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- Requires some selective reading, but thought provoking
- Fascinating Look at French Medieval Chivalry
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French Chivalry: Chivalric Ideals and Practices in Mediaeval France
Sidney Painter
Manufacturer: Cornell University Press
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Binding: Paperback
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Yvain, Or, the Knight With the Lion
ASIN: 0801490618 |
Customer Reviews:
Requires some selective reading, but thought provoking.......2004-07-21
As the introduction indicates, skip the first chapter unless you really know nothing of the Middle Ages. Besides being dated and intensely opinionated the chapter contains sweeping generalizations with no support and factual errors, particularly regarding armor. Later chapters are much improved. Sources are noted (though they could use more variety) and statements of opinion, which are numerous, are generally noted in the first person.
Despite these issues, French Chivalry has much to offer. It's a great overview of a number of sources, and takes an easily comprehended view of chivalry from the perspectives of the church, proponents of courtly love, and from knights themselves. It's a good introduction to the topic, being more accessible than Maurice Keen's excelent work "Chivalry."
Fascinating Look at French Medieval Chivalry.......2003-10-27
French Chivalry is superb. I have always enjoyed reading medieval history, and I have accepted that many texts are detailed and scholarly and require substantial effort by the reader.
Well-researched and documented, French Chivalry is an exception. Anyone with a modicum of interest in the Middle Ages will have difficulty putting this book aside. Historian Sidney Painter writes with an engaging style that is both informal and scholarly. I read all 172 pages in two days.
Painter has created a uniquely fascinating examination of French chivalry, contrasting the chivalric ideal with the actual practice of chivalry by French knights from about 1000 to the mid-1400s.
There are only five chapters. The first chapter, The Nobles of France, portrays the French ruling class at the end of the first millennium as little more than undisciplined warriors. Painter examines the political, economic, and military factors that influenced the development of that remarkable code of behavior that we call chivalry.
In chapter 2, Feudal Chivalry, Painter explores the ideals of chivalry that were most readily acceptable to French knights themselves - prowess in battle, loyalty, generosity, knightly courtesy, and love of glory.
Chapter 3 (Religious Chivalry) and 4 (Courtly Love) describe how churchmen and ladies created and advanced their own distinct and rather contradictory conceptions of the perfect nobleman. Despite persistent efforts, the ethical ideals propagated by the ecclesiastical class met with limited success. The ladies did, however, persuade the warrior class to direct more attention away from the battlefield.
The final chapter examines how the three somewhat mutually exclusive types of chivalry were reconciled. This story ends as the warrior knight is transformed into (or replaced by) the courtier, a man more concerned with entertaining and pleasing royalty than exhibiting prowess in battle.
Book Description
Undoubtedly the most influential chivalric handbook of the middle ages, this work articulates the ideals expressed both in medieval romance and in the crucible of the medieval battlefield - this is a work written by an accomplished knight for a knightly audience. Rendered from the Caxton 1484 translation into modern English, it is accompanied by the anonymous Ordene de Chevalerie, another important and lively medieval account of the knighting ceremony.
Customer Reviews:
A moral guide for the warrior...past and present.......2007-01-17
Ramon Lull spent his youthful years as a knight in his native land of Catalonia (northeast Spain). During that time, his life very much resembled that of an Arthurian champion, experiencing adventures of both martial and amorous nature. In his later years, he experienced a religious enlightenment, and retired to the forest, to live as a hermit in meditation. He left all his wealth and lands to his children and became a hermit. Being an educated man, he devoted his time to writing a large quantity of books, in multiple languages.
One of his most important books, is this one, a moral guide-line for the ideals of Chivalry. This is a treatise on the highest idealized standards of behavior for the Christian warrior. Within, Ramon Lull described the virtues a knight should aspire to, and the vices he should avoid. He describes the test a candidate for knighthood should undergo, the duties a knight owes to his liege and those he would protect, the ceremony of knighting, and the symbolism of a knight's weapons, armor,and equipment.
There was no precisely defined and unified Code of Chivalry, but it was a general concept of right versus wrong, and what we know of it comes from other such books and Medieval lore passed down through the ages. Some Orders of knighthood did establish their own particular versions of the code, but they all largely emphasized the same noble virtues.
Not all knights lived up to this ideology, some, in fact ignored it completely. However, there were some knights who did indeed live up to this code as closely as a mortal man can.
