Becoming a knight is much more than dressing in a knight's armor and picking up a sword. Initiation into the knight was a rather lengthy process. Here is a brief overview of a typical ceremony of chivalry in the Middle Ages.
The ceremony of chivalry was the final stage of the process, to which the man followed from childhood. This was the symbolic culmination of his striving for mastery on the battlefield and in various competitions. This meant his transition from a boy to an adult man. This ceremony was very important and had a significant symbolic significance for him and for the people around him. He was focused on three important aspects of chivalry: religion, loyalty to the king and the code of chivalry. Initiation into the knights lasted three days.
The day before the actual ceremony, there were long meals and discussions with knights, clergy and the royal family about the roles and responsibilities of the knight. And in the evening before the ceremony the knight retired in the chapel and spent the whole night in prayer, to purify himself and prepare for chivalry. He dressed in a white tunic, which symbolized his purity. The red cloak that symbolized the royal power was thrown onto the tunic.
During the real ceremony, the knight received gifts such as a shield, a sword, and sometimes armor. Each of these gifts had a symbolic value. His sponsor, who was often a knight or a lord, gave him these gifts to him. The initiator knighted the oath of loyalty to God and his king and confirmed his devotion to the code of chivalry. The ritual part of the ceremony ended with a large banquet.
The day after the ceremony, a tournament was held for the new knight and his peers to demonstrate their fighting skills and ability to own weapons. The ceremony of chivalry was a ritual and stylized ceremony, filled with symbolic meaning. And it was a very important part of the culture of the Middle Ages.
Nowadays we think of a knight as a man who behaves gallantly towards women. And although this trait is inherent in the knight, in fact it is a very small component of what constitutes chivalry.
Chivalry is an all-embracing guide to life. It included fighting, riding, law, religion, managing people and lands, and other aspects of the life of a knight.
The knight and his sword were inseparable. Although the knight could switch during the battle to other weapons, the battle sword was with him all his life. He changed women more often than swords. They were often passed on from generation to generation, it is possible that the whole family tree will use the same sword.
Swords were much more than just weapons. They became symbols of the people who wore them. These are honorary signs, symbols of rank and nobility and messages to all that the bearer was both a gentleman and a warrior.
The knights had sacred or other meaningful words inscribed in the blades of their swords, inlaid with silver or gold. These words served as their inspiration and personal motto. The battle sword in the battle was used mainly as a backup weapon. Most often it was used in a one-on-one battle.
The early Middle Ages were an unusually turbulent time, and there was no such thing as chivalry. Europe was in darkness, the plague destroyed and ruined people, and ongoing wars were waged. In these times it was very important skillful possession of the sword. Barons, lords, knights and kings defended their own power and captured someone else's.
Europe slowly emerged from this darkness, preceding the Renaissance. The plague passed, disappeared, and the Church exercised power over much of the continent. When stability comes, people turn to new ways of doing things. It was thanks to this stability that the Renaissance began, and ideals of chivalry were born.
Chivalry is the natural development of the need for structure and organization in any major culture or society. As society grows in size and complexity, it needs a set of rules of conduct for its people, and it was precisely this chivalry. It was a set of rules, the first self-help program.
So chivalry is more than just opening the door. The Knight's Code is not just a limited set of rules, chivalry is the code for life that affects most of the culture in which we live today.
