Editing Chivalry (section)

{{short description|Traditional ideology and code of conduct of knights}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
[[File:Meister der Manessischen Liederhandschrift 001.jpg|thumb|Konrad von Limpurg as a knight being armed by his lady in the [[Codex Manesse]] (early 14th century)]]

'''Chivalry''', or the '''chivalric language''', is an informal and varying [[code of conduct]] that developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It is associated with the [[medieval]] [[Christianity|Christian]] institution of [[knight]]hood, with knights being members of various [[chivalric order]]s,{{sfn|Keen|2005|p=44}}<ref>{{Cite EB1911 |wstitle= Knighthood and Chivalry |volume= 15 |last= Cecil |first=  Weatherly |author-link= |pages=851-867 |short=1}}</ref> and with knights' and gentlemen's behaviours which were governed by chivalrous social codes. The ideals of chivalry were popularized in [[medieval literature]], particularly the literary cycles known as the [[Matter of France]], relating to the legendary companions of [[Charlemagne]] and his [[men-at-arms]], the [[paladins]], and the [[Matter of Britain]], informed by [[Geoffrey of Monmouth]]'s {{lang|la|[[Historia Regum Britanniae]]}}, written in the 1130s, which popularized the legend of [[King Arthur]] and his [[knights of the Round Table]].{{sfn|Keen|2005|page=102}} 

The code of chivalry that developed in medieval Europe had its roots in earlier centuries. It arose in the [[Carolingian Empire]] from the idealisation of the [[cavalryman]]—involving military bravery, individual training, and service to others—especially in [[Francia]], among [[Cavalry|horse soldiers]] in [[Charlemagne]]'s cavalry.{{r|Gautier1884|page=2}}<ref>{{harvp|Flori|1998}}</ref>

Over time, the meaning of chivalry in Europe has been refined to emphasize more general social and moral virtues. The code of chivalry, as it stood by the [[Late Middle Ages]], was a moral system which combined a [[warrior|warrior ethos]], [[Knightly Piety|knightly piety]], and [[courtesy|courtly manners]], all combining to establish a notion of [[honour]] and [[nobility]].{{refn|[[Johan Huizinga]] remarks in his book ''[[The Autumn of the Middle Ages|The Waning of the Middle Ages]]'', "the source of the chivalrous idea, is pride aspiring to beauty, and formalised pride gives rise to a conception of honour, which is the pole of noble life".<ref>{{harvp|Huizinga|1924|p=28}}</ref>|group=Note}}