In our increasingly cynical secularist age, with its concept of "moral relativism", the Code of Chivalry is needed now, more than ever.
A great book.......2003-07-26
Whether you're a medievalist, historian, martial artist, or an escapist role player who pretends that you're a knight, this book will teach you what REAL chivalry was. Anyone interested in european martial history, or in becoming a better person should read this. My thanks to mr. Price for making it available once again.
Book Description
Tremendously detailed and thorough account of premodern weapons of war — from the prehistoric Bronze and Iron Ages and the breakup of the Roman Empire, to the Viking era and the Age of Chivalry. Profusely illustrated with a host of armor and weapons: daggers, longbows, crossbows, helmets, swords, shields, spears and more.
Customer Reviews:
Should Be Called "The Archaeology of Swords" & not Weapons.......2007-06-19
I bought this mainly for what I could learn about fighting axes. What I got was a description of 3 vague axe types without any new (or much old)information about them. Thats not much in 330pp. I was disappointed from the second I opened it and leafed through it. Obviously there were a great many axes used in these times periods yet you wouldn't think so reading this book. The 95% of this is on swords. If you were interested in much of anything else from that time period, forget it. If swords are your thing this is for you.
The Archaeology of Weapons: Arms and Armour from Prehistory to the Age of Chivalry.......2007-01-07
This is a very informative book, written clearly and delightfully free of arcane references. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 is because most of the illustrations are drawings rather than photographs. The drawings are good though. This is a good reference book for dating the styles and innovations of edged weapons up through the end of the 15th century--Particularly for a collector.
A compelling read.......2006-11-08
This book goes beyond the history and developement of the sword and related weapons. It deals with early European history as it relates to weaponry and fighting techniques and back the claims with archeological findings. Oakeshott also discusses the old sagas and other historical lore, supported by archeology, to illustrate the culture of the sword and the peoples who used these weapons. I find it hard to just finish the chapter that I am on and get about with the day's work. A truely compelling read for those interested in anchient weaponry.
Highly readable and yet extremely informative.......2006-04-25
This fascinating book is the magnum opus of author and sword-expert Ewart Oakeshott (1916-2002). In it, the author traces the evolution of European (and only European) arms from prehistory to the fifteenth century. He shows how weapons changed in shape and composition, sometimes due to changes in technology (for example in the change from bronze to iron) and sometimes due to changes in society (for example in the development of chivalry).
Overall, I found this to be a highly readable, and yet extremely informative book. The author does a great job of explaining the evolution of weapons in a clear and easy-to-understand manner. I enjoyed the many picture and illustrations that are peppered throughout the book, finding them very useful for understanding the text.
Now, as you might expect with a book by a sword-expert, this book focuses primarily on the development of the sword, but as the sword has usually been considered the king of the pre-gunpowder battlefield, this is not a great surprise. So, let me just say that this is a great book for understanding European weapons of any era, and of the evolution of the weapons in general. I think that this is a great book on ancient and medieval weapons, one that I would not hesitate to recommend to all readers.
A must have.......2005-09-21
This is a simple walktrough the age of blade weapons. Easy understood, good illustrations and serious written. It's not a boring learning book, but it is helpfull. Either you are a reenacter or an archeology student. Buy it!
Customer Reviews:
Great for knight-aficionados..........2007-05-13
Great for younger kids interested in knights (3-4years), lots of information and great pictures.
Great Gail Gibbons.......2007-03-22
Like all of Gibbons' books, the text is full of good info...accompanied by useful illustrations.
Knights and Castles.......2007-01-19
I bought this for my 6-year-old grandson, who loves to play with knights and dragons. Great pictures and lots of information presented without a lot of words. I learned a lot, too! Gail Gibbons' books are terrific!
Historical info for kids.......2004-03-05
This is a history book that describes the lives of knights in the Middle Ages. The book describes how boys could become knights, what the rules of the code of honor for knights were, and what battles between knights were like. The book introduces a lot of factual material and vocabulary, but there is no plot or story line. At the end of the book, there is a short section describing some famous knights and their dragons. Personally, I found the book a bit dry, but kids who are fascinated with swords and armor may show some interest in it. The book has about 900 words.
Knights in Shining Armor.......2000-10-23
As an heraldic artist for over 40 years and with grandchildren becoming interested in ALL things, I found this book very helpful in passing on my interests. It has helped them to become intrigued with the Knights of the Roundtable and their play now includes slaying dragons and rescuing fair maidens.They also have started asking about the various insignia in all my books on heraldry.
