Books by Knights
Did knights write books? What did they write about? A look at serious writings by 13th and 14th-century men-at-arms.
Why I translated The Chronicle of the Good Duke
I wanted to explain why this work is so interesting and a valuable insight into the Middle Ages.
Henry the Young King: Top Star in the Tournament World
As Henry and William travelled the tournament world far and wide, their adventures and exploits became stuff of legends
The Medieval Knight with Christopher Gravett
Knights in the Middle Ages were expert horsemen, pious defenders of the church, property managers, courteous entertainers, reciters of poetry, military leaders, and stone-cold killers. This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Christopher Gravett on what was knighthood, how one became a knight, and knights in the modern media.
When medieval tournaments go wrong!
When tragedy struck a tournament, the participants and the audience paused to reflect on whether this dangerous game was worth it. At least some of them did.
In Search of the Once and Future King: The Soul of Chivalry
Edward III, fastidiously adorned in the trappings and iconography of the Arthurian romances and a near-universally celebrated aristocratic cult of chivalry, cut an undeniable dashing figure at the feast table or upon the battlefield, even as his armies cut down dashing figures across France.
The Downfall of Chivalry – in the 13th century?
One can find countless examples of people in our modern world lamenting the ‘end of chivalry.’ It might be surprising to hear that medieval people were making the same claims, as far back as the 13th century.
Bruce, Wallace and Scottish Chivalry with Callum Watson
Two of the most important works from medieval Scotland are The Bruce, by John Barbour and The Wallace, by Blind Hary. In this episode of Scotichronicast, Kate Buchanan is joined by Callum Watson to discuss what these works have to say about Scottish chivalry, and also on Callum’s journey to studying the medieval history of Scotland.
Jousting in the Middle Ages with Emma Levitt
This week on The Medieval Podcast, Danièle speaks with Dr. Emma Levitt about tournaments and the joust in the Middle Ages. Dr. Levitt tells us all about how to score a joust, how the tournament changed over time, and how jousting was used to mend fences during the Wars of the Roses.
The Love and Loyalty of the Good Duke and his Men
Perhaps the most interesting aspect of the Chronicle is how it depicts the love of his soldiers for him, and his love for them. It shows his friends observing him in action. The Chronicle is as much a portrait of Louis’ circle of friends as it is of Louis himself.
New Medieval Books: Books on Medieval Warfare and Chivalry in 2019
Five new books for readers of medieval military history.
Attitudes Towards Chivalry in Barbour’s Bruce and Hary’s Wallace
In particular, it will consider the way each author explores themes of prudence, friendship and loyalty as expressed through oath-making for what these themes tell us about Barbour and Hary’s engagement with chivalry.
Scoring Masculinity: the English Tournament and the Jousting Cheques of the early Sixteenth Century
Charles Brandon was the perfect companion for King Henry VIII, whom he resembled in both looks and build. He also shared Henry’s love of the joust, becoming the King’s valiant partner in the lists.
Surrender in Medieval Europe: An Indirect Approach
The demise of slavery meant that for the first time women and children came to be regarded as non-combatants, and high-status warriors treated as a source of profit (ransom).
Ramon Llull and The Book of the Order of Chivalry: an attempt to retake the ideals of the Christian Chivalry
This study has as theme the resumption of the ideal of Christian Chivalry, or milles Christi, present in The Book of the Order of Chivalry, from Ramon Llull.
The Statutes of the Teutonic Knights: A Study of Religious Chivalry
The purpose of this study is to examine the role of the religious military orders, and of the Teutonic Knights in particular, within the process of change in developing the concept of a religious and a Christian warrior during the Crusades, or, in other words, how the existing Latin ideal of religious retreat was adapted, blended and attached to the chivalric image of Western Europe in the Holy Land, as reflected in the statutes of the Teutonic Knights.
Identity and Posthuman Medievalism in Sons of Anarchy
The medievalism of the FX television series Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014) is not inherently obvious. Set in Northern California, the series follows a fictional outlaw motorcycle club (MC) modeled on real gangs including the Hells Angels. Critics, fans, and creators alike discuss the series as an extended adaptation of Hamlet, and the broad narrative of the series is indeed a family tragedy.
Civic Knighthood in the Early Renaissance: Leonardo Bruni’s De militia (ca. 1420)
Leonardo Bruni’s aim in the De militia (ca. 1420) was to co-opt the most glamorous of medieval ideals, the ideal of chivalry, and to reinterpret it in terms of Greco-Roman ideals of military service.
Conception of Knighthood and Fifteenth-Century Chivalric Manuals
Chivalric writings like chronicles, romances and military handbooks, either in manuscript or in print, were popular and widely read in the latter half of the 15th century.
Meet the Real Ulrich von Liechtenstein
If you’ve ever seen A Knight’s Tale, you’ll know that the titular knight takes on the name of Ulrich von Liechtenstein in order to joust on the tournament circuit and win the hand of his lady fair. What you may not have known is that there seems to have been a real thirteenth-century knight named Ulrich von Liechtenstein, who spent his youth jousting to win the heart (and body) of a capricious lady, and then wrote a book about it.
Five Medieval Minutes with Steven Muhlberger
Formal deeds of arms were an opportunity for one group of people to show off their skills – particularly their horsemanship – and for other people to appreciate how bold and daring they were.
Genre Medievalisms: Geek Goes Chic!
Is Cersei a collection of bad medieval stereotypes? Have nerds gone mainstream? Were American cowboys a modern retelling of the medieval knight? Put down that comic, put away your bag of dice, and indulge your inner nerd.
Conflicting Perspectives: Chivalry in Twelfth-Century Historiography
Historians have found the task of defining medieval chivalry to be an elusive task.
The Anglo-Saxon War-Culture and The Lord of the Rings: Legacy and Reappraisal
The literature of war in English claims its origin from the Homeric epics, and the medieval accounts of chivalry and the crusades.