Nigel Saul. Chivalry in Medieval England

At the battle of Bannockburn in 1314, Gilbert, earl of Gloucester, chivalrously charged alone into the Scottish ranks to preserve his honor. In contrast, Bartholomew Badlesmere, one of the earl's followers, unchivalrously failed to copy his lord's example. This incident demonstrates the difficulties involved in interpreting the knightly values of the medieval period, as chivalric deeds were counterbalanced by acts of violence and cowardice. It is the earl, not his follower, who features in this sympathetic study of chivalric culture. Nigel Saul ranges widely, with both learning and a lightness of touch, over the world of aristocratic society in medieval England. A chronological framework is provided in the initial chapters, which are followed by examination of specific themes. Saul argues that although chivalry was introduced to England by the Normans in the eleventh century, it was from the early fourteenth century that chivalric ritual began to penetrate warfare extensively, with vows, glorious feats of arms, and brave deeds done to impress women. At the same time, there was a new brutality afoot, characterized by political executions and heavy casualties in some battles. This was very different from the position in the early twelfth century, when a mere three knights were killed at the battle of Brémule, or the early thirteenth, when the death of the handsome count of Perche at the battle of Lincoln was widely grieved.

Ancient history · Art · Art history · Battle · Chivalry · Eleventh · Henry IV, Holy Roman Emperor · Honor · Middle Ages · Nobility · Performance art · Political science · Politics · Classics · History · Law · Medieval Literature and History