The illustrations brought to life the costumes and customs of the era. The story was written simply so that any young child could readily understand what the author was saying.
Thanks to Gail Gibbons for such an interesting way for children to learn.
Book Description
Medieval society was dominated by its knights and nobles. The literature created in medieval Europe was primarily a literature of knightly deeds, and the modern imagination has also been captured by these leaders and warriors. This book explores the nature of the nobility, focusing on France in the High Middle Ages (11th-13th centuries). Constance Brittain Bouchard examines their families; their relationships with peasants, townspeople, and clerics; and the images of them fashioned in medieval literary texts. She incorporates throughout a consideration of noble women and the nobility's attitude toward women.
Research in the last two generations has modified and expanded modern understanding of who knights and nobles were; how they used authority, war, and law; and what position they held within the broader society. Even the concepts of feudalism, courtly love, and chivalry, once thought to be self-evident aspects of medieval society, have been seriously questioned. Bouchard presents bold new interpretations of medieval literature as both reflecting and criticizing the role of the nobility and their behavior. She offers the first synthesis of this scholarship in accessible form, inviting general readers as well as students and professional scholars to a new understanding of aristocratic role and function.
Customer Reviews:
read it now!.......2006-10-21
This book is wonderfully written. Clear, concise, vivid, and very well-structured. A must read, especially for people who like medieval literature.
Strong of fact, noble writing!.......1999-02-09
This is a gem of a book. Dispelling some myths about knights and nobles. Easy to read and understand, but its wealth of references does not slow down the story.
Book Description
At a time of astonishing confusion about what it means to be a man, Brad Miner has recovered the oldest and best ideal of manhood: the gentleman. Reviving a thousand-year tradition of chivalry, honor, and heroism, The Compleat Gentleman provides the essential model for twenty-first-century masculinity.
Despite our confusion, real manhood is not complicated. It is an ancient ideal based on service to one's God, country, family, and friends—a simple but arduous ideal worthy of a lifetime of struggle.
Miner's gentleman stands out for his dignity, restraint, and discernment. He rejects the notion that one way of behaving is as good as another. He belongs to an aristocracy of virtue, not of wealth or birth. Proposing neither a club nor a movement, Miner describes a lofty code of manly conduct, which, far from threatening democracy, is necessary for its survival.
Miner traces the concept of manliness from the jousting fields of the twelfth century to the decks of the Titanic. The three masculine archetypes that emerge—the warrior, the lover, and the monk—combine in the character of the "compleat gentleman." This modern knight cultivates a martial spirit in defense of the true and the beautiful. He treats the opposite sex with the passionate respect required by courtly love. And he values learning in the pursuit of truth—all with the discretion, decorum, and nonchalance that the Renaissance called sprezzatura.
The Compleat Gentleman is filled with examples from the past and the present of the man our increasingly uncivilized age demands.
Customer Reviews:
Gandhi or Galahad?.......2007-09-25
Miner has provided an excellent description of concepts of honor and chivalry and "gentlemanly" behavior across the last two thousand plus years. The discussion is wide-ranging, from Trappist monks to stoic philosophers to medieval knights and modern warriors. A particularly telling point came towards the end, where Miner comes to pick up his son at school. It turns out that his son has been involved in a fight. He asks the teacher who started it, and she looks at him in disbelief. She wants to know if it matters. Miner replies that it does. He wants his sons to emulate Galahad, not Gandhi. He wants sons who are ready to decide what is right and to defend it. That is not, of course, to say that Gandhi's ideas might not have been important and relevant, but perhaps not applicable to this situation (in Miner's opinion). There is a difference between aggression and self-defense. There is a difference between being devoted to justice and being a bully. A "compleat gentleman" is dedicated to defending the weak, and standing up for what is right. He has manners, but not in a foppish manner. He is generous. He gives of himself, financially, emotionally and physically, but not in a "showy" manner. A few reviewers have been upset that Miner did not serve in Vietnam. He discloses this fact openly, and does not beat it to death, and regrets his decision. In any way that one looks at this, should he be punished for the rest of his life for the decision made then? The concepts of the book are important, and not momentary failings (or not, given the nature of the conflict) of the author. The only issue I might take with the author is on his assessment of dueling. It is mostly disparaged, where other scholars of the topic have considered it an indispensible "final rememdy" of an insult to honor. Some consideration of this topic would have been appreciated. My six year old son will get his own copy as soon as he can read at this level.
