The Development of Chivalric Values (Edexcel A-Level History): Revision Notes
The Development of Chivalric Values
Introduction to chivalric values
In the 12th century, the concept of chivalry fundamentally transformed what it meant to be a knight. Before this period, chivalric values only partially influenced a knight's decision to join a crusade. However, during the 12th century, these values evolved to make crusading not just an attractive option, but an essential duty for knights. This transformation was crucial in turning knighthood into an exclusively aristocratic position with specific codes of conduct and obligations.
This shift in chivalric values during the 12th century represents one of the most significant transformations in medieval military culture. It changed knighthood from a primarily military role into a complete social and religious identity.
The transformation from old to new values
Old knightly values
Before the 12th century, knightly values were primarily focused on military effectiveness and included knights who fought both on foot and on horseback. These traditional values centred on:
- Winning wars – success in military campaigns was the primary measure of a knight's worth
- Behaving courageously in battle – demonstrating bravery during combat was essential
- Developing personal strength – physical prowess and individual fighting ability were highly valued
These values were practical and focused on the warrior aspect of knighthood, without much emphasis on social refinement or spiritual obligations.
New chivalric values
The 12th century saw a dramatic shift in what was expected of knights. Knighthood became an exclusively aristocratic position, with new values that included:
- Codes of behaviour – knights were now expected to display refined manners and courtesy, not just martial skill
- Loyalty and commitment – a strong sense of loyalty to their noble house and unwavering commitment to their overlord became essential
- Specialised skills – particularly the mastery of the couched lance technique in cavalry charges, which required extensive training and practice
This transformation meant that being a knight was no longer just about fighting ability, but also about embodying a complete set of aristocratic virtues and obligations. This change fundamentally redefined the social position of knights in medieval society.
Chivalric values and crusade recruitment
The role of troubadours and court poetry
Knights absorbed and internalised these new chivalric values through court poetry. These poems were typically performed by troubadours – professional poets and musicians who would either read or, more commonly, sing these works at noble courts. The poetry served a crucial purpose: it expressed the ideals, obligations and expectations that defined proper knightly behaviour.
The songs had specific purposes related to crusading. For example:
- One song from around 1146 presented crusading as a feudal duty that knights owed directly to God, making it comparable to their obligations to their earthly lords
- Another song emphasised that knights had an obligation to use their carefully acquired military skills, arguing that they owed it to Christ to employ their training in fighting for His cause
The use of court poetry and troubadour songs was a sophisticated form of cultural communication. By embedding crusading ideals within the familiar framework of chivalric entertainment, these performances made religious warfare feel like a natural extension of knightly identity.
Through this medium, knightly culture gradually aligned with the message that crusade preachers had been promoting – that crusaders were a new type of knight fighting for a just cause. The poetry helped bridge the gap between secular knightly values and religious crusading ideals.
The Troubadour Song of 1146-47
A particularly revealing example is an anonymous troubadour song written in Old French for the Second Crusade (1146-47). This song demonstrates several sophisticated appeals to knightly values:
Worked Example: Analyzing the Troubadour Song's Recruitment Strategies
The song employs multiple sophisticated appeals to persuade knights to join the crusade:
Appeal to feudal duty: The song addresses knights directly, stating that "God has called for your help against the Turks and the Almoravids." It frames the crusade as God's summons, using the same language that would be used for a lord calling upon his vassals. The song refers to the Holy Land as God's "fiefs" that have been "wrongfully snatched," employing feudal terminology that knights would immediately understand.
Spiritual rewards: The song offers powerful religious incentives, promising that "Anyone who now goes with Louis need have no fear of Hell, for his soul will be in Paradise with the angels of Our Lord." This appealed to knights' concerns about salvation whilst also acknowledging their dangerous lifestyle.
Appeal to military skills: The song specifically addresses "Knights, make your decisions, you who are esteemed for your skill in arms." This recognises and flatters their military expertise whilst arguing they should "make a gift of your bodies to Him who was placed on the cross for you."
