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Η παρακμή της ιπποσύνης
Στο δοκίμιο αυτό, που αποτελεί απόσπασμα από το έργο του, On the Decline of Chivarly, o Walter Scott ανιχνεύει τα αίτια της "βαθμιαίας κατάπτωσης του πνεύματος της ιπποσύνης".
Κατά τον Scott, ένας συνδυασμός υλικών και πνευματικών αιτίων οδήγησε στην κατάπτωση αυτή : "τα πρώτα προέρχονταν από την αλλαγή που σιγά σιγά εισαγόταν στην τέχνη του πολέμου και τα δεύτερα από την εξίσου μεγάλη μεταβολή που παρουσιάστηκε με τον καιρό στα έθιμα και στον τρόπο της σκέψης της σύγχρονης Ευρώπης."
Η χαραυγή της ιπποσύνης τοποθετείται στο τέλος του δέκατου και στην αρχή του ενδέκατου αιώνα και γνωρίζει την λαμπρότερη περίοδο της στο διάστημα του Εκατονταετούς πολέμου μεταξύ Γαλλίας και Αγγλίας. "Δεν υπάρχει αμφιβολία", υποστηρίζει ο συγγραφέας, ότι "στα βασίλεια αυτά το έθιμο της σταθερής και έντιμης αντιπαράθεσης, χωρίς τη δριμύτητα της μνησικακίας ή της προσωπικής εχθρότητας, έδωσε την πιο χρυσή ευκαιρία για την άσκηση των αρετών που απαιτούνταν από αυτόν που ο ποιητής των Ιστοριών του Καντέρμπουρυ, Chaucer, ορίζει ως "απολύτως άμεμπτο ευγενή ιππότη". […]".
Η εφεύρεση της πυρίτιδας και η βαθμιαία τελειοποίηση των πυροβόλων όπλων, η συγκρότηση μόνιμων στρατευμάτων των οποίων οι αξιωματικοί ήσαν άμεσα επιφορτισμένοι από τον βασιλιά και οι άθλιοι εμφύλιοι πόλεμοι ανάμεσα στους οίκους των Γιορκ και των Λάνκαστερ στην Αγγλία και των Ουγενότων και της Λίγκας των Καθολικών στη Γαλλία, η καταστροφή της φεουδαρχίας, αλλά και οι ορθολογικές συμπεριφορές και ο θρησκευτικός φανατισμός έπνιξαν σταδιακά τις αρετές της ιπποσύνης : το θάρρος που συμβάδιζε με την καλή πίστη και την ευγένεια, τη μεγαλοψυχία, την ανδρεία. Τη θέση τους πήρε η δολοφονία που "Θα μπορούσε να χαρακτηριστεί ως η πιο γενικευμένη έξη στο διάστημα του δέκατου έκτου αιώνα".
Κατά τον Scott, ένας συνδυασμός υλικών και πνευματικών αιτίων οδήγησε στην κατάπτωση αυτή : "τα πρώτα προέρχονταν από την αλλαγή που σιγά σιγά εισαγόταν στην τέχνη του πολέμου και τα δεύτερα από την εξίσου μεγάλη μεταβολή που παρουσιάστηκε με τον καιρό στα έθιμα και στον τρόπο της σκέψης της σύγχρονης Ευρώπης."
Η χαραυγή της ιπποσύνης τοποθετείται στο τέλος του δέκατου και στην αρχή του ενδέκατου αιώνα και γνωρίζει την λαμπρότερη περίοδο της στο διάστημα του Εκατονταετούς πολέμου μεταξύ Γαλλίας και Αγγλίας. "Δεν υπάρχει αμφιβολία", υποστηρίζει ο συγγραφέας, ότι "στα βασίλεια αυτά το έθιμο της σταθερής και έντιμης αντιπαράθεσης, χωρίς τη δριμύτητα της μνησικακίας ή της προσωπικής εχθρότητας, έδωσε την πιο χρυσή ευκαιρία για την άσκηση των αρετών που απαιτούνταν από αυτόν που ο ποιητής των Ιστοριών του Καντέρμπουρυ, Chaucer, ορίζει ως "απολύτως άμεμπτο ευγενή ιππότη". […]".
