Chivalry

by Maurice Keen

Chivalry—with its pageants, heraldry, and knights in shining armor—was a social ideal that had a profound influence on the history of early modern Europe. In this eloquent and richly detailed book, a leading medieval historian discusses the complex reality of chivalry: its secular foundations, the effects of the Crusades, the literature of knighthood, and its ethos of the social and moral obligations of nobility.
“This is a rich book, making effective use of all sorts of documents and illustrations. Keen moves easily across Europe in search of the international spirit of chivalry. . . . The pageantry he presents is colorful and his conclusions uplifting.”—David Herlihy, New York Times Book Review
“An elegantly written, important book.”—Carolly Erickson, Los Angeles Times Book Review
“Splendid. . . . Keen is exemplary in the use he makes of many kinds of medieval literature, epic and lyric poetry, family and military histories, didactic treatises, translations into the vernacular of books of the Bible and of works from ancient Rome.”—R.C. Smail, New York Review of Books
“Original [and] beguiling.”—Fiona MacCarthy, Times (London)
“A most readable and comprehensive survey: stimulating, informative, a splendid creation of context.”—Nicholas Orme, Times Higher Education Supplement
“All historians of Western society . . . will do well to refer to this book.”—Georges Duby, Times Literary Supplement

Genres: History, Medieval, Nonfiction, Medieval History, Chivalry, European History, British Literature

303 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 1984

About the author

Maurice Hugh Keen OBE (30 October 1933 – 11 September 2012) was a British historian specializing in the Middle Ages. His father had been the Oxford University head of finance ('Keeper of the University Chest') and a Fellow of Balliol College, Oxford, and after schooling at Winchester College, Maurice became an undergraduate there in 1954. He was a contemporary and lifelong friend of Tom Bingham, later the Senior Law Lord, as well as of the military historian, Sir John Keegan, whose sister Mary he married.

Keen's first success came with the writing of The Outlaws of Medieval Legend while still a Junior Research Fellow at The Queen's College, Oxford, 1957–1961. He was elected a tutorial Fellow of Balliol in 1961, retaining his fellowship until his retirement in 2000, when he was elected a Fellow Emeritus. He also served as Junior Dean (1963–68), Tutor for Admissions (1974–1978), and Vice-Master (1980–83).

In 1984, Keen won the Wolfson History Prize for his book Chivalry. The book redefined in several ways the concept of chivalry, underlining the military aspect of it.

Keen was elected a Fellow of the British Academy, a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London.

Also known as M.H. Keen

Reviews

[Jan-Maat]

This is a book about the idea or ideology of chivalry and not a book about knighthood as the practical business of an economic role in society or a social form or a set of military practises.

Some photographs of skulls recovered from medieval battlefields serve to show that such practises were not very chivalrous.

Earlier chapters do describe the secular origins of the idea and some of the overlaps, for example in dubbing to knighthood., which had both a practical element marking admission into a social group but which quickly gained ideological colour. The argument develops to take in Ramon Lull's mystical ideas, and the mythology of chivalry and heraldry.

It stops short of Don Quixote or Orlando Furioso, but I suppose the topics covered here reflect some of their intellectual background.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

Keen does an outstanding job of exploring the concept of "chivalry" in the middle ages. To a degree, this book is essential for a well rounded understanding of the era (it is included on Cantor's Canon of 150 books about the middle ages that every student should read). On the other hand, I'm not convinced that this book doesn't overlap, to a significant degree, with volume two of Marc Bloch's "Feudal Society". Nor, for that matter, was I particularly impressed with the writing style. In fact, I would call this book a snoozer, and I'm not using that term lightly.

Keen's basic analysis revolves around three interrelated aspects/facets of chivalry: social, military and ecclesiastical. So, if someone asks you "What's Chivalry?" you can feel pretty save by answering, "it was a value held by segments of the land owning classes in europe during the middle ages. it had different aspects that had various degrees of importance over the time period in question. These aspects include social, military and ecclesiastical."

Anything more then that and you'll actually have to read the book. One fact that suprised me was the lengths to which the church went to to discourage tournaments.

[Rich · Rating 5 out of 5]

My most often recommended textbook on Chivalry in the Middle Ages.

[Anna Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most well-written and comprehensive history of Chivalry I have read to date. Keen is a must-read for all Medieval history lovers.

[Relstuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very scholarly book about Chivalry. I expected more stories to illustrate the characteristics of Chivalry in action similar A Book of Golden Deeds but with more analysis. Surprisingly dry for such a romantic subject. More analysis of the times and societal norms than the stories of chivalry in action.

It included some interesting discussion on the separation of Church and the warrior class and how the church strove to discourage knightly tournaments because of the injuries and death that resulted.

One of my favorite passages was a prayer from a knight on his way to Crusade: "May God raise me to that honour, that I may hold her, in whom dwell all my heart and thought, naked in my arms once once before I cross the sea to Outremer." Perhaps it is mostly romantic because it a prayer of a knight on his way to perhaps die far from home but partly because of the language itself.

The folio society edition is beautiful. =)

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt one of the finest books of history I've ever read.

[Eyan]

Read for school so when working with concepts of chivalry and homosocial relationships in Thomas Malory I have a base understanding of the seminal work surrounding Chivalry as a concept. A must read for medieval scholars.

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a little dense, it's a very interesting book, and really critical to understanding the medieval mindset.

[Paithan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a great resource for learning about chivalry. But it is as dry as sand.

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a thoroughly researched book on how the code of chivalry came to be and was practiced in the Middle Ages. Keen dates chivalry beginning somewhere around 1050 and somewhere around 1550. He recounts the historical movements, literature, technology, and people who made contributions to this code of ethics and those who more clearly defined what chivalry actually meant. This latter part is still slippery track historically, but is more achievable as the reality of chivalry is more humane. The chivalry of romance literature is well nigh unachievable. Keen is thoughtful and thorough in his approach to attempt to define chivalry, and admits he cannot cover it all or pin it down to set terms. But what he does cover and what he does set down is worthy of his being dubbed a knight.

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complete, absolutely complete look at chivalry from every possible angle. It is interesting to see how the concept of chivalry exists even today. The book traces how Christianity, literature, tourney, etc., all influenced the development of chivalry and the men who adhered to it through their particular Orders. Also interesting is what developed through chivalry as it developed and became increasingly complex...pageantry, heraldry, and ideas of nobility and honor. Seems an absolute must for any work in the subject of chivalry and this notion was confirmed to me by a Doctor of Medieval history and appears so through many of its reviews.

[Hildegart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book readable, but it wasn't quite what I had been looking for when I found it in the library. I had been looking for a different book and got to browsing that particular shelf and ended up with this book instead.

[Erdem Karaadam]

Anything you will ever need to know about chivalry, as long as the subject is not your PhD thesis.

[LemontreeLime · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very nice quick overview of the code of chivalry.

[Ellis Knox · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the standard works on the subject, a necessary supplement to Painter.