The tourney metaphor: Perhaps most cleverly, the song uses the metaphor of a tourney (a medieval jousting tournament) to describe the crusade: "God has organised a tourney between Heaven and Hell, and so He is asking all His friends who are willing to support His cause not to fail him." This comparison to a tournament – a familiar and prestigious event in knightly culture – made the crusade comprehensible and appealing in chivalric terms, despite the Church's condemnation of actual tournaments due to their frequent fatalities.
Religious obligation: The song emphasises the desecration of holy sites, noting that churches were "burnt and abandoned" and "God is no longer sacrificed there" (referring to the Mass). This created a sense of religious duty to restore proper Christian worship.
The tourney metaphor is particularly significant because it reframed crusading in terms knights already valued and understood. By comparing a dangerous military campaign to a prestigious tournament, the song made crusading feel familiar and appealing, despite the very real dangers involved.
Crusading as a fundamental part of chivalric culture
The late 12th century developments
By the end of the 12th century, crusading in the East had become integral to chivalric culture. This integration manifested in several ways:
Temporary military service: It became increasingly common for knights to undertake temporary service in the East as professional soldiers, rather than exclusively as crusaders on pilgrimage. This demonstrated how crusading had become a normal part of a knight's career and duties.
The impact of the Third Crusade: The most significant development occurred during the Third Crusade (1189-92). Richard I of England, along with most of the English nobility, travelled to the East together. This mass noble participation in a single crusade was unprecedented and had lasting effects on how crusading was perceived.
The Third Crusade marked a turning point because it wasn't just individual knights choosing to crusade – it was an entire national aristocracy participating together. This collective participation reinforced crusading as an expected aristocratic activity rather than a personal religious choice.
Richard I's influence: Richard I's inspirational character and leadership during the Third Crusade helped cement the idea that chivalry and crusading went hand in hand. His conduct became a model for how a perfect Christian knight should behave, combining martial prowess with religious duty. His example showed that crusading was not just compatible with chivalric values, but was actually the highest expression of those values.
The transformation complete
This evolution meant that by 1200, crusading was no longer seen as a separate religious activity that knights might choose to undertake. Instead, it had become an expected part of being a true knight – a demonstration of loyalty to God (as one's ultimate overlord), proper use of military skills, and adherence to the codes of behaviour that defined the aristocratic warrior class.
The Complete Transformation:
By the end of the 12th century, the transformation was complete. Crusading had evolved from an optional religious expedition into a fundamental duty of knighthood itself. This integration of religious warfare with aristocratic identity would shape European military culture for generations to come.
Exam tips
For essay questions on chivalric values and crusade recruitment (1144-92):
When evaluating the significance of chivalric values in crusade recruitment, remember to:
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Balance your argument: Whilst chivalric values were important, you should also consider other motivations such as the desire for indulgences (spiritual rewards that reduced time in purgatory), religious devotion, economic factors, and papal propaganda
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Show change over time: Explain how chivalric values became progressively more important from 1144 to 1192, particularly noting the transformation during the Third Crusade
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Use specific evidence: Reference the Troubadour Song as evidence of how recruitment appeals adapted to chivalric values, and cite Richard I's Third Crusade as the culmination of this process
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Consider different social groups: Remember that chivalric values primarily affected the aristocracy and knightly classes, whereas other motivations might have been more important for common soldiers or non-combatants
Common pitfall to avoid: Don't treat chivalric values as static throughout the period. The nature of chivalry itself changed during the 12th century, and its relationship to crusading evolved accordingly.
Remember!
Key Points to Remember:
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Chivalry transformed from old values (focused on winning wars, courage, and strength) to new values (emphasising codes of behaviour, loyalty to overlords, and specialised skills like the couched lance)
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Troubadours played a crucial role in spreading chivalric ideals through court poetry, which presented crusading as a feudal duty owed to God and an obligation to use knightly skills for Christ
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The Troubadour Song of 1146-47 demonstrates multiple appeals to knights: feudal duty (God's "fiefs" being wrongfully taken), spiritual rewards (Paradise with angels), recognition of military skills, and the clever tourney metaphor
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By the late 12th century, crusading had become integral to chivalric culture, with knights undertaking temporary service in the East as part of their expected duties
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The Third Crusade under Richard I cemented the connection between chivalry and crusading through mass noble participation and Richard's inspirational leadership, completing the transformation of crusading into a fundamental chivalric duty