The A Rather Compleat Book.......2006-07-02
The first 3/4's of the book is mostly historical documentation and facts about knights and the concepts of chivalry as they were and as they are commonly (and often wrongly) interpreted. For those of you who love history you'll love it. For those of you who don't, bear with it because it all comes together at the end. It's also presented in a way that's interesting and not just a textbook drone. While I don't agree with absolutely everything Miner had to say he got me thinking and that's what mattered. A refreshing read for anyone interested in the truer workings of manners and chivalry. I'd recommend it. You won't be able to put it down.
Enjoyable, challenging, enlightening.......2006-06-13
What does it mean to be a gentleman? That is the concept that Miner seeks to explore and does so by examining history, delving into the great concept of chivalry and the time-honored traditions that have transcended generations and cultures to give a foundational view of the concept of a gentleman. While some cultures in some eras associated the concept of the gentleman with social status, title, wealth or birth; Miner argues that the concept is better represented by the concepts of true nobility - character, dignity, restraint and discernment.
Miner is a lover of history and traces the concept of manliness from the days of the knights and the proverbial Round Table to the "women and children first" mentality found on the sinking Titanic. He writes that three masculine archetypes emerge - the warrior, the lover, and the monk - to combine in the character that Miner calls "the compleat gentleman."
Miner's warrior is a man who has something to live for - and is willing to sacrifice his life either to protect it or even to further it. The warrior is not necessarily a man of war, but a man prepared to do battle for that which he loves. His life is marked by preparation for something great and then is lived out pursuing those ideals to which he is called. One great line Miner uses to explain his warrior is from the writings of the great philosopher Epictetus who said, "For it is better to die of hunger, exempt from fear and guilt, than to live in affluence with perturbation."
If Miner's gentleman is willing to die for something he loves, it is because he loves deeply and with great passion. While romantic love definitely makes the list, it is not the sole occupant - love of God, country, and cause are also worthy objects of a gentleman's passions.
Finally, Miner's gentleman is a monk. I loved this one. Miner tells us that the word monk comes from the Greek monakhos, meaning solitary - but Miner's concept of aloneness is time for reflection and study - viewed another way, the monk is a lover "of learning and of truth."
Running throughout the book is the theme sprezzatura - a concept Miner says underlies this "compleat gentleman." It is a self-awareness and self-restraint and differs like night and day from self-centeredness or even apathy. The concept is what Christians might refer to as meekness, a trait often associated with Christ, and clearly as misunderstood. Sprezzatura is the ability to think before one speaks, to grasp the gravity of words and actions; and even to know when inaction or silence is the best avenue. It carries with it a "James Bond" like persona where actions speak louder than words, and the words flow like honey from the lips of a man with a license to kill.
Miner doesn't delude himself or the reader into thinking that this "compleat gentleman" is around every corner; quite to the contrary, "all things excellent are as difficult as they are rare" writes Miner. He gives men something to strive for, something to hold up as an ideal and an understanding that throughout history there have been men who have risen above the standards of the day to truly be called gentlemen - and we sure need more of these in this day and time!
The Compleat Gentlemen is not a Christian book, nor does the author purport it to be so; but Christian men will agree with Miner's argument that men need to be men of honor and integrity. The book is a challenging read, but well worth the effort and I would suggest it for any man, especially for a young man considering the path of his journey.
Fascinating.......2006-03-29
Up front, the only serious disagreement I have with the author is his support for putting women in combat. I understand his reasoning, but his lack of military experience causes him to oversimplify the question.
I find it entertaining that readers here were offended and surprised that a book with a picture of a sword on the cover and references to chivalry (which means, roughly, "horsemanship" -- knighthood) would speak positively of service in war. If you think that nonviolence in the face of evil is the more gentlemanly route (other than in very strict circumstances), then fine. Be the gentleman while your wife and children are killed before your eyes by a criminal. I, on the other hand, will be doing my utmost to defend them. (Defend your wife and children, that is, mine will already be safe.) Those who are disturbed by the use of violence in this "less hostile and disgusting world" should stop using freedoms that were bought for them (not by them) with spilt blood. And perhaps check out a wonderful country such as, say, Somalia, and tell me if the world is *really* less hostile.
