The New Chivalry: Being a Modern Knight
I think every young male is entranced by medieval knights and chivalry: the western version of Bushido. I grew up reading about medieval knights and their adventures. Who did not enjoy the stories of King Arthur and the knights of the round table. Riding around saving damsels in distress or tilting after imaginary dragons.
The reality is that knights were brutal, killers who traveled, fought and feuded with their fellow knights. They lived and died brutally. Usually young too. Remember this was in a day where medicine, nutrition and cleanliness was not well known. But with time, like with everything, we end up glamorizing their lives.
No one did a better job of this than Geoffrey de Charny who codified chivalry in a book called The Book of Chivalry.
He was one of the few who lived the ideals. The was the knight of knights. One who every noble looked up to. And no surprise, not only was he a true gentleman, honorable, cultured & educated, he was an incredible warrior.
Charny was a literal one man wrecking & killing machine. I wonder if the word “charnel” did not come from him, that is how good he was. He was eventually killed in the battle of Poitiers holding up the flag of the French King. But it took 20+ top English knights, men at arms and squires to take him down. And he ended up injuring and killing many of them as he fell. Honestly, what a way to go. A true warrior's death.
De Charny wrote: “He who does the most is worth the most.” I love this. He/She who contributes the most and adds the most value should get the most value back. This is why capitalism works.
Yet somewhere along the way in modern life and organizations this has been lost. Yes we should protect the weak and less advantaged but we shouldn’t venerate them. It’s like when people misunderstand the biblical saying that “the meek shall inherit the earth.” Meek does not mean weak. Meek means someone who is strong but chooses to hold back and control themselves.
Chivalry Guild writes about this: https://twitter.com/ChivalryGuild/status/1789733767747092919
“Good manners are good and fine. They're an important aspect of the larger vision, and I'm all for them. But you can’t take the aspirational parts out of a code and then expect it to still speak to hearts of spirited men. Holding doors open is easy. Becoming a man of serious vigor is not. Chivalry is a code for men willing to fight, willing to risk themselves for a worthy cause. This is the vision that moves a young man. A knight who can't or won't fight is not much of a knight, no matter how refined his manners. “
We need to bring chivalry back. Where there is a code of honor. Where martial skills are venerated. Where effort and action is rewarded and the lazy and weak are disdained. Where leaders actually lead from the front and stand for something. What a world that would be. And in a world that is breaking down fast, this may be needed soon.
I’ll let Chivalry Guild finish:
“What was true of Charny's country in the 14th century is just as true of our country in the 21st. Flabby men are unequal to the challenges ahead. We’ve slowly forgotten that a man’s purpose begins with his ability to confront the dangers of life, to protect his own, and to fight for what matters—and that the failure to cultivate this ability invites all sorts of troubles.
So a revival of chivalry, it starts with rediscovering prowess. Those who would be chivalrous must commit themselves to becoming physical specimens, like the heroes whose muscle protected Christendom in times of great danger and gave Christian civilization a chance to flourish.”
Amen to this.