IN modern idea the knight represents an independent warrior. These members of society were quite privileged, and also formed the basis of the medieval army. The knights could easily go on adventurous adventures and travels; they developed a romantic aura. Theoretically, even the lowest classes could achieve this status if they served obediently and for a long time. For them, knighthood became the real reward for their courage and valor. Chivalry became an integral part of medieval European history.
This phenomenon originated in the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century and lasted until the 16th century, when a revolution occurred in military affairs. National armies began to grow, and the number of independent warriors began to decline, as did their importance as the moral and physical core of military associations. Our list contains not only genuine historical figures.
After all, even fictional knights played an important role in the theory and practice of this phenomenon. Representatives of such a medieval movement can be assessed by the following parameters: fame, trace in history, reflection of virtues. In general, the following basic knightly traits are traditionally known: justice, courage, generosity, mercy, faith, nobility and hope.
Chivalry began as a military structure. A man with a weapon took upon himself to serve his lord with his sword. And he, in turn, provided protection, land and benefits in return. The element of service is of paramount importance. After all, in those days there was no centralized power and the rule of law. And the community of warriors bound by oaths of allegiance were the most effective means social cohesion.
It was believed that a knight had to have a certain skill in order to be ready to perform feats. He also had to prove his loyalty to his master. The great knight had to create a reputation for his invulnerability, as well as leave behind myths of greatness and glorious deeds. Knights were also considered rulers. But their main function was still government, not battle. Let's talk below about the greatest knights who went down in the history of the Middle Ages.
Ulrich von Lichtenstein (1200-1278). The most famous feature of this German knight- his narcissism. Ulrich's name was used in a historical romantic comedy, played by Heath Ledger. In fact, he was the model knight in the classical Western tradition. He started out as a poor nobleman in one of the many feudal principalities in fragmented Germany. But over time he got his own squire, and eventually his own estate. Thanks to his persistence and skillful swordsmanship, von Lichtestein earned a lot of money from tournaments. This allowed him to make social progress and increase his status. Ulrich became a famous and great knight; he was considered honored to host many tournaments. Thanks to his big name and prize money, he became rich. Surprisingly, he did not glorify himself in real battles, nor in marriage. Another side of Ulrich's fame is his skill as a late Minnesang poet. He performed lyrical songs. Such poets were similar to bards or troubadours in France and England. They sang about their great loves and valiant victories. Ulrich, based on his travels, created a fairly well-known series “Serving Ladies.” This makes it possible to assume that the knight was very well-read and creatively gifted. But as is usually the case with knights, he rather arrogantly claimed that all those great stories told about him were true. Including romances with numerous women and 307 victories in tournaments. In his time, Ulrich was a true living legend, but ultimately he died quietly on his estate, without making a significant impact in the political arena. Von Lichtenstein is an exemplary example of a noble and romantic knight.
Don Quixote (circa 1600). This Spanish knight became famous for his traits of perseverance and self-deception. In fact, Don Quixote cannot even be considered a knight in the full meaning of the word. Nevertheless, our list without him would be clearly incomplete. After all, he had a noticeable literary influence through cruel sarcasm on the entire institution of chivalry. Don Quixote was a knight more in his dreams or fantasies; literature made him such. The hero of the novel became so obsessed with the idea of chivalry that he began to look for adventures everywhere. The disgusted house was exchanged for future exploits and love affairs. The story of Don Quixote is in many ways reminiscent of the story of El Cid, the great real Spanish knight. The plot is similar - a horse, a beloved woman in trouble, conflict resolution and crazy adventures. Jokes follow one after another. Don Quixote calls the innkeeper a knight, saves peasant son, and mistakes the milkmaid for a noble lady. His squire is extremely two-faced. As a result, the search brings only suffering to the knight. Like other knights, money is not at all the main thing for Don Quixote; he dreams of battles, and on his way he meets the most different people. In the end, Don Quixote becomes reasonable again. He abandons his old life as soon as it becomes clear that chivalry is dead, and the world no longer respects such romantics. In the finale, Don Quixote dies, having never abandoned his ideals that have become outdated. The very form of the novel departs from medieval romantic traditions; on the contrary, they are ridiculed here.
Edward the Black Prince (1330-1376). The best thing this English hero had was his series of great victories. Edward, by the status of his birth, was already at the height of knightly culture, so his status as a great was given to him relatively easily. This man was the eldest son of King Edward III. It was he who founded the Order of the Garter, a noble order of knighthood. The Black Prince bore the title of Prince of Wales, and records speak of him as a strong warrior. He was decisive and brave, and showed himself excellently in battles with the French. But they were richer, better trained and armed than the British. Despite this, Edward led his father's troops against them. He was able to win the classic battles of the Middle Ages - at Cressy and Poitiers. For this, his father especially noted him, making him the first Knight of the new Order of the Garter. And the knight’s personal life was quite famous. He married his cousin, Joanna of Kent, for love. This couple has become one of the brightest in Europe. The spectacular wife further glorified the knight, making his image richer and more versatile. Edward is noted for many chivalrous virtues, including generosity and piety. This was manifested in the attitude towards the king of France captured at Poitiers and towards ordinary prisoners. But in relation to the common people, Edward was more arrogant, showing concern for his position and for the situation in his native England. Edward constantly studied during the war. This was evident in his pragmatism and innovative tactics. This was the main difference between the Black Knight and the French, who adhered to the traditional strategy. This innovative approach made the knight a great military leader. And like a true knight, Edward soon felt that France and England were too small for him. He decided to seek fame elsewhere, particularly in Spain, although he ultimately failed. The negative side of the knight was that, unlike his other exemplary colleagues, he did not fight infidels, did not write poetry and did not spend much time in romance novels. And the word “black” in his name could mean the color of his armor, his difficult character, or the origin of his mother.
