belonging to it were inherited, and only in exceptional cases could be granted by the monarch for outstanding achievements and exploits. According to tradition, the true knight was supposed to happen from a noble family, so they always could refer back to the genealogical tree of their ancestors.

In addition, he had to have a family crest made in the heraldic books, and their own motto. However, over time the strict rules began to weaken, and with the development of cities and various businesses, the dignity of knighthood and the privileges associated with it, have purchased for the money.

The Training of future knights

When the family of the feudal Lord was a son, the main elements of chivalric culture were laid in him from an early age. As soon as the child was exempted from the nursesand nurses, as fell into the hands of Tutors, who taught him horsemanship and weapons possession ─ primarily with sword and lance. In addition, the young man was obliged to learn to swim and melee combat.

Upon reaching a certain age, he was first a page, then squire of any knight adult, at times, his own father. It was an additional learning phase. And only after the young man, after the whole course of the Sciences, were able to demonstrate learned skills, he was honored to be knighted.

Fun, which became the responsibility of

In addition to the military, another important element of chivalric culture was hunting. She was given so great importance, as it is, in fact, fun, it became a duty of the members of the elite. It generally involved not only a great sir, but his whole family. Of the extant literature devoted to issues of “chivalrous art”, it is known that set a procedure of hunt, which was to be followed by all noble lords.

So, were instructed to exit the hunting grounds of the knight certainly was accompanied by his wife (of course, if he had). She had to ride on horseback on the right side of her husband and to keep a Falcon or hawk. Each wife of a noble knight required the ability to release the bird, then take it back, because her actions often depended on success.

As for the sons of the feudal Lord, they are from the age of seven accompanied his parents while hunting, but were obliged to stay on the left side from his father. This aristocratic entertainment included in the General course of their training and ignore his boys had no right. We know that sometimes a passion for hunting acquired the feudal lords such extreme forms that the occupation has been condemned of the Church, because by spending all his free time in pursuit of game, the Lord forgot to attend the services, and accordingly, ceased to Fund the parish's budget.

High society fashionistas

The Knightly culture of the middle Ages is produced by those who belonged to that narrow class, a special type of psychology and obliged them to have a number of certain qualities. First of all the knight had to possess admirable appearance. But since nature is not all beauty bestows, the one she saved, had to resort to all sorts of tricks.

If you look at paintings, prints or tapestries made of the medieval artists, depicting knights not in armor, and “civil” the clothes, the astonishing sophistication of their outfits. Modern scholars have written hundreds of papers devoted to the fashion of the middle Ages, and still it is a vast field to researchers. It turns out that the knights ─ these are harsh and strong people, was extraordinary mods, which keep up with the would not every socialite.

The same can be said about the hairstyles. In the old pictures the audience and lush curls falling on the armored shoulders, and tough hedgehog, giving its owner a severe and resolute. As for the beards, the barbers imagination was just boundless, and haughty face of the gentlemen were decorated with the most unimaginable hair compositions from vulgar broom to the thinnest needles on the end of his chin.

Fashion New, forged of steel

Fashion Trends followed in the choice of the armor that was supposed to be not only reliable protection of their owner, but an indicator of its status. It is interesting to note that they were forged in accordance with existed at that period a fashion for ceremonial costumes. This is easy to see, reading the collections of defensive weapons is represented in major museums around the world.

For Example, “the knights ' hall" of the Hermitage there are a lot of armor, his appearance resembling the costumes of the court dandies, as, usually, mention of the Museum guides. In addition, many samples of weapons of the era are true works of decorative art, which also served to maintain the prestige of their owners. By the way, the weight of the armor and associated weapons reached 80 kg, therefore, the knight had to be in good physical condition.

Endless pursuit of fame

Another essential knightly culture of medieval Europe was for their own glory. To valor not Merkle, she required to confirm all new and new feats. As a result, the true knight was in constant search of opportunities to acquire another monastery. For example, even the slightest trifle can serve as a pretext for a bloody fight with an unfamiliar enemy, of course, if he belong to the chosen class. Dirty hands of a commoner was considered completely unacceptable. To punish the peasant the knight had servants.

Chivalrous culture has provided a form of chivalry as participation in tournaments. As a rule, they were a race of mounted warriors with spear and held a large gathering of people. If the spades broke, the soldiers had their swords drawn, and then took up his Mace. Such a spectacle was turning into a true celebration. Since the objective of the game was to knock the opponent out of the saddle and throw him on the ground, andnot to kill or injure, the combatants were obliged to observe certain precautions.

So, were allowed to use only blunt spears, or even include tips in the form of a transversely installed plates. Pre-swords blunt. Also and tournament armor had to have extra strength, unlike the military, which, at the expense of safety, was made easier, but allows the knight to save my strength for a long battle. In addition, during the tournament match, the riders were separated from each other by the barrier, so that in case of falling of one of them to the ground he fell under the horse of his adversary.

However, despite all precautions, the fights often ended in injury or even death of the participants, which gave them a special appeal in the eyes of the audience, and serve for the greater glory of the winner. An example is the death of the king of France, Henry II of Valois, who was tragically killed at a tournament in 1559. The spear of his enemy the Earl of Montgomery broke upon impact, the shell, and a chip got into the eye slit of the helmet, making a valiant monarch died at the same moment. However, according to the laws of chivalry and knightly culture, such a death was considered a most worthy end of life. Of those killed in tournaments were composed of ballads, performed then by the troubadours and minstrels ─ medieval predecessors of the modern bards.

Courtly-chivalric culture

Before talking about this very peculiar phenomenon of the middle Ages, we need to define the very concept of "courtesy". It came into use thanks to the many literary monuments reflecting the knightly code of honor, and includes a system of rules of conduct adopted once the courts of European monarchs.

According to the common requirements, a true knight had not only to demonstrate martial prowess but also to be able to behave in a secular society, to maintain a casual conversation, or even singing. It courtly-chivalric culture was the basis for the creation of rules of etiquette, widely spread in Europe and became the norm of conduct for all educated people.

Literature tender feelings and military exploits

Courtesy is reflected in the literature. In particular, for this reason it is appropriate to recall the lyrical poetry of the troubadours, have received particularly widespread in the South of France. It spawned the “cult of Beautiful Lady" of which a true knight was bound to serve, not sparing neither strength nor life.

Characteristically, in the works of love lyrics, describing the feelings of a knight to his mistress, the authors use very specific terminology, constantly resorting to such expressions as “service”, “oath”, “sir”, “protectorate”, etc. in Other words, the concept of knightly culture, including service to the Great Lady puts it on par with military prowess. No wonder they used to say that winning over the heart of the obstinate beauties no less honorable than the enemy.

The Development of knight culture, gave impetus to the emergence of a new and very peculiar literary genre. The main plot of his works was a description of the adventures and exploits of the noble heroes. It was the romances glorifying perfect love and fearlessness exhibited in the name of personal glory. Works of this genre was extremely popular in Europe and has found many fans even in those times when could read only one. Suffice it to recall the famous don Quixote, a victim of these medieval bestsellers.

The Extant novels of this kind are not only artistic, but also historical interest, as they in their entirety displayed the traits of chivalrous culture and peculiarities of life of the era. A characteristic feature of works of this genre becomes the emphasis that the authors begin to make on individual human personalities. Their heroes are not gods, or any mythical characters, and people.

So, in many novels featured such historical and polumisticheskie personality, as king of the Britons Arthur and his closest companions: Solid, Lancelot, Tristan and also other knights «Roundtable». It is through these characters in the minds of modern people, has developed a romantic, but not always reliable the way a noble knight taking a leap to us from the middle Ages.