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Chivalry refers to a code of conduct that was developed in the latter part of the Middle Ages in various parts of western Europe, most notably in what are parts of modern day France and Britain. Though it may be referred to a system or the chivalric code, it is not actually a codified system of norms or behaviors, but instead an informal code of moral behavior. Its origins can be traced back to around 1170, though it draws upon moral codes from earlier times, especially the Carolingian Empire, which featured a similar idolization of the soldier/warrior.
Chivalry is a very military-focused moral code and it is easy to see the role that social class played in its developed. The etymology of the word can be traced to the French term chevalerie, which referred to horse-mounted soldiers and initially it was linked to these mounted knights who would have, of course, been members of a higher socioeconomic and social class because they could afford their mounts. Later, the idea was seen as encompassing not only these horse-mounted knights, but all knights and was seen as aspirational for those in a knight’s circle, as well.
Because it was an informal code, it is impossible to state exactly what chivalry was supposed to mean, since its meaning varied not only according to time and place, by also by individuals. However, it was based in ideas of courtly love, knightly honor, religion, and nobility. The basic tenets of it included a belief in the Church, a willingness to defend the church, a willingness to defend the weak, a love of country, a willingness to wage war on those perceived as infidels, a commitment to the duties imposed by feudalism, a commitment to the truth, generosity, and a champion of things that are right and good.
The best known fictional representation of the idea of chivalry is probably King Arthur’s court and the notion of the mythical…
