Comments on: The Seven Knightly Virtues

By: Elly

Elly — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:07:38 +0000

Good day, Sir, and thank you for creating such a fantastic site. I have already replied on the ‘women and chivarly’ area with how I discovered chivalry, went through a stage of misunderstanding, then finally, realised how much it mean to me, but now I have another query. Is it possible for an atheiest, such as myself, to aspire to and embody chivarly, or are belivers the only ones who can do this? I would feel crushed to discover that chivarly is unachievable beacuase of religious beliefs, but if that is the way it has to be, then…

Anyway, thanks again.

By: Scott Farrell

Scott Farrell — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 03:13:55 +0000

Mick – Thanks for posting. While there are certainly some valid points in your comment, you demonstrate the inaccurate perspective we have of medieval culture and history, which is almost always the case when anyone starts making blanket statements like “all knights (or priests, or peasants) did such-and-such.”
Understand – chivalry was something of a personalized concept, and every knight (undoubtedly) had a slightly different take on it. But writing in the 14th century, Geoffroi de Charny recognized that “there are many of low station who are more worthy of praise and honor than those who call themselves knights, yet act like thieves and bandits.” He was one of the most respected knights of the age – and he realized that just being born into a noble family didn’t give you a noble spirit.
Similarly, a century earlier, Sir Ramon Llull, a Spanish knight, wrote that “Hope is the primary instrument of chivalry, like the hammer is the primary instrument of the carpenter.” Hope was not “B.S.” – the value of optimism (what they would have called “good cheer”) was clearly understood on some level.
Surely there were plenty of knights in medieval history who failed to live up to the values of chivalry – just as there are leaders and cultural icons today who fail to live up to our standards of ethics and morality. That doesn’t invalidate the principles – living by any code of honor is hard.
The “Seven Knightly Virtues” we list here are merely concepts that are distilled from the many principles written about by medieval knights who did value the notion of chivalry – the things that appear most often in their writings. And, whether or not they were observed in history, we need to recognize their cultural significance if we are to build our own code of honor which we can live by – today, tomorrow and forever.

By: Mick

Mick — Wed, 02 Feb 2011 03:01:29 +0000

Your version of chivalry, while admirable is not correct. Chivalry was for entitled individuals. Lower ranking individuals had no worth nor accorded any such ideals or actions. You take modern day morals and apply them broadly and inappropriately. Those of noble blood took what they wanted. Those granted titles were still bound to honor the rules of the nobles – unless elevated beyond station (read as titled by king or lord) above others.

Justice was for those strong enough to mete it out themselves or by accordance with the lords of the land. Mercy was shown only to those of worth (see above – noble word was beyond reproach by a commoner.) Generosity was shown for favor in return upon a field of honor. Faith was nothing more than religious virtue granted by the king or lord. Nobility is just that, one should act noble by custom of the lord or king – nothing less was accepted. Hope is BS, and never mentioned in any code. Knights were nothing more than blessed hooligans with horse and armor. Some (none of record mind you) may have been above this, most were not.

If you wish to change chivalry, please do not refer to medieval times or knights. Take and make the word for yourself in to a meaning which you can (and WILL) portray today and tomorrow and forever.

By: Scott Farrell

Scott Farrell — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 19:55:57 +0000

(In reply to FingerPaint) As I mentioned in the intro to this piece, there are many qualities that fall under the umbrella of “chivalry” – our Seven Knightly Virtues simply reflect the themes that seem to be incorporated in many, if not all of the interpretations of the concept of chivalry through the ages.
Wouldn’t “responsibility” be a facet of the virtue of nobility? The more you have and the “higher” you rise in life, the more duty you have to lead, volunteer and answer for your own actions.
And “patience” could be considered one of the ways of demonstrating generosity. Isn’t being patient just being generous with your time and attention, rather than your wealth and material goods?
Those are just my thoughts – but whenever I hear someone say that a particular virtue has been left out of the code of chivalry, I usually don’t have to look very far to find it in one of the Knightly Virtues.

By: FingerPaint

FingerPaint — Sun, 02 May 2010 14:31:48 +0000

The items in the post appear to me derived from an American obsession with superheroes. An obsession in which people try to be more than others in superficial and clearly measurable ways, instead of just being a better person by his or her own standards. What about qualities like responsibility or patience? Although not easily measurable and definitely not things that can be used to be more others, I do believe those are parts of what makes a human being better instead of more.

By: belle

belle — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:09:26 +0000

I envy you Jennifer, you found him. How I wish I could also find someone living the code of chivalry. Anyways, HOPE is what I like the most, because it gives me the courage and faith that someday I will be able to find the one.
.-= belle´s last blog ..What You Need to Know About Preventing and Treating Bad Breath =-.

By: John Cowart

John Cowart — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 06:07:46 +0000

While I agree with most of your declarations. I have to wonder where is love invoked?

Love is the basis of all of these things and that is what I’ve chosen to live by.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 03:42:47 +0000

My boyfriend lives by the code of chivalry. Reading this page has given me a better understanding of the man I love. It also makes me feel very fortunate that he is the one man in my life who truly loves me.