Η εφεύρεση της πυρίτιδας και η βαθμιαία τελειοποίηση των πυροβόλων όπλων, η συγκρότηση μόνιμων στρατευμάτων των οποίων οι αξιωματικοί ήσαν άμεσα επιφορτισμένοι από τον βασιλιά και οι άθλιοι εμφύλιοι πόλεμοι ανάμεσα στους οίκους των Γιορκ και των Λάνκαστερ στην Αγγλία και των Ουγενότων και της Λίγκας των Καθολικών στη Γαλλία, η καταστροφή της φεουδαρχίας, αλλά και οι ορθολογικές συμπεριφορές και ο θρησκευτικός φανατισμός έπνιξαν σταδιακά τις αρετές της ιπποσύνης : το θάρρος που συμβάδιζε με την καλή πίστη και την ευγένεια, τη μεγαλοψυχία, την ανδρεία. Τη θέση τους πήρε η δολοφονία που "Θα μπορούσε να χαρακτηριστεί ως η πιο γενικευμένη έξη στο διάστημα του δέκατου έκτου αιώνα".
- GenresHistory
48 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1810
1 person is currently reading
4 people want to read
About the author
Walter Scott
9,161 books2,016 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
Sir Walter Scott was a Scottish novelist, poet, historian, and biographer, widely recognized as the founder and master of the historical novel. His most celebrated works, including Waverley, Rob Roy, and Ivanhoe, helped shape not only the genre of historical fiction but also modern perceptions of Scottish culture and identity.
Born in Edinburgh in 1771, Scott was the son of a solicitor and a mother with a strong interest in literature and history. At the age of two, he contracted polio, which left him with a permanent limp. He spent much of his childhood in the Scottish Borders, where he developed a deep fascination with the region's folklore, ballads, and history. He studied at Edinburgh High School and later at the University of Edinburgh, qualifying as a lawyer in 1792. Though he worked in law for some time, his literary ambitions soon took precedence.
Scott began his literary career with translations and collections of traditional ballads, notably in his Minstrelsy of the Scottish Border. He gained early fame with narrative poems such as The Lay of the Last Minstrel and The Lady of the Lake. As the popularity of poetic storytelling declined, especially with the rise of Lord Byron, Scott turned to prose. His first novel, Waverley, published anonymously in 1814, was set during the Jacobite rising of 1745 and is considered the first true historical novel. The success of Waverley led to a long series of novels, known collectively as the Waverley Novels, which blended historical events with compelling fictional narratives.
Over the following years, Scott produced a remarkable number of novels, including Old Mortality, The Heart of Midlothian, and The Bride of Lammermoor, each contributing to the romantic image of Scotland that became popular throughout Europe. With Ivanhoe, published in 1819, he turned his attention to medieval England, broadening his appeal and confirming his status as a major literary figure. His works were not only popular in his own time but also laid the groundwork for historical fiction as a respected literary form.
Scott married Charlotte Genevieve Charpentier in 1797, and they had five children. In 1820, he was granted a baronetcy and became Sir Walter Scott. He built a grand home, Abbotsford House, near Melrose, which reflected his passion for history and the Scottish past. However, in 1825, financial disaster struck when his publishers went bankrupt. Rather than declare bankruptcy himself, Scott chose to work tirelessly to pay off the debts through his writing. He continued to produce novels and non-fiction works at a staggering pace despite declining health.
Walter Scott died in 1832, leaving behind a literary legacy that influenced generations of writers and readers. His works remain widely read and studied, and he is credited with helping to revive interest in Scottish history and culture. Abbotsford House, now a museum, stands as a monument to his life and achievements.
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October 16, 2025
Though colored with certain British and Protestant biases, this work is an excellent beginner's exposition into the main fundamental reasons why Chivalry, which very much did exist under a certain cultural context and set of centuries, fell apart and was later ridiculed and considered fanciful as a result. This work does a lot to both justify the original intent and simultaneously castigate the corruption of the concept, in a fair and balanced manner.
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