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What is chivalry then, this brings us up to about the 12th and 13th centuries, where all of the knightly concepts have matured through hundreds of years of trials and tests. The last great tale of the Arthurian world, chivalry in this context is at is ripened state.

The chivalry of this era is based on the aristocratic social status of knights, in this case, the Knights of The Round Table. Those knights who work directly for the King of The Britons, Arthur, as well as directly for God, as he has put them on a quest for the Holy Grail. The credentials of these knights are impeccable, and they are of the highest social class possible. Chivalry was in effect a code of morals for these knights to live by, well mannered and truthful, deadly, yet charitable to the weak and merciful, generous and loyal, as well as courageous and valiant. The list continues, gallant and selfless, well born and well trained in the arts of fighting and chivalry(in the original horse riding sense). We are already familiar with the importance of loyalty in the lord vassal sense of the word, as we are with the generousness associated with Charlemagne in the ?Song of Roland.? The concepts that define chivalry in this later era are many of the same as previous centuries, yet with focus more on some of the more personal aspects of chivalry.

The idea of who one is loyal to is now more up for discussion. It is true that the knights are in all ways loyal to their lord, yet now with new concepts that force knights to seek the hearts of women, women are in some ways the objects of great loyalty. I am reminded of the scene in ?Monty Python and the Quest for The Holy Grail? where Lancelot receives a note from what he believes to be a lady in distress. He follows the words of the note and will stop at nothing to see to it that that lady is safe. This was filmed in the spirit of chivalry?s loyalty to ladies. Battles are fought and wars are waged(such as Arthur vs. Lancelot) for the honor of a woman.

In the ?Death of Arthur,? when Lancelot has defeated Mador,?Lancelot, who knew Mador well… saw that he had driven him to the point where he could kill him if he wished, and took pity on him.?(107) This passage shows Lancelot?s compassion for the weak and his mercy. Here is where I see some of what make?s 13th century chivalry different. It seems as if the focus is on projecting an image of ones self on one?s opponent in a way that says, ?I am better than you.? It is all about being in the commanding position, proving one?s power by letting the opponent live. It seems as if these knights live for the feeling of giving mercy. This is shown again on page 145, when Arthur says, ?Did you see what Lancelot did for me today? He was in the position to kill me but refused to touch me. In faith, today he has surpassed in goodness and courtesy all the Knights I have ever seen;?(145) While in truth, they are engaged in a war where many men are being killed, it seems to be that this chivalry is focused more on the merciful and gallant side of war.

The Lady of the Lake, in ?Lancelot of the Lake,? gives an explanation that describes the duality of the knight. ?A knight should have two hearts,? she says, ?one as hard and impenetrable as a diamond, and the other as soft and pliable as hot wax.?(Corley, p. 2) It is this balance between the time to run one?s sword into the chest of the opponent and the time to spare a life that makes a true knight. The attainment of this balance is shrouded in much mythology, so that I am not sure it would survive in an increasingly modern world. This proves to be the truth, as the 15th century comes along and we experience the decline of the knight.

As the era of knighthood comes to a close, we can see that in a country of peasants a minority of knights cannot continue to be what they were in the early middle ages. The role of the knight has become increasingly social and aristocratic. The chivalry of ?The Death of Arthur? remains to be the apex, and therefore what is remembered today in popular culture images. While many of the traits of chivalry exist today, the times have changed and what once was the supreme goal of men is no more. Looking at modern satires of chivalry such as Monty Python, we can begin to understand how absurd some of the customs of knighthood were and what was gallant then is now just a funny joke.

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