The Commandments of Chivalry
Doing a bit of research on chivalry for a script I’m writing.
Photo by LDG Photos on Unsplash
Since I was a kid I’ve been infatuated with King Arthur and medieval literature. I have no idea why. Maybe the mystery surrounding the stories? Are they real? Did a boy-king really exist? Merlin sounds cool!
For the current project I’m writing - an adaption of a 14th century poem from the Arthurian tradition - I’m doing some light research on chivalry, the code of conduct knights were held to in medieval England and France. I thought I’d share what I’ve dug up and how I plan to use it.
Origins
The origins of the code of conduct known as chivalry has its roots in France around the 800 AD to 900 AD. It was associated with calvarymen, soldiers on horses, and focused on military bravery, training, and service to others.
The term “cavalry” comes form the Old French chevelrie, meaning “horse soldier.”
Over time, it’s meaning and usage in medieval Europe evolved to describe the ideals, morality, and courtly manners knights were expected to model and uphold.
Léon Gautier's La Chevalerie (1891)
Photo of Léon Gautier.
In the late 1800’s a French literary historian named Émile Théodore Léon Gautier published a book called La Chevalrie. In the book, Gautier outlines 10 laws or commandments that knights were held to. I confess I didn’t read the book. But I’m guessing Gautier, being a literary historian, identified a bunch of social norms from reading medieval texts.
Regardless of the WHY, these commandments offer an cool opportunity to get into the headspace of my characters. It’s like having a set of rules that guide my characters’ actions. Or, better yet, a bunch of rules for my characters to break and deal with the consequences.
The 10 Commandments of Chivalry
Thou shalt believe all that the Church teaches and thou shalt observe all its directions.
Thou shalt defend the Church.
Thou shalt respect all weaknesses, and shalt constitute thyself the defender of them.
Thou shalt love the country in which thou wast born.
Thou shalt not recoil before thine enemy.
Thou shalt make war against the infidel without cessation and without mercy.
Thou shalt perform scrupulously thy feudal duties, if they be not contrary to the laws of God.
Thou shalt never lie, and shalt remain faithful to thy pledged word.
Thou shalt be generous, and give largesse to everyone.
Thou shalt be everywhere and always the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.
A few observations from the list:
I grew up loving medieval lit, but this confirms that my ass wouldn’t last a hot second.
I’m sure this is how knights acted in social settings, but I bet half of them were the complete opposite in their personal lives.
I could see how easily manipulated knights might have been. It’s too easy for a count or noble or king to claim something was Right and Good but in actuality it was self-serving.
This leads me to…
How I Intend on Using The Commandments
I think it’s about character, right?
The commandments are good prompts or barometers of behavior to think about how a character might or might not act.
For example, I could take my protagonist and brainstorm 20 moments when he or she stands up to his or her enemy, or when he or she tells the truth instead of lying.
Each commandment offers a variety of situations or scenes that I can brainstorm for all my characters. The purpose isn’t to write a script about the commandments, but it’s good to know what the unwritten rules of behavior are during that time.