Jacques de Molay (1244-1314). This famous French knight became famous for leading the largest Crusade. De Molay was the last Grand Master of the Knights Templar. This is not enough to classify him as a great knight. But the recent novel “The Da Vinci Code” attracted attention to him, and the image of the master himself became much more interesting in the eyes of his contemporaries. What did he actually do? He was elected head of the most powerful crusade in the Christian world. That is why he must display many knightly traits, because they were quite an important basis of life in his native order of the Templars. Jacques became a knight at the age of 21 after participating in the battle. To consolidate his status, the young man took part in the Crusade to the Holy Land. Soon the Crusades died out, all that de Molay could do at that time was to move the Templar headquarters to Cyprus after the fall of Acre in 1291. As a result, the Order left the land for which it was actually created to protect from Muslims. But these events became a happy occasion for Jacques himself. The respected and pious knight became Grand Master of the Templar Order. De Molay proved himself not as a military leader or heartthrob, but as a skilled administrator and European politician. He created a whole network of branches of his organization throughout Europe. They began to engage less in knightly affairs, and more in trade and usury. The master began to convene the monarchs of Europe for a new crusade. The effort even culminated in an attack on the Mamluks in Egypt in 1300, but the gained foothold was soon lost again without allied support. Tired of military losses, Molay and the Templars began to win victories in banking. This influence on the economy of the restored France began to frighten King Philip IV. During the struggle for power, Molet also supported the pretender to the throne, which was the reason for his arrest in Paris in 1307. The formal reason was the betrayal of the Templars, but in fact, in this way the king covered his debts, taking for himself all the funds of the Order. Jacques defended his independence to the end, like a true knight, remaining faithful to the oath of the Church until the very end. In 1308, Molay was actually released by Pope Clement V. After all, the Master’s guilt was based more on rumors and speculation than on facts. But long hearings led to the fact that Mole was burned alive, as if he had relapsed into heresy. He stated that all his previous testimony against the Order was untrue.
Chaucer's Knight (circa 1400). The main features of this English knight are quite stereotypical, but they are built on the basis real people. IN late Middle Ages the image of the knight as an unmodern person developed. This is also due to the works of Geoffrey Chaucer. This English writer of the late 14th century wrote several fabulous works about the knights of his time. These people were shown to be brave, possessing traditional virtues, good behavior, exquisite love and piety. Such a walking stereotype included all possible virtues at once. The basis for the character was the mercenary John Hawkwood from Essex, whom the author personally knew and simply ennobled in his creations. Most known history is "A Knight's Tale" from The Canterbury Tales. It mixes classic storytelling with lessons on gallantry, talking about the dangers of brotherly discord or unhappy love. The knight character himself, although pleasant, is rather faceless. It is believed that his role in English society is becoming less and less significant, and he himself is more of an ideal character than a real one. The knight in Chaucer's stories traveled widely and became famous for his use of weapons. But at the end of his career, this warrior became pious, which is why he travels with his fellow travelers to Canterbury in order to venerate the relics of one of the saints there. Although this knight was not a real character, he still gave a lot of insight into this class of people.
Godfrey of Bouillon (1060-1100). This French knight became famous for the fact that it was he who led the very first and best crusade. Gottfried's origins did not imply his future fame. He was only the second son of a minor French count. But it was precisely this low social status that pushed him to the career of a great and famous knight, and the crusade only increased his fame. His family was able to give Godfrey the title of Duke of Lower Lorraine, but instead of defending this rich and strategically important region, he abandoned his lands. In exchange for this, he bowed to the Holy Roman Emperor and agreed to exchange his possessions for a smaller territory. Humility and devotion are truly chivalrous virtues, but Gottfried, like many of his other colleagues, chose an independent course. In 1095, the knight, along with many others, responded to the call of Pope Urban II to free Palestine from Muslims. Thus, despite all his relatives and what the emperor had done for him, Godfrey sold all his lands in order to provide weapons for the army preparing for the campaign. The knight was so charismatic that his two brothers went on the campaign with him. This did not make my mother happy. According to ancient chronicles, Godfrey was able to gather an army of 40 thousand people. All of them went on a crusade from Lorraine through Hungary to Constantinople. Godfrey's fame came from the fact that he was one of the first Frankish knights to reach the Holy Land. It was the image of the Duke that showed how selfless a real crusader should be. His strength as a knight also lay in the fact that he possessed not only courage and piety, but also perseverance. While other participants in the campaign complained of hunger, thirst or homesickness, Gottfried himself was adamant in his desire to achieve his goal. The crowning achievement of the knight's career was the storming of Jerusalem under his leadership in 1099. Godfrey was chosen as the first ruler of the crusader kingdom on this land. However, he himself refused the title of king, accepting the title of baron and Defender of the Holy Sepulchre. Although the knight's actions were based on the massacres of the same defenders of the city, this did not in any way affect his reputation as a glorious warrior of that time. By 1100, Godfrey and other warriors had conquered most of Palestine. He even ordered that his brother Baldwin be crowned king of Jerusalem in the event of his death. Thus a whole dynasty was founded. So abandoning Lorraine served well. Outwardly, Gottfried had classic knightly attributes and an ideal form. He was tall, strong, slender and bearded. The glorious knight died during the siege of Acre.
Sir Galahad (5th century). This Welsh knight, who belonged to the legendary Round Table of King Arthur, is called a holy knight and anointed of God. Galahad was literally born for greatness, because Lancelot himself is considered his father. They say that his fate was successful largely thanks to Merlin. Although we are talking about fictional people, the heroic cycle of King Arthur has become so rich cultural phenomenon, which dominates all other knightly ballads not only in England, but also in France. The legendary knights themselves, along with their king, became the basis for the early archetypes of the ideal knight, or even several different knights. Galahad himself appeared at the very end of the cycle, but was still one of the great knights of the round table and seekers of the Holy Grail. Sir Galahad possessed some of the most valuable qualities of knighthood. He grew up very religious, gallant and with pure thoughts. The young warrior became famous for sitting in the Perilous Seat, but this place was intended only for the most worthy, whom the Lord protects. As a result, King Arthur proclaimed him as the greatest knight. What prevents Galahad from becoming the best is that he was still a mythological figure. However, his cultural significance was very high, he embodied many of the virtues of the classic medieval knight. Galahad performed mainly tasks of a not entirely knightly nature, such as rescuing ladies in trouble or his comrades. Although this knight was called pious and merciful, he could not be blamed for his lack of character. He was in the right places at the right times, which made him the most significant character of the entire Round Table. It seemed that Galahad held the fate of England in his hands. Together with other knights, he had visions of the Holy Grail, in which Joseph of Arimathea collected the blood of Christ. The search for this relic became the goal of that group of knights. Ultimately, Galahad was able to protect and save Arthur himself at the Battle of Tintagel Castle, which was a significant event. After all, Arthur himself was the greatest of all English kings. According to legend, it was Galahad who was able to find and pick up the Holy Grail, after which he ascended to heaven.
