MID - Courtly Love and the Code of Chivalry Lesson

Many works of literature during the Middle Ages reveal the themes of courtly love and chivalry, which were moral codes. Knights lived by the rules of courtly love and chivalry, and the guidelines were extensive. View the expectations for courtly love and chivalry.

Courtly Love

Andreas Capellanus, a 12^th Century Frenchman wrote the following rules of Courtly Love:

Marriage is no real excuse for not loving.
He who is not jealous cannot love.
No one can be bound by a double love.
It is well known that love is always increasing or decreasing.
That which a lover takes against his will of his beloved has no relish.
Boys do not love until they arrive at the age of maturity.
When one lover dies, a widowhood of two years is required of the survivor.
No one should be deprived of love without the very best of reasons.
No one can love unless he is impelled by the persuasion of love.
Love is always a stranger in the home of avarice.
It is not proper to love any woman whom one should be ashamed to seek to marry.
A true lover does not desire to embrace in love anyone except his beloved.
When made public love rarely endures.
The easy attainment of love makes it of little value; difficulty of attainment makes it prized.
Every lover regularly turns pale in the presence of his beloved.
When a lover suddenly catches sight of his beloved his heart palpitates.
A new love puts to flight an old one.
Good character alone makes any man worthy of love.
If love diminishes, it quickly fails and rarely revives.
A man in love is always apprehensive.
Real jealousy always increases the feeling of love.
Jealousy, and therefore love, are increased when one suspects his beloved.
He whom the thought of love vexes, eats and sleeps very little.
Every act of a lover ends with in the thought of his beloved.
A true lover considers nothing good except what he thinks will please his beloved.
Love can deny nothing to love.
A lover can never have enough of the solaces of his beloved.
A slight presumption causes a lover to suspect his beloved.
A man who is vexed by too much passion usually does not love.
A true lover is constantly and without intermission possessed by the thought of his beloved.

 

Code of Chivalry

The following Code of Chivalry focused on the moral system and chivalrous conduct expected of Medieval Knights:

1. Live to defend Crown and Country and all it holds dear
2. Live one’s life so that it is worthy of respect and honor
3. Live for freedom, justice and all that is good
4. Never attack an unarmed foe
5. Never use a weapon on an opponent not equal to the attack
6. Never attack from behind
7. Avoid cheating
8. Avoid torture
9. Administer justice
10. Protect the innocent
11. Exhibit self control
12. Show respect to authority
13. Respect women
14. Exhibit courage in word and deed
15. Defend the weak and innocent
16. Destroy evil in all of its monstrous forms
17. Crush the moistures that steal our land and rob our people
18. Avenge the wronged
19. Never abandon a friend, ally, or noble cause
20. Die with valor
21. Always keep one’s word of honor
22. Never betray a confidence or comrade
23. Avoid deception
24. Die with honor
25. Exhibit manners
26. Be polite and attentive
27. be respectful of host, women, and honor
28. Loyalty to one’s friends and those who lay their trust in three
29. Never refuse a challenge from an equal
30. To keep faith