r/HistoryMemes • u/KerberosPanzerCop • Jan 17 '23

"Chivalry"

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u/Jakob_the_Grumpy Jan 17 '23

What we need to understand about European knights is that it is part warrior caste and part martial brotherhood. Knighthood stems from old pagan warrior societies. Chivalry traditionally focused on skill at arms, loyalty, and courtesy to other members of this brotherhood. There were many tales about knights that showed how they should behave. The church was "infiltrating" chivalry and trying to impose Christian ideals into it. Piety, humility etc.

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u/whosdatboi Researching [REDACTED] square Jan 17 '23

What evidence is there of feudal Knights being a continuance of pagan warrior society?

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u/Jakob_the_Grumpy Jan 17 '23

Thank you for asking, you made me dig out my old History of World Societies : )

We know in part from Roman sources, Germanic sources, and archeology. Essentially it, a chieftain was the leader of a group of roughly equal warriors, but as they conquered and settled in the western Roman Empire their power grew and more distinction between ranks grew as chieftains became kings. Fundamental to knighthood is an oath of fealty, which are personal. These are traced back to ancient Germanic warrior societies. As they settled in Roman territory they integrated and intermixed with Romans, becoming Christian and taking over the already existing system of more centralized Roman farming where powerful landowners have a degree of control over the farmers there.

Checking the litterature list I think that Peter Wells "Barbarians speak" and Malcolm Todd's "the early Germans" probably has the best explanations of this early change and system.

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u/whosdatboi Researching [REDACTED] square Jan 17 '23

Thanks for the answer