Jean le Maingre Boucicault (1366-1421). This French and Breton knight was able to make a dizzying career, becoming famous for his military abilities. Already from the very early age this nobleman began to take part in various military campaigns. At the age of 18 he went to Prussia to help the Teutonic Order, then he participated in the battles against the Moors in Spain, and eventually became one of the prominent participants in the Hundred Years' War with England. During the truce of 1390, Boucicault chose the most effective and impressive path to becoming a renowned knight. He competed in the tournament and defeated everyone there. Le Mengres not only earned large prize money, but also made a name for himself, which became a good stepping stone for his future career. Then, in true knightly style, Boucicault left everything he had and began to travel. He even began to write poetry about his exploits, which was natural for a noble warrior of those times. The glory of the pious knight was so great that when he returned to his homeland, King Philip VI made him marshal of France. This was the highest peak in the knight's career, not counting the direct seizure of the throne. Le Mengres became famous for his skill, experience and courage in battle. He was considered a great leader. Boucicault was anointed to his post in the main cathedral of the country, which implied a special sacred aura of this warrior. This knight was always at the very center of battles. At the Battle of Nicopolis in 1396, he was captured by the Turks, but escaped execution and was ransomed. After this, Boucicault founded a special order of knighthood, inspired by the ideals of courtly love. At the famous Battle of Agincourt, Le Mengres was again captured and died in England six years later. This knight left a significant mark on history. He was at the very pinnacle of power, the king's anointed one, fought against the infidels, contributed to court culture and became famous for his good deeds.
Richard the Lionheart (1157-1199). The English knight king was known as a zealous defender of the faith. Although there should not have been any kings on the list initially, if a real knight is chosen from all of them, then Richard I of England is the best suited for this role. He showed in the best possible way all the advantages of a medieval knight. In addition, Richard spent more time in this role than governing the state. The king was respected by friends and enemies, he fought for his ideals, and not just for the usual conquest of money and land. From his earliest youth, Richard was already in the saddle, defeating warriors of various countries and nations, inspiring love and devotion in his subjects. This king is one of the few who received the loud nickname - Lionheart. It reflects his skill and passion as a knight, not justice or greatness as a king. But Richard's origins speak somewhat against him. Unlike some other knights, he received his high and great status simply by right of birth. After all, Richard was the son of the famous couple - Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine. Nevertheless, the young prince rebelled against his father, also appearing in the form of a knight errant. But this was a rather bad act from a moral point of view. Subsequently, Richard consciously accepted and practiced most of the values of chivalry. He wrote poetry and behaved gallantly. In addition, the prince was attractive and physically well built. Richard is said to be 193 centimeters tall, with blue eyes and fair hair. The future king spent most of his life in France, in the very center of medieval chivalry. It was from there that he rebelled against his father, asked for forgiveness and accepted the knighthood of the French king Louis VII, which only irritated his English relatives. Richard gained fame as a skilled military leader during the dispersal of the rebellion of the French barons. But such activities and constant fear of his father were not to the prince’s taste. He abandoned all his titles and privileges and decided to take part in the Third Crusade. Richard spent a lot of money raising an army of crusaders. This was a clear expression of the knightly defense of the faith. Together with the knights, Richard occupied the kingdom of Sicily to restore his sister's rights to the local throne. Chronicles of the time make it clear that Richard pursued victories rather than conquests and was generally a bad king. He conquered Cyprus in 1191 to protect his own army on that side, but then gave the island to the Knights Templar. This proved his knightly, and not at all royal, spirit, but it made him famous. Richard defeated the Muslims in Accra, but then fell out with his allies King Philip of France and Duke Leopold of Austria. Then the knight defeated the best Muslim leader, Saladin, but did not dare to storm Jerusalem in 1192. But because of his arrogance and recklessness, Richard, on his way back home, was captured by Leopold, whom he had previously insulted. Only a rich ransom allowed the knight king to finally return home. But the restless warrior did not know peace and during the next battle he was mortally wounded. Richard's military exploits made him one of the most famous characters in medieval history. There are many legends about him, and his poems remain.
El Cid, Rodrigo Diaz de Bivar (1043-1099). This Spanish knight became famous for his battles for the independence of his country. The nickname “El Cid” literally means “my master.” This man was known as a real knight for both Muslims and Christians. Which is not surprising, considering that he fought against both Christian and Moorish tyrants. Although El Cid was not a virtuous knight, he more than made up for it with his excellent fighting skills. As a result, even his own king forgave him for constantly changing sides. One of his nicknames was "Champion", and he was the main field commander of the most powerful of Spain's many Christian kingdoms. Modern history extols El Cid as the embodiment of Spanish chivalry. Minstrels composed ballads about him, talking about his exploits in battles in defense of the Church. El Cid became a real folk hero, which was quite unusual for a nobleman. Indeed, in those days, noble people mercilessly exploited the peasants, forcing them to do all the work on the estate. Rodrigo began his youth from humble origins. His family was involved in the court in Castile, but mostly it was about paperwork. But the young man himself was able to make a good impression - he defeated an Aragonese knight in a one-on-one duel in front of his peers. Once he began serving, El Cid took part in several battles with the Moors who ruled southern Spain. There he showed excellent military skills, which he also constantly improved. In the best traditions of chivalry, El Cid began to show arrogance, fighting with anyone and according to his own will. For this, King Alfonso stripped him of all his titles and sent him into exile. But should the “master” ask for forgiveness and beg for mercy? Rodrigo has become a knight for hire! Although his name was synonymous with victory over the Moors, it was to them that El Cid offered his services, leading the army in Zaragoza. After several years of successful struggle with Christians, Berbers and other Moors, Rodrigo was needed by the Castilian king. After all, he turned out to be an excellent military leader. It would seem that the king’s very request to return to the exile should become the greatest mercy for him. But El Cid actually replied that he did not need this, since he could create his own kingdom. And he does not need respect and favors in exchange for loyalty. In 1094, El Cid, together with other mercenary knights, captured Valencia and became its de facto ruler. The Moors asked for the city to be returned and besieged it. According to legend, Rodrigo was wounded by a poisoned arrow, and his smart wife realized that even after death, the legendary El Cid was able to inspire and command his army. She dressed her husband's body in armor and sat him on a horse, placing him on the fortress walls. El Cid also had other necessary attributes of a knight: a horse and a sword. The war horse, nicknamed Babieka, is itself surrounded by legends, and Tizona's steel Cordova sword is famous for its durability. The knight himself was far from stupid. He read quite a lot about war, including works by Roman and Greek authors. His wife was a beautiful and graceful woman, and his daughters became members of the Spanish royal family.
