Think of a Kingdom as being divided up and governed like a state. The King would be the Governor. He governs all of the land and all of its inhabitants, and he would have the biggest castle in the biggest city with the most Knights and vassals under him. His responsibility is protect the country and keep it running smoothly. The Nobles would be like Mayors of individual cities. Each city consisted of a castle that the Lord and Lady lived in and the surrounding land that the Lord and Lady governed. The city would be and economical focus for trade, as well as a safe have if they were ever under attack. The Lord and Lady would require the protection of Knights, who would be rewarded with land. The land was then farmed by vassals who would pay rent and tax in food and military service.
Code of Chivalry
The Medieval Knight had obligations to his God, Lord & Lady, and to his society. In every aspect a knight must be brave and honorable. Knights were the leaders of the warrior class, yet they had to be civil, learned, and polite at court. Knight attempted to live by the Code of Chivalry, which has three major parts.
1. God/Religion: Swear supreme allegiance to God and become a defender of the Christian Faith.
2. Loyalty to his Lord and King: A Knight must swear to dedicate his life to the service of upholding the laws of the realm. He would bring honor to himself and his liege by demonstrating courage and fair play in battle and tournaments.
3. Protect the Weak and Helpless: Widows, orphans, serfs, and all ladies in distress fell into this category.
Going to war was a demonstration of loyalty to one's liege as well as an act of protection.
1. God/Religion: Swear supreme allegiance to God and become a defender of the Christian Faith.
2. Loyalty to his Lord and King: A Knight must swear to dedicate his life to the service of upholding the laws of the realm. He would bring honor to himself and his liege by demonstrating courage and fair play in battle and tournaments.
3. Protect the Weak and Helpless: Widows, orphans, serfs, and all ladies in distress fell into this category.
Going to war was a demonstration of loyalty to one's liege as well as an act of protection.
Medieval Romance
A Medieval Romance is the combination of adventure and romance that we look for in a movie or a soap opera. It was highly entertaining, but it still endeavored to teach its readers about the responsibility of a relationship between a Knight and a Lady.
The Medieval Romance originated in France in the 12th century, but was made popular in England when Henry III married Elinore of France. Elinore was a cultured patron of the arts and encouraged poets to write poems between knights and ladies. These poets conducted courts of love to teach knights and to make them answer questions about love. This is where the idea of courtly love originated. Her daughter, Marie, commissioned a book about courtly love and a code of courtly love emerged.
The Code of Courtly Love: the Relationship between a Knight and his Lady.
1. It must be an unequal relationship in the Lady's favor. Society was hierarchical and so should be love. The Knight must be willing to serve his lady, if she so wished. She was to be his sovereign and he her servant. The Knight should worship her as if she were a goddess, and with the same devotion as if she were the mother Mary.
2. Platonic Love. The relationship must remain platonic. Remember, at this time love and marriage didn't always go together. Marriages were often political moves to unite and bring peace between families or countries. The Lady may not feel romantically towards her Lord, but it was still an act of disloyalty to the Lord if his Knight had anything but a platonic relationship with his Lady.
The Medieval Romance originated in France in the 12th century, but was made popular in England when Henry III married Elinore of France. Elinore was a cultured patron of the arts and encouraged poets to write poems between knights and ladies. These poets conducted courts of love to teach knights and to make them answer questions about love. This is where the idea of courtly love originated. Her daughter, Marie, commissioned a book about courtly love and a code of courtly love emerged.
The Code of Courtly Love: the Relationship between a Knight and his Lady.
1. It must be an unequal relationship in the Lady's favor. Society was hierarchical and so should be love. The Knight must be willing to serve his lady, if she so wished. She was to be his sovereign and he her servant. The Knight should worship her as if she were a goddess, and with the same devotion as if she were the mother Mary.
2. Platonic Love. The relationship must remain platonic. Remember, at this time love and marriage didn't always go together. Marriages were often political moves to unite and bring peace between families or countries. The Lady may not feel romantically towards her Lord, but it was still an act of disloyalty to the Lord if his Knight had anything but a platonic relationship with his Lady.