Yes, the author should have fought in Viet Nam when he had the chance. Alas, hindsight is 20/20, and at least he now realizes his failing.
I found his discussions of the Templars, in particular, fascinating. Aside from their questionable personal hygiene, they seem to exemplify the very highest sort of warrior ideal. It is also a relief to see a group of extraordinarily brave men get the credit that is their due, rather than more hateful lies about conspiracies to conceal the "divine feminine."
If you are a woman, you will be relieved to know that there are still men out there who "get it." If you are a man, you will understand what it is that you felt was wrong with our society's cult of weak men. This book will challenge you. It did me.
History, Not "How To".......2006-02-20
We bought this book hoping for an instruction manual on teaching our boys how to be chivalrous in an age of decay. While it is an interesting read, it is not so much a "guide" as a plotting of time. A more appropriate title would be, "The Compleat Gentleman: An Historical Discourse." Great on detail and well-written, but we were misled by the title a bit.
Book Description
Alongside the familiar pitched battles, regular sieges, and large-scale manoeuvres, medieval and early modern wars also involved assassination, abduction, treason and sabotage. These undercover operations were aimed chiefly against key individuals, mostly royalty or the leaders of the opposing army, and against key fortified places, including bridges, mills and dams. However, because of their clandestine nature, these deeds of `derring-do' have not been studied in any detail, a major gap which this book fills. It surveys a wide variety of special operations, from the eleventh to the sixteenth century. It then analyzes in greater depth six select and exciting operations: the betrayal of Antioch in 1098; the attempt to rescue King Baldwin II from the dungeon of Khartpert in 1123; the assassination of Conrad of Montferrat in 1192; the attempt to storm Calais in 1350; the `dirty war' waged by the rulers of France and Burgundy in the 1460s and 1470s; and the demolition of the flour mill of Auriol in 1536. Dr YUVAL NOAH HARARI teaches at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
Product Description
For the first time, the King of Portugal's 1438 treatise, LIVRO DA ENSINANǁ DE BEM CAVALGAR TODA SELA, will be available in English. Never before translated even into modern Portuguese, Antonio Franco Preto has delivered a superb rendition of this most important treatise. The ROYAL BOOK OF HORSEMANSHIP, JOUSTING & KNIGHTLY COMBAT is a chivalric treatise written by a renowned medieval king who was an expert in his subject matter. Superbly educated, the king wrote about fundamentals of medieval horsemanship--including specifics about clothing, shoes, saddles and tack--about the seat and riding securely in the saddle, details about the medieval hunt, about how to joust, including roles for the knight's assistants and squires, about different kinds of lances, about wrestling and fighting with the sword. More than this, the work is a chivalric treatise on the par with Geoffrey de Charny's Book of Chivalry or Ramon Lull's Book of Knighthood & Chivalry. Its minute examination of the human spirit, in all its glory and failings, is woven with consummate skill into the text. D. Duarte discusses the moment of impact, for example, lance against lance, and about different ways that men fail at the point of impact. This failure is then discussed in the context of life. This work is a prize of medieval literature and Portuguese history that has languished in obscurity owing to its difficulty. But Dom Duarte was considered to be one of the great kings of Portugal, and his work, dedicated to his wife, left Portugal with her as she departed for Naples with the king's death. When the French overran Naples in 1495, the book was transferred to the French National Library, which it remains today. Although several old editions have appeared in Portugal, they were in the original language and were extremely difficult. Antonio Franco Preto has now rendered this text not only accessible, but preserved its elegance as well. It will be an important book to many: students of chivalric literature, the equestrian arts, jousting, Western martial arts, or Portuguese history.
Customer Reviews:
Teaching to ride well in every type of saddle.......2006-03-02
This book was written by the King Dom Duarte of Portugal in the early 15th century; a text that has long been overlooked by horse masters and scholars alike over the centuries. Usually when Duarte's work is mentioned, it is in brief and only covers a singular topic. Due to these limited translated excerpts, there is a common misconception in the community of interest that this book is just about jousting. I assure you, it is not.
Basically "Bem Cavalgar", a short hand term for the work, is a 15th century book of advice on or teaching how to ride in every type of saddle. Duarte speaks from his own experience about having a firm seat and to be well mounted when performing tasks from jousting to hunting and every day riding. He also covers the use of proper equipment for the specific task. Many modern equestrians may see bits of advice that come remarkably close to what they've been taught from their earliest riding lessons.