William Marshal (1146-1219). This English knight gained fame from his victories in numerous tournaments. Many contemporaries consider him the greatest knight of the Middle Ages. Despite the difficult situation around him, William was able to retain all the virtues of chivalry. He skillfully wielded all types of weapons, was loyal to his master, defended his faith, and earned the favor of great woman. The Marshal was respected for his diplomacy and mercy. Then tournaments were not one-on-one fights at all, but wars in miniatures between associations of knights. Marshall spent sixteen years in tournaments, sometimes participating in real wars. William developed his own tactics for these competitions. He grabbed the enemy's horse by the bridle and dragged him along to his friends. There he forced the enemy to surrender and pay a ransom. If the victim jumped off and ran away, then the horse remained as a reward, which was also a valuable reward. Marshall was able to long years improve your skills, and with the money you conquer, purchase lands for yourself and best weapon. According to the customs of that time, the young Marshal was sent to study in France. There he quickly mastered the military skills that were necessary for a medieval knight. His reputation continued to improve, and he eventually found favor with Eleanor of Aquitaine. After this, the Marshal began to serve the English king Henry II as a companion to his son, Henry the Younger. After which there were numerous tournaments, wars with the rebel vassals of the king, a crusade... As a result, the Marshal was rewarded for his service with large estates in England. All this aroused the knight's pride, he created his own army, to the envy of the king himself. But even despite this bold and reckless step, William was able to maintain his position. The marshal was even able to successfully marry, at the age of 43, the 17-year-old daughter of the Earl of Pembroke. The marshal served King Richard the Lionheart famously as marshal and regent during his long absence from the country. He not only increased his holdings, but also improved them. The only flaw in Marshall's biography is associated with King John, whom he served and opposed the famous Robin Hood. However, the monarch hated the popular servant, and as a result, William was forced to flee to Ireland. But then, like a true knight, the Marshal returned to England and during the uprising of the barons he remained faithful to the king, only strengthening his power and wealth. The Archbishop of Canterbury called the Marshal the greatest knight of all time, which was true. After the death of King John, Marshal became regent for the infant King Henry III. Even at the age of 70, this noble knight had within himself the moral and physical strength to lead the royal army in the war against France and then dictate the terms of peace. The knight's signature is on the Magna Carta as a guarantee of its observance. After the suppression of the barony, the Marshal was able to organize a successful regency and pass on his estates to his sons. The knight supported the king's prestige and his right to the throne. He was one of the few knights whose biography was published immediately after his death. In 1219, a poem entitled The History of William Marshal was published.
The history of the creation of knighthood has not yet been sufficiently studied and does not have a single agreed upon opinion among historians. It has a wide range of interpretations and variously places the time of the organization of chivalry from the seventh to the tenth century. This military class received general recognition due to the fact of its existence, when researchers allowed semantics from the German word “ritter” - horseman. Some researchers see knights as all the secular feudal lords of the early Middle Ages, while others see only part of them - small feudal lords, implying military servants (horsemen) who were vassals of the nobility. Also considering that as you grow feudal fragmentation, which favored the expansion of the rights of small knights, the line between knights and nobility gradually blurred, equalizing their rights.
These examples, presented based on the already accomplished fact of the existence of chivalry, do not take into account the degree of logical expediency of any actions of historical characters appearing on the stage of the theater of history. And the logic is that knightly equipment is a very expensive pleasure, which not every nobleman could afford, as evidenced by the tradition of transferring the helmet and armor of a defeated knight to the winner. It is known that in the early Middle Ages, interstate relations often had a military character, when different kings and sovereigns, being leaders of military detachments, had to wield weapons and constantly improve their military skills. Therefore, it can be assumed that knightly armor is primarily a combat uniform for the king to protect him from the weapons of the enemy.
According to tradition, members of the royal family can only cross arms with those of equal status, and knighthood turned out to be the very environment with which the king could, without losing his dignity, participate in tournaments on the lists, conducting war games and competitions. So from history we know that at a similar tournament, the French king Henry II, defeated in a knightly duel by the Earl of Montgomery, was mortally wounded by a piece of a spear. The count, who in the romantic interpretation of Alexandre Dumas turned out to be the son of the Count of Montgomery, who spent half his life and died in prison for drawing a weapon against Henry II, who was a prince at that time, challenging him to a duel as a rival in a relationship with a woman. But in everyday life this cannot be done - with representatives royal house You can only fight on the lists in an equal duel, having dignity on the social ladder not lower than the title of count.
Thus, having received an education appropriate to his status, a knight could take his proper place in the power hierarchy, from baron to king. This hierarchy can be represented, going from top to bottom, as: “The King and his barons (dukes, counts).” As time passed and with the beginning of the formation of knightly orders, the role of the baron in the knightly hierarchy decreased: the King is the Leader of the order. Duke - Leader of the detachment (Leader of the order). Count - Knight (leader of the detachment). Baron - Knight (team leader). A knight in the service of a baron.
The original name of the knight - horseman - comes from the means of transportation necessary for a person armed with heavy armor, which is a horse. Thus, knighthood became a privileged shock military unit of heavy cavalry, capable of breaking through the ranks of an enemy armed with spears, while remaining practically invulnerable to infantry. The main theme of chivalry is the theme of service and asceticism, which are often accompanied by the mystical cult of the beloved - the Lady, whose colors the knight wore on his armor and served as a guarantor of the protection of the honor of this Lady in cases of the so-called " God's judgment", when the conflict was resolved in a mortal duel between representatives of the accusing and defending parties. Even the king did not have the right to cancel such a trial.
Knighting was carried out in a solemn atmosphere, when only the king could knight; later the Grand Master of the knightly order began to do this. A knight's training took place in service as a page of a noble lady, and then as a squire for one of the knights, who then presented his squire to the king for knighting. Thus, each knight had his own history and affiliation with some landholding or military order of knighthood, marked by the corresponding heraldic symbols, which the knight usually wore on his shield. The first military monastic order arose in the 11th century in Palestine, when seven knights created the Order of the Temple to protect pilgrims.
