chivalry

(noun)

A code of conduct associated with the medieval institution of knighthood, which later developed into social and moral virtues more generally.

Related Terms

Examples of chivalry in the following topics:

  • Intellectual Life

    • Royal and noble courts saw the development of chivalry and the ethos of courtly love.

  • The Fall of the Han and the Three Kingdoms Period

    • This was one of the bloodiest times in Chinese history—according to census data, the population decreased from 50 million to 16 million—but it also has long been romanticized in East Asian cultures and remembered as a time of chivalry and honor.

  • Christine de Pizan

    • Her early courtly poetry is marked by her knowledge of aristocratic custom and fashion of the day, particularly involving women and the practice of chivalry.

  • The Anglican Church

    • Unlike his father, who was secretive and conservative, the young Henry appeared the epitome of chivalry and sociability.

  • Post-Byzantine Egypt

    • In the Middle Ages, soon after the mamluks took up the practice of chivalry, or furusiyya in Arabic, they came to be known as knights (or faris in Arabic), although unfree until after their service.

  • The Silo D'Oro

    • Some have argued that as a social critic, Lope de Vega attacked, like Cervantes, many of the ancient institutions of his country - aristocracy, chivalry, and rigid morality, among others.

  • Territorial Losses

    • Despite his victory, Louis XV, who wanted to appear as an arbiter and not as a conqueror, agreed to restore all his conquests back to the defeated enemies with chivalry at the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, arguing that he was "king of France, not a shopkeeper."

  • Daily Medieval Life

    • Most courts featured a strict order of precedence, often involving royal and noble ranks, orders of chivalry, and nobility.