Duarte, like many rulers of his age, was philosophical, being well versed in mythology of the past and the religion of the day. Duarte covers many of these aspects in his own musing about "The Will" and why sometimes riders fail or succeed because of the types of will and desire employed in riding or other activities.
Amusingly enough, Duarte was very concerned about appearance and looking good while you were in the saddle. If one had an especially difficult horse, he explains how the rider could "disguise" the difficulty by straightening a hat or bit of clothing until the horse was under control so as not to appear unsafe or concerned about falling; style and elegance.
The book contains Duarte's advice and thoughts on weapon handling. His advice is sound regarding work from the ground before trying it from horseback. His belief that if you didn't feel safe and confident working with a weapon on the ground, you wouldn't be safe or confident with it on horseback. This follows the teachings of some of Duarte's contemporaries like Fiore di Liberi (Italian), whose system approaches the basics (wrestling and weapons) from the ground and eventually teaches the student to use the combat techniques from horseback a skill that Duarte laments later in his text that the young noblemen seem to be losing due to their pursuit of the ladies and courtly romance.
Martial techniques that are discussed in whole or briefly: work with the lance, the sword, and wrestling. Probably not as detailed as most students of historical western martial arts would like, but those experienced in equestrian martial sport will probably realize that much of it is common sense and practices that many of us have been doing for years.
In comparison to other works on the horsemanship of antiquity, Duarte is at times sketchy about details and without images for guidance; the reader is left to draw their own conclusions in regard to visualizing how certain movements are performed.
About the translation, I've been studying the work by Joseph Piel for years and know what a difficult and monumental task "Bem Cavalgar" was to translate. Mr. Preto has done a commendable job in bringing this difficult work to English, in full, for the first time. He has also added a bit of information to the beginning of the book to share a chronicler's description of Duarte and share the history of Portugal with the reader to add a bit of context to Duarte's work. (Obrigado)
While I have the highest regard for the content of the book and the effort it took to bring it to the masses, as a bibliophile and a design professional, I must now share my concerns regarding the presentation of this work.
In comparison to other works on horsemanship that offer a modern translation, I found the work to be missing two key components, a facsimile of the original manuscript or a text version of same and/or contemporary artwork to add visual breaks for the eye. While this may not seem to be an issue with most readers, for a scholar, it doesn't allow for comparison of the translation with the work. Sometimes errors occur and without a source to for comparison, you will never know.
When I was finally able to hold the book in my hands, my first impression was the disappointment I felt with the low quality of the binding and the flimsy paper stock. The faux leather had air bubbles under it where the glue didn't adhere or didn't cover the boards. The gold leaf text was practically illegible (same for the dust jacket). The whole thing would probably have been better served by a cloth cover and a regular serif font for readability rather than trying to mimic a manuscript.
A major issue was that before I had even finished my first reading, the binding had come unglued and the end papers had begun to separate from the cover. I have purchased several books over the years in the same price range and have never had this happen. The watch phrase is "handle with care" when reading to avoid damage to the book.
Advice to the publisher: Quality Control.
Having said that, I am pleased to see the work finally come to light as the information is more important than the binding. So, if you are a medieval horsemanship enthusiast or interested in the knightly arts even if you don't have a horse, I definitely recommend that this book be a part of your equestrian and medieval studies library.
Important work.......2006-03-02
This is a very valuable and important work for anyone interested in historical horsemanship; especialy jousting. It is a great pitty that this book is so poorly produced (esp for the money!) & the binding is particularly bad (otherwise this is a 5 star book). Those who want it will still buy it however as it is the only English translation published that I know of.
Book Description
Medieval Europe was a rapidly developing society with a problem of violent disorder. Professor Kaeuper's original and authoritative study reveals that chivalry was just as much a part of this problem as it was its solution. Chivalry praised heroic violence by knights, and fused such displays of prowess with honour, piety, high-status, and attractiveness to women. Though the vast body of chivalric literature praised chivalry as necessary to civilization, most texts also worried over knightly violence, criticized the ideals and practices of chivalry, and often proposed reforms. The knights themselves joined the debate, absorbing some reforms, ignoring others, sometimes proposing their own. The interaction of chivalry with major governing institutions ("church" and "state") emerging at that time was similarly complex: kings and clerics both needed and feared the force of the knighthood. This fascinating book lays bare these conflicts and paradoxes which surrounded the concept of chivalry in medieval Europe.