Then other knightly monastic orders were created, into which the children of nobles who did not have the right to inherit the title were able to join - Maltese, Livonian, Teutonic. The role of abbot was played by the master or grandmaster - the leader of the order. Therefore, no one would be able to see a woman among the knights (even if it was the queen herself), even in the worst nightmare, because it was physically impossible. During the historical period of time, the original meaning of chivalry was lost and distorted to the point where knights began to reproduce themselves through a blow to the face and some oral instructions. With the invention of firearms, chivalry ceased to be the main military striking force. And after women began to be called knights (masters), the institution of knighthood generally lost any meaning. Freemasonry, which considers itself the heirs of knightly traditions, has invested a different esoteric meaning in heraldic symbolism, when in an allegorical expression the title of knight sounds like - master. Logos controlling his horse - matter. Here is the true concept of the semantic sound of the word knight for most people without special education not available.
Knight without fear and reproach
The most famous knight was Bayard Pierre du Terail. He was called “a knight without fear or reproach”; his name became a household name, synonymous with honor, selflessness and military valor. Bayard was born near Grenoble in his family castle in 1476. The Terail dynasty was famous for its knightly deeds; many of Bayard's ancestors ended their lives on the battlefields. He was raised by his grandfather, who was a bishop and gave the boy a good education and education. One of the main elements of education at school in those days was physical training. From birth, Bayard was not distinguished by good health and physical strength, so he devoted a lot of time to gymnastics and various exercises. Since childhood, he dreamed of devoting his life to serving France as a warrior. WITH early years Bayard got used to carrying heavy weapons, jumping on a horse without a stirrup, overcoming deep ditches and climbing high walls, shooting with a bow and fighting with a sword. All his life he remembered his parents’ advice: trust in God, always tell the truth, respect your equals, protect widows and orphans.
According to tradition, Bayard began his service as a page to Count Philippe de Beauges. Having become a knight, he participated in many tournaments. Bayard’s duel with the Spanish knight Inigo is described in D’Azeglio’s novel “Ettore Fieramosca, or the Tournament in Barletta”: “Bayard... was the first to ride into the arena on a beautiful Norman bay stallion; The stallion had three white legs and a black mane. According to the custom of that time, he was covered with a huge blanket, covering his body from ears to tail; the blanket was light green with red stripes, and had the knight's coat of arms embroidered on it; it ended with a fringe that reached the horse's knees. On the head and on the croup of the stallion plumes of feathers of the same colors fluttered, and the same colors were repeated on the spear badge and on the feathers of the helmet... Bayard restrained his horse against Dona Elvira and, as a sign of greeting, bowed his spear in front of her, and then struck it three times into Inigo's shield... This meant that he challenged Inigo to three blows of the spear... Having done all this, Bayard drove off to the entrance to the amphitheater. At that very moment Inigo found himself in his place, opposite him; both held a spear at their feet with the tip up...
When the trumpet sounded for the third time, it seemed that the same impulse animated the fighters and their horses. Bending over the spear, giving spurs to the horse, rushing forward with the speed of an arrow was a matter of one minute, and both riders accomplished it with equal speed and swiftness. Inigo aimed at his opponent's helmet; it was a sure, although difficult, blow; however, when they drew level, Inigo thought that in the presence of such a high assembly it was better to act without risk, and was content to break his spear on Bayard's shield. But the French knight... aimed at Inigo's visor and hit so accurately that even if they both stood motionless, he could not have hit better. Sparks flew from Inigo's helmet, the shaft of the spear broke almost at the very base, and the Spaniard leaned so far on his left side - for he had also lost his left stirrup - that he almost fell. Thus, the honor of this first fight went to Bayard. Both knights continued to gallop around the arena to meet each other on the other side; and Inigo, angrily throwing away a piece of his spear, grabbed another from the barrel as he galloped. In the second fight, the opponents' blows turned out to be equal... During the third fight... Inigo broke his spear on his opponent's visor, and he barely touched his cheek with his spear. Trumpets sounded again and shouts of “Hurray!” The heralds announced that both knights were distinguished by equal valor, and they went together to Dona Elvira’s bed... The girl greeted them with words of praise.”
From the end of the 15th century, the era of the decline of heavily armed mounted knights began. No, they still participate in wars and are considered a force, but new types of weapons lead to the emergence of combat-ready infantry and knightly cavalry begins to lose their positions one after another. The feudal militia largely gives way to mercenary troops, and the place of heavy cavalry is taken by light cavalry. In the 16th century, the French army already consisted of a standing army and some mercenaries; the knightly militia was recruited only in case of war. It was then that France waged wars with Italy, and Bayard “did not get off his horse” until his death.
He went with the king on a campaign against Naples. In frequent, almost daily battles, he showed miracles of heroism and was always distinguished by high honesty. In one of the battles he managed to capture the Spanish general Alonzo de Mayor. According to the customs of that time, a ransom was supposed to be received for his release, but since the Spaniard gave his word of honor that he would not leave until money was sent, Bayard ordered the general to be released from supervision. But the Spaniard left, and soon was captured again, and, having paid the ransom, began to say that Bayard treated him very strictly and slandered the knight in every possible way. Then Bayard challenged him to a duel, in which the Spanish general was killed. But this was a rare case when Bayard’s duel ended in the death of his opponent - his generosity and magnanimity were amazing. His opponents knew this too. One day, pursuing a defeated enemy, Bayard burst into Milan, where he was captured. Having learned who was captured, he was immediately released without ransom as a sign of respect for his military merits.
Luck was not always on the side of the French army. The French were unlucky in Italy and retreated. The French settled down to rest on the banks of the Garigliano River, across which a wooden bridge was thrown. The Spaniards decided to punish the French for such carelessness. A detachment of two hundred cavalry rushed to the bridge to attack the French. Bayard was the first to notice them and rushed towards the enemy. The Spaniards walked in threes. Bayard defended the bridge alone until help arrived. The Spaniards could not believe that only one person opposed them, and the king of France gave the brave knight an inscription on his coat of arms as a reward: “One has the strength of an entire army.” Bayard participated in many more battles. In 1512, he was seriously wounded, and then again found himself captured. His opponents are Emperor Maximilian and the King Henry VIII They released him without any ransom. The emperor received Bayard with respect, and the king invited him to join him in his service, which was very common at that time. But Bayard replied that he had “one God in heaven and one fatherland on earth: he cannot change either one or the other.” In 1514, Bayard accompanied the French king Francis I on a military campaign to Italy. He prepared a bold crossing of the Alps and showed such fearlessness in battle that the king himself, who was twenty-one years old, wished to be knighted by Bayard’s hand. At first he refused such an honor, but the king insisted. After the dedication, Bayard said to the king: “God grant that you do not know escape.” Bayard soon received command of a company of bodyguards from Francis I. This distinction was granted only to princes of the blood.
