The Knight and Chivalry - Softcover

The concept of chivalry is one of the central ideas of the medieval world, linking the practicalities of warfare to the highest levels of literary and religious idealism. One of the most elusive aspects of chivalry is its relationship with Christian belief, and this study draws parallels between the two, showing how, from the Church's changing attitude to war as reflected in the Crusades, the military orders emerged: Templars, Hospitallers and others - religious chivalry in action. The book also discusses how chivalry played its part in the realm of politics, the ideals of chivalry being clearly seen in the secular orders of knighthood founded by the princes of Western Europe, binding their allies to them with patronage and reward. First published in 1970, the book has been extensively revised to take account of research during the last 25 years.