Customer Reviews:
Some things never change.......2005-09-01
In Chivalry and Violence in Medieval Europe, Richard Kaeuper explores the concept of chivalry in an attempt to understand its true nature and place in medieval society. He takes into consideration the tendency of early writers and more modern historians to take a romantic view or a cynical view of chivalry based on prejudices. In his book, Kaeuper disputes a modern romanticized belief that chivalry was a positive and uncomplicated factor that helped to restrain men and that the problems with order in medieval society brought about by war and violence were not inherent in chivalry, but rather a lack of properly dispersed chivalric ideals. He argues that, "in the problem of public order the knights themselves played and ambivalent problematic role and that the guides to their conduct that chivalry provided were in themselves complex and problematic."(3)
To support his thesis, Kaeuper draws on a variety of medieval literature and histories, as well as some modern interpretation. He seeks to explain, through these sources, the concept of violence in medieval society, and to explain how that violence figured in the medieval social structure and in the minds of the knights who practiced it. Keauper recognizes, as do many of the medieval sources he quotes, that during the medieval period there was both licit and illicit violence. Licit violence was used to bring about order. He first turns to the Norman monk Orderic Vitalis who believed that violence for the right cause was acceptable. He quotes Vitalis who said, "Wrong must be done to put an end to a wrong thing."(13) He also refers to the French abbot Suger, who praised the royal use of force in the interest of order.
Kaeuper also used chivalric literature as a source of information about the use of violence in medieval society. He claims that, "Almost without failure these works give prominence to acts of disruptive violence and problems of control."(22) Regarding the effects of illicit violence, Kaeuper refers to the literary images of unusual power such as the black knights who fight each other and attack others. These knights are demonic in nature, and in some cases are the souls of knights being punished for sins. These knights are found in the story of Arthur, Lancelot and Gawain on the grail pilgrimage as well as others.
Kaeuper brings up the question of whether knights read romances, which is important to understanding how or if knights and chivalric literature interacted. Kaeuper states that there is evidence to believe knights did read such literature since Geoffrey de Charny referred to Lancelot do Lac, and Raymond Llull "drew heavily on thirteenth century romances."(31)
Kaeuper next looks at the idea of knights as pious people. Examples of this are again found by Kaeuper in literature as Galahad in The Quest for the Holy Grail and Lancelot in Mort Artu both regularly hear mass and take pains to do so. William Martel's biographer, according to Kaeuper, "recorded William's belief that all his knightly achievement was the personal gift of God."(47) Further, according to Kaeuper, both William Marshall and Geoffrey de Charny were crusaders, who also founded religious houses.
Despite their piety, there can be no doubt that knights were violent men. This is again supported through medieval literature. Kaeuper finds reference in Lancelot do Lac where upon hearing there would be a war with Arthur, "The good and bold knights were happy and joyful at this, for they felt there had been peace too long."(162-163) He also looks to the Chanson Gaydon where he finds that knights, "have no desire to make peace, they have always heard the war-cry."(163) He also finds such reference in biography such as the Chandos Herald's portrayal of the Black Prince, "There they made many a widowed lady and many a poor child orphan."(182)
Kaeuper arranges his book topically. Within each topic, he draws on various sources to make his point. This book is easily read, and supplies enough literary reference and narrative of events to be entertaining. Kaeuper has attempted to write a balanced description of the realities of a life dedicated to chivalry, and he succeeds. He consistently points out the good and bad associated with chivalry and knightly violence.
Michael E. Watson and Dr. Carl Edwin Lindgren
the full monty.......2001-06-06
I've taken a couple of Prof. Kaeuper's courses, and I got what I expected in this book. I can't speak for professional historians, but I can say that his style accomodates those less familiar with the time period. Indeed, you might find it to be kind of a grind at first, because the emphsais is on strict historical evidence rather than on any prevailing romantic notions about chivalry. This often dissapoints beginning students in this area, but I gurantee that the energy put in leaves one far more gratified. The reader can get a clear sense that the "Dark Ages" were immensely complex and active, and that this thing we call "chivalry" is essential to Western history -even the Western present- and is by no means something people did just so we can watch nifty movies.