And again campaigns, battles, victories and defeats. In April 1524, Bayard was sent to Italy to conquer Milan. The campaign was not successful; the French were forced to retreat to the Alpine Mountains across the Sesia River. Bayard commanded the rearguard. He gave the order to hold the bridge across the river, and he rushed at the enemy. The bullet pierced his side and shattered his lower back. Realizing that he would soon die, Bayard ordered himself to be placed under a tree facing the enemy. “I have always looked them in the face and when I die I don’t want to show my back,” he said. He gave a few more orders, confessed and put to his lips the cross that was on the hilt of his sword. The Spaniards found him in this position. Charles de Bourbon, who went over to the side of the Spaniards, approached the dying Bayard and expressed his regret about what happened. Overcoming the pain, Bayard answered him: “You should not regret about me, but about yourself, who took up arms against the king and the fatherland.” Both the life and death of this glorious knight were flawless.
Order of Malta
One of the most interesting knightly orders was the Order of Malta. This spiritual knightly order was founded in Jerusalem in the 11th century. It owes its origin to merchants from Amalfi (a town south of Naples), who obtained permission from the Caliph of Baghdad to build a hospital in Jerusalem for Christian pilgrims visiting the Holy Sepulcher. The hospital was run by Benedictine monks from the Jerusalem church of Santa Maria Latina. When Godfrey of Bouillon conquered Jerusalem during the 1st Crusade (1099), Gerard, the first master of the order, organized from these monks the monastic order of the Hospitallers of St. John of Jerusalem. The monks wore a black cloak with a white eight-pointed cross. In 1113, Pope Paschal II officially approved the order. Five years later, Gerard's successor was the French knight Raymond Dupuis, the first Grand Master of the order, and the order itself turned into a military organization - the Order of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, subordinate to the Augustinian order. The Order by that time had grown so much that it was divided into 8 “nations” or “languages”, with divisions in various European countries, and was obliged not only to maintain chastity and humility, but also to fight for the cause of Christianity to the last drop of blood. Probably the same Dupuis identified three classes in the order: order knights of noble origin, who cared for the sick and performed military service; chaplains responsible for the religious activities of the order; and brothers who performed the duties of servants in the order.
The knights defended Jerusalem from infidels, but in 1187 they were expelled by Saladin, the Sultan of Egypt and Syria, and settled in Akka (Acre), which they held for a hundred years. Then the knights had to move to the island of Cyprus. In 1310, under the command of the Grand Master Devilaret, they captured the island of Rhodes, expelling the pirates from there. The Turks besieged the island three times, but the knights held out until 1522, when they were attacked by Suleiman the Magnificent and surrendered on honorable terms after a heroic defense under the leadership of Philippe Villiers de L'Isle-Adan. In 153, Emperor Charles V gave them control of the island of Malta, where in 1565 the knights, under the command of Master Jean de La Valette, successfully repelled the Turks. The city of Valletta, built on the site of destroyed fortifications, bears the name of the hero of this struggle. For two centuries, the Knights of Malta patrolled the Mediterranean, fighting Turkish pirates, building new hospitals and caring for the sick. The French Revolution dealt a mortal blow to the order. By decree of 1792, their property in France was confiscated, and in 1798 Napoleon occupied Malta, forcing the knights to seek a new refuge. Most of the knights moved to Russia, where Emperor Paul I was elected Grand Master to resurrect the former greatness of the order, but after the death of the emperor (1801) the order ceased to exist. In 1879 an attempt was made to revive the order when Pope Leo XIII restored the position of Grand Master, and over the following years three "nations" were organized in Italy, Germany and Spain, but the order was not restored to its former glory. Grand British Priory of the Honorable Order of St. Hospitallers John of Jerusalem, this Protestant order, founded in England in 1830, maintains distant, although unofficial, connections with the Order of the Knights of Malta. This organization is known for its achievements in social work and hospital work, as well as the creation of the St. John's Sanitary Association. John during the First World War. Catholic branches of the order existed until the 20th century. in a number of European and African countries, in the USA and South America.
Warband
The Teutonic Order was established during the Third Crusade (1189 - 1192). Its full Latin name is Ordo domus Sanctae Mariae Teutonicorum ("Order of the House of St. Mary of Teutonia"), the German name is "Deutscher Order" - "German Order". Members of this German Catholic spiritual-knightly order were considered both monks and knights and took three traditional monastic vows: chastity, poverty and obedience. At that time, members of the order were completely dependent on the Pope, being his powerful instrument and not submitting to the authority of those sovereigns on whose territory their possessions were located. In 1198, the order was established by Pope Innocent III, and in 1221, Pope Honorius III extended to the Teutons all the privileges, immunities and indulgences that the older orders had: the Johannites and the Templars.
The end of the 14th - beginning of the 15th century was the heyday of the military power of the Teutonic Order, which received great help from Western European feudal lords and the Pope. Polish, Russian and Lithuanian troops united in the fight against this formidable force. In 1409, a war broke out again between the Teutonic Order, on the one hand, and Poland and Lithuania, on the other, which became known as the Great War. The decisive battle between the army of the Teutonic Order and the Polish-Lithuanian-Russian troops took place on July 15, 1410 near Grunwald (the Lithuanians call this place Žalgiris, and the Germans call it Tannenberg). Under the leadership of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Vytautas, the main forces of the Teutons were defeated. This put an end to the expansion of German feudal lords and crusaders to the East, which lasted 200 years. The epochal significance of the battle, in which Grandmaster Ulrich von Jungingen and almost all members of the military leadership of the order died, lies in the fact that the military and political power of the Teutons was broken, their plans for domination in Eastern Europe. The Teutonic Order could no longer recover from the defeat inflicted on it. In vain he sought help from the Pope and the ecumenical councils, which at that time were trying to strengthen their shattered authority. catholic church. Under the combined blows of Poland and the rebel cities, the Teutonic Order was forced to admit defeat and renounce political independence.
