Age of Chivalry Chapter 13 Section 3
New Technology Knights: Warriors on Horseback Leather saddles & stirrups – through contact with Muslims in Battle of Tours Knights on horseback became most important part of army
Knight’s Role Fought to defend the territory of their feudal lord 1. Rewarded with land (fiefs) 2.Weapons & armor were $$$ - had to afford to be a knight Knight’s main obligation was to serve in battle 1. Only 40 days of the year in combat!
Knighthood & Chivalry Code of Chivalry – ideals demanded of a knight 1. Be loyal to his feudal lord, obey God, and be nice to the ladies 2. Protected the weak & poor 3. Brave, courteous
Age of Chivalry? Some took it seriously, others didn’t. It tended to break down especially towards the later Middle Ages. The Middle Ages wasn’t a time of fairy tale castles and noble, honorable knights. It was a nasty time of political intrigue, bloody wars, and brutish men exercising their limited power in order to gain more power. JUST LIKE ANY OTHER TIME!!
Training The prospective knight went through three stages: Page - Younger years (age 7) - Assistant to squire & Lord 2) Squire (age 14) - Was Robin to a knight’s Batman - Took care of knight’s equipment
3) Knight (age 21) - When he becomes a full-fledged soldier who officially enters into a feudal arrangement with a lord.
Tournaments Mock Battles
Literature of Chivalry Themes = idealized castle life, glorified knighthood, knight’s undying love for lady The Song of Roland – famous epic poem about Charlemagne’s knights fighting Muslims Praised French soldiers killed in battle Troubadours – traveling poet-musicians Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine Most celebrated woman of the age is Eleanor of Aquitaine (1122–1204) Becomes Queen of England Eleanor’s son, Richard the Lion-Hearted, also wrote songs and poems
Roles of Women Status of Women According to the Church and feudal society, women are inferior to men!! Noblewomen 1. Can inherit land 2. defend castle 3. send knights to war on lord’s request Usually confined to activities of the home or convent Peasant Women 1. Most labor in home and field 2. bear children 3. provide for family Poor, powerless, do household tasks at young age
Enough about chivalry… What about the weapons and warfare?
Plate Armor
Triangular shields meant to repel blows. “Coat of Arms” – symbols to represent family, manor
Crossbows & Longbows
Siege Weapons pg. 366 Siege Tower Battering Ram Trebuchet Mantlet