How knights thought about knighthood.......2000-03-25
Readers who enjoyed Maurice Keen's fine book *Chivalry* may well want to read this book, which approaches the same question, "What is chivalry?" from a somewhat different angle.
Kaeuper, who has long been interested in the question of public order in the later Middle Ages, argues in this book that it is a mistake to look at chivalry as an ideal which had only a positive impact. Yes, indeed, knights often fought to uphold law and religion, and believed it was their duty to do so; at the same time, knights believed they had an inherent right to exercise violence in whatever cause they chose, and sometimes for no other reason than to defend their own prickly honor.
In other words, chivalry was a troublesome and ambiguous ideal, as much problem as solution.
To illustrate this, Kaeuper takes the reader on a fascinating tour of all kinds of medieval chivalric literature. All of it, he says, was reformist in nature, even the romances which were primarily meant to entertain. But reform could mean many things: knights should control their violence; or, knights should remember that they are fighters first.
The best part of this book is the masterly way Kaeuper allows us to see all the different ways medieval writers and their audiences thought about knighthood. It is quite an achievement.
Book Description
The User Guide is all you need to successfully find, meet, and date women. Learn about women\'s wants, needs, and tendencies delivered in bullet form. Women are not a mystery.
Customer Reviews:
good book for some basic to some what advanced info.......2007-07-25
okay, i seen many dating/relationship books that are really terrible. i've read some books that made me laugh, i've avoided buying these books, most of the time i'll scan through them to see if theres anything good in them, there usually isn't. but this book is different. there was actually stuff in here that taught me something. there are some stuff in here about body language that i didn't know, and some stuff about how you are supposed to ask for things. i didn't realize that i was making a mistake about how i asked for numbers, i mean come on that is supposed to be simple right. but after i change my style i notice i was gettin more numbers. this stuff really works. it gives you some tips about how to tell if a girl is into you or not, advice on your opening line, and how to get a girl to chase you, not the other way around. granted there was some stuff in this book that i already knew, you'll probably experience the samething, but a lot of it is stuff i didn't know or stuff i've never thought about. all in all its a very good book, i would have given it 5 stars, but because of some of the elementry stuff hurt its overall value. i highly recomend this book for all the youngsters out there that are having lady trouble and to any guys out there lookin to improve their game.
Good Book for Quick Read and Beginners.......2006-10-04
This book is good for a quick read, yet left me a little disconcerted, as the author admits a divorce or two... So, what kind of women do you want to find? This book might help you find a certain type of woman. It seems like a book with a regular-guy bar scene type of target customer. If you are a regular guy who hangs at the bar this book may be perfect for you.
Yet, what kind of women do you meet at the bar? Will they stay loyal to you? Are they together people, who last for the long haul? Or how will you treat them, as you may be a drunk who acts without long-term consideration? The ideas in this book may help you, but they didn't inspire me too much. There was some very good information on initial contact. I guess it's a really good book for the beginner.
Women better look out.......2006-08-11
This book is pretty good. It's written in a straightforward, no-nonsense way. It gives a list of where you can meet women, read her body language and know what it means. Conversation, dating; its all covered. Most of it's commen sense stuff, but it made me think about it.
If you are looking for a book about how to pick up women and get laid tonight, this book IS NOT for you. It's for teaching men what they can do to keep women interested in them.
Being of the female persuasion, I highly recommend this book........2006-08-08
My best friend and I found this book in the garage of the house she and her friends were renting. We read it and had some good laughs over it, but we both loved it and agree that the author definitely knows his stuff. I've recommended it to a couple of guy friends so far. It's very engaging, concisely written, and has a wealth of information. I would recommend it not only to guys who are looking to date, but to any guy who wants to better understand women in general, or to girls who want to learn what exactly guys are watching for.
This is THE book for dating........2005-08-17
If you ever felt insecure around women, then this is the book for you! It was easy to read and really opened my eyes up to the possibilities around me. This book applies to you if you between 16 and 60. When I read it, the haze that I usually stumbled around in while trying to meet a woman cleared up and my confidence grew exponentially. I may not look like Tom Cruise, but I can now act with confidence wherever singles gather and meet. This is definitely a must read for anyone facing today's single scene.
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- Grandfather's Tale: The Tale of a German Sniper
- Grave Surprise (Harper Connelly Mysteries, Book 2)
- History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
- History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
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