In the first quarter of the 16th century, interesting events unfolded in the history of the Teutonic Order. On April 2, 1525, the Grand Master of the Teutons Albrecht Hohenzollern entered Krakow, the capital of Poland, in a white cloak of the “sacred army” decorated with a black order cross, and on April 8 he signed peace with Poland not as the Grand Master of the Teutonic Order, but as the Duke of Prussia, which was a vassal depending on the Polish king Sigismund. According to this treaty, all the old privileges enjoyed by the Teutons were lost, but all the rights and privileges of the Prussian nobility remained in force. And a day later, at the old market of Krakow, a kneeling Albrecht took the oath of allegiance to the Polish king. Thus, on April 10, 1525, a new state was born. The Teutonic Order was liquidated so that Prussia could exist.
In 1834, the order was restored with slightly modified tasks in Austria (under Grandmaster Anton Victor, who began to be called Hochmeister), and soon de facto in Germany, although the official order authorities claim that in this country the Teutons resumed their activities only after the end of World War II, because the brother knights were persecuted under Nazism.
Grade 6 can use an essay about knights in preparation for the lesson.
Who are knights? Briefly
The era of knights falls on the years 500 - 1500, that is, in the Middle Ages. It was marked by numerous wars, diseases and epidemics. Previously, infantry soldiers took part in hostilities. But since the invention of the stirrup and the improvement of the saddle, they began to fight on horseback, using a heavy spear as a weapon. Then the horsemen or mounted warriors began to be called knights.
It’s hard to imagine a knight without his faithful horse. He not only fought on it, but also hunted and participated in tournaments. Such horses cost a lot of money: only special breeds with strong build and endurance were selected for military purposes. These qualities were strengthened by constant training.
As a rule, knights were wealthy people and lived in castles with moats and surrounded by thick walls. Those who were poorer lived in stone houses with ditches filled with water.
How could one become a knight?
The class of knights was formed from the children of the nobility: at the age of 7, sons were prepared to serve as pages. Boys were taught swimming, horse riding, fist fighting and the habit of wearing heavy battle armor. When they turned 12-14 years old, they became squires and left their family to serve and live in the knight’s castle. Here he learned to use a sword and a spear. At the age of 21, young people were solemnly accepted as knights.
Virtues of a Knight
The value of a knight is his dignity and honor. Therefore, he followed certain rules. Also, a knight must be generous. They owned wealth, which they received from extortions from peasants, military campaigns and robberies of neighboring feudal lands. Therefore, they distributed their wealth to those in need and “sponsored” talented and inventive individuals. Extravagance was a common and prestigious phenomenon for a knight of that time. It was believed that in this way he eradicates the sinful vices of stinginess, greed, self-interest and pride.
The knights were also preachers of morality and the Christian religion among Muslims. They demonstrated their military valor not only during campaigns, but also at knightly tournaments. On them he could show another of his virtues - generosity, sparing his defeated opponent.
How did the knights arm themselves?
The knights were armed with armor and various weapons. The vestment weighed up to 25 kg, so the master always had his own squire who helped to dress, undress and give weapons. Often war horses were also dressed in heavy armor.
Under his armor, the knight wore chain mail consisting of 1000 rings. Metal pants, gloves, a chin guard, a breastplate and parts that protected the face were attached to it. The image of a warrior was completed by a helmet and shoes with spurs.
- The knights were small people - their height did not exceed 160 cm.
- Under the knight's helmet, fleas and lice swarmed in the folds of his clothing. They washed no more than 3 times a year.
- Putting on and taking off the armor took neither more nor less - 3 hours. Therefore, during military campaigns, they often relieved themselves for themselves.
- For a long time, knights were considered the most powerful warriors on the field. No one could defeat them. The secret lay in an effective throwing weapon that instantly struck the heart of the enemy - a crossbow.
- In 1560, knighthood ceased to exist as a class of the population.
- The weapons were a spear and a sword. In addition, the knights owned a bow.
We hope that the message about knights helped you learn a lot of useful information. You can add to the story about the knights using the comment form below.
In the Middle Ages, in European countries there was a special class whose main occupation was military affairs. The privileged layer of society was called knighthood, and had heavy weight in medieval society. Knighting was considered the highest royal reward for faithful service to one's master.
The history of the emergence of chivalry
Higher military classes were formed in many regions. For example, the samurai clan in Japan or the Sipahi in the Ottoman Empire. However, such a concept as chivalry is associated only with Europe during the 8th-15th centuries. Originating in Spain and France, it quickly spread to other European states, and reached its peak in the 12th-13th centuries, during the Crusades.
Rice. 1. Medieval knight.
Chivalry arose as a result of the development of the feudal land tenure system. By transferring one's own lands for temporary or permanent use, their owner became a lord, and their recipient became a vassal. The duties of the vassal included not only the protection of the land of his lord, but also active participation in his council, court, rescuing him from captivity, and so on. A knight could be loyal to only one lord, and could not simultaneously be in the service of even a higher-ranking feudal lord.
Classification
In the Middle Ages, the knightly brotherhood was represented by two classes:
- Religious chivalry. Consisted of warriors who took a religious vow. For example, the Knights Templar fought against Arabs and representatives of other religious groups.
- Secular knighthood. This class consisted of warriors in the service of high nobility or the king himself.
To become a knight, you had to be not only physically strong and brave, but also a very rich person. Thus, a strong war horse and full knightly uniform (helmet, armor, spear, shield and sword) cost as much as a herd of cows in one village.
Knighthood required very serious physical training. The equipment, made entirely of metal, was very heavy, weighing up to 50 kg. To not only withstand this weight, but also to fight alongside it, you had to have great strength and endurance.
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Rice. 2. Knight's equipment.
The training of future knights began very early. At first, boys developed their physical abilities and military spirit at home. The teenagers were then sent to the lord's palace, where they received the title of pages and began a new stage of training.
In fact, the pages were the knight's servants: they accompanied him everywhere, carried out all his assignments, and served at the table. But at the same time, they were trained in military craft, religion, literature, they were instilled with the ideal of noble chivalry, and taught a code of conduct and honor.
At the age of 14, young men were ordained squires. In this status, they had to monitor the weapons and armor of their knight and accompany him on trips and military campaigns.
Having reached the age of 21, young men who passed all the tests with dignity became knights. Initiation was the most important event, because the future knight took a solemn oath, according to which he had to defend the faith, help the weak and needy, faithfully serve his lord, and avoid pride, vanity, and greed.
Rice. 3. Knighting.
IN holidays In the Middle Ages, knightly tournaments were organized, where brave warriors competed in their skills. Blunt weapons were used in the fights, and the winner was the one who was the first to knock the enemy off the saddle. The food reward was a weapon, horse or armor.
This is how we imagine the image of a medieval knight, inspired by books and films.
And so in reality. Knights were short; at the turn of the 14th-15th centuries, the average height of a knight rarely exceeded 1.60 m.
Or something like that. The unshaven and unwashed face of the average knight was often disfigured by smallpox, since almost everyone in Europe in those days suffered from it.
Meeting with a knight
Alas, all this is nothing more than a myth, and if a modern woman met a real knight on her way, believe me, she would be horrified by this meeting. The image of a knight, created by women's imagination and supported by romantic stories, has nothing to do with reality. A real knight is too different from the one you can dream about...So what were medieval knights like? Here are some interesting facts that will help to recreate the most complete image of the knight, considering all aspects of his life. The medieval knight, of course, combined in himself positive traits with a whole series of disgusting features.
We fought constantly in those years, men often died, so in no European country there was no regular army capable of resisting the enemy.
Hence the need for knights. IN medieval Europe a nobleman could become a knight, ready to perform military service and, if necessary, defend the country and the church. There were no commoners among them, one of the reasons was the lack of money.
And being a knight is an expensive business. A medieval knight had to have a horse (and more than one), weapons and armor (also several sets). The knights were given land, which they could rent out, and with the proceeds they could make “uniforms” for themselves and buy horses.
The armor was very expensive because it was made for specific person, adjusting to his figure. Funds were also needed for the maintenance of squires, of which one knight had several (one could not look after the horses and carry all the heavy armor of the knight).
There were plenty of wars and battles at that time. Therefore, knights turned into absolute killers.
Absolute killers
In the 11th century, the Pope issued an order according to which every young nobleman who had reached the age of twenty took an oath, pledging to protect the weak, children and ladies. But until this moment, for 14 years, the boys had to study the basics of chivalry and martial art, serving all this time as squires. And this is not easy. They had to keep an eye on the knight's armor and his horses. On the battlefield, the squires were behind the knight, ready at any moment to give him new weapons or other armor. If a boy of noble origin (and there were also ordinary people among the squires) lived these 14 years with dignity, then he took the oath, after which he became a knight.
Thanks to their armor, knights were practically invulnerable on the battlefield.
Knights were always expected to be gallant, moral and tell the truth. This was the beginning of chivalry as we see it.
Castles of knights
The knights had their own castles, which were highly fortified and built in such a way as to successfully repel the attacks of the attacking enemy. Their main highlight is spiral staircase, very steep and narrow. Its direction depended on whether the owner of the castle was right-handed or left-handed.
It was bent so that the “working” hand of the knight descending from the stairs could move freely. That is, if the knight is right-handed, then the wall should be on the left. For the enemies rising from below, the picture was the opposite: their right hand rested against a wall, which did not allow them to freely wield weapons.
Medieval knights were very brave, reckless and very cruel. True, the church and the Pope did not condemn “knightly cruelty”, considering it justified: after all, a knight kills, taking sin on his soul, in order to save the country from infidels. And if suddenly a knight finds death in battle and dies at the hands of the enemy, he will certainly go to heaven.
The knights were very arrogant, they treated commoners with contempt. But they had to fight side by side! On the battlefield, in addition to knights, there was always infantry, archers and ordinary soldiers, who were recruited from people of the lower class.
In fairness, it must be said that there were still cases when knights were very sincere towards ordinary warriors and did not abandon them in trouble.
The knights plundered cities and villages, engaged in usury, and exploited the local population.
And now some more shocking truth about medieval knights. All the knights were short. Although, to tell the truth, in those years almost all people were short.
Hygiene of knights
All knights wore a beard. It is clear that they did not have the opportunity to shave during battles, but the beard allowed them to hide skin imperfections. The fact is that in those centuries smallpox epidemics were very frequent in Europe, so the faces of knights were often covered with pockmarks. Plus, the knights washed very rarely, which led to the occurrence of skin diseases, among which acne was common.
Knights washed on average three times a year. You can imagine what their body and hair looked like, almost constantly hidden under strong armor! The unkempt vegetation (mustache, beard and hair) contained both dirt and food debris. And how many creatures started feeding on them! I mean lice and fleas. It seems that the knights had to endure not only the onslaught of the enemy, but also painful insect bites.
The knights also could not boast of teeth. In those days, it was not customary to brush your teeth, and the knights did not have the opportunity to somehow take care of their mouths. Therefore, many were missing part of their teeth, and the rest were half-rotten. A terrible stench came from the mouth, which the knights ate with garlic.
It remained a mystery to the crusaders how Saladin’s wars easily found the camp. The secret was hidden in the smell - the amber from the knights could be heard for dozens of miles.
And what a smell came from their unwashed bodies! There was one more thing that made this worse. Knights almost always wore armor, which took the squires about an hour to remove or put on.
And the opportunity to do this was only in free time from fighting, and natural needs must be relieved periodically!
That's why the knights shit right under themselves, in their armor. Fabulous scent! Apparently, the knight's horse, pooped by the rider, also smelled strongly.
For lovely ladies
And such a knight on a white horse returned from the battle and appeared before the eyes of the ladies! It should be noted that in those days everyone rarely washed, so the fairer sex did not smell of flowers either. Apparently medieval people were so accustomed to the stench of unwashed bodies that they did not consider the smell repulsive.
But at least the women did not relieve themselves! Maybe they considered the “aroma” of knightly excrement and urine to be masculine?
Meeting after the hike. Considering that the gentleman almost never washed, being near them was a difficult ordeal.
It must be said that the knights themselves did not care what they looked like or what they smelled like. Women's opinions did not bother them much, especially if they were commoners. It was customary among knights to raid villages during campaigns and rape all young and innocent girls. The more such “victories” a knight had, the more his friends respected him.
Ladies of noble birth also had a hard time. The knights treated them rudely. In the 12th century, knights slightly changed the incentives that motivated them to show bravery on the battlefield. Now they tried to fight not for their homeland and the church, but for beautiful ladies. Fighting to win the favor of the Lady of the Heart became commonplace for knights. They were ready to worship her!..
But we will have to add a fly in the ointment to this sweet picture. The fact is that we are not talking about any morality here. As a rule, at this moment the knight was married, and his lady of his heart was often legally married. Moreover, the knight never asked the opinion of his beloved - whoever wins the duel will get her. Nobody cared whether the woman wanted this.