The 14th Century
What a chaotic time to be alive! Knights & squires ride in search of fortune, fame & adventure, tournaments are attended by ladies fair & warrior kings & princes leading great armies, courts & retenues, courtly love, arts, architecture, technology, literature & society are all advancing at a rate which suggests that the end of the world is nigh. It is a time of indulgence & urgency, wrought with dangers of physical, psychological & spirtual natures. Sir Justyn loves it. If you have a question about the 14th century, contact me at friarjack@sirjustyn.com
The 14th Century in the Time of Sir Justyn
The 14th century was a dynamic century. The years between 1300-1400 were wild and turbulent with great heroes and deeds and that is exactly why Sir Justyn loves them. They were also a time of pestilence and sickness, famine and war. The world of the knight was changing rapidly and significantly. Changes and advancements in armour and battlefield tactics, along with the slow decline of the feudal system as it had been known in the centuries before were changing the way society operated.
In England it was the century of the Plantagenet Kings, Edward, Edward 11, Edward III and Richard II, with Edward III ruling for 50 years. It was also the time of Edward of Woodstock, the crown prince of England, today famously known as the Black Prince. The 14th century saw the commencement of the 100 Years War in 1337, an Anglo French conflict regarding contention over lands in France and their rightful ruler which led to King Edward III making a claim on the French throne.
Across the channel in France the Valois were the ruling royal family following the Capet dynasty early in the century. From 1328 the Valois kings were Phillipe VI, Jean II, Charles V and Charles VI with Phillipe IV, Jean II and Charles V dominant during the reign of Edward III in England.
It was the age of the English archer, the Pestilence known today as the Black Death, the chevauchee or mounted raid and an age when a man could find wealth and prestige in war and tournament as swiftly and as whimsically as he could find destitution, dishonour or death. It was also an age of chivalry, which was a governing ideal both on and off the battlefield and dictated the actions of squires and knights across Christendom.
In stark contrast to war was the popularity of refined cultural skills in the courts. The arts flourished, fashion flourished, as did music, storytelling, literature and poetry. Courtly love developed a cult following and became an art form and chivalric reform and it’s ideals were discussed at every opportunity. Ladies were venerated and held in high esteem by chivalric gentlemen and many bold deeds were performed in their honour.
Pilgrims and bandits frequented the roads, knights jousted and tourneyed in fields and at crossroads or shrines of saints, traveling minstrels and monks were a common sight and travel was by horse, by foot and by ship on the sea and often dangerous by any form when on roads less traveled.
Chivalry
At times it seems the world is devoid of all chivalry & those who advocate it. Here we seek to do our part to keep it alive & thriving in the 21st century & beyond.
Presently the world needs heroes. The world also needs more chivalry. In an age of increasing violence, neglect, ignorance & misdeeds we need chivalric reform more than ever! Know someone who has performed great acts of chivalry? Want the world to know of their deeds? Email Friar Jack with the details and a picture of the noble lord or lady. friarjack@sirjustyn.com
A Challenge from Sir Justyn Webbe…
Chivalry is dead. You hear that a lot and by all accounts in today’s world you witness things that lend credibility to that statement. This is not at all a far cry from what would have been held as common belief in the middle ages. Chivalry in the middle ages was an ideal that a good man at arms would aspire to live up to. We generally assume that the laws of chivalry were more prevalent among the nobility and usually only to those of equal or greater rank, though we have evidence of chivalric deeds being performed by nobility to those of lesser rank and even of common folk acting chivalrous. Fundamentally, it is not at all that different from today.
Chivalry itself had many tenets, the most commonly recognized being; Prowess, Strength, Courtesy, Faith, Charity, Generosity or Largesse, Courage, Justice, Nobility, Defence, Humility, Loyalty and Franchise which, in chivalric terms, means leading by example.
This day I offer a challenge to all worthy folk. Show the world that chivalry is not dead. Perform one or more of these acts of chivalry every day, strive to live up to these noble ideals:
Prowess: Whatever you endeavour to do, do it well and with the best ability you possess. Strive to improve that ability in your at every opportunity. Show your discipline and then share it to help others become as skilled as you are. Two skilled people working as a team are better than one person of equal skill working alone.
Courtesy: Remember to be polite and helpful to everyone you come across; yes even to those who make you mad. Now there is a worthy challenge! Try to remember to be courteous to your loved ones too. Often we neglect the ones dearest to us because we take them for granted.
Strength: Be strong in your convictions. Be strong in standing up for what you believe and show the world your strength in chivalric virtue. The greatest strength comes from within and from those close to you. Muscles don’t mean a thing without strength of will and spirit.
Charity: Perform selfless acts of kindness. Find a good charity and donate time, money, goods or services. There are people out there always worse off than you or I and one just never knows when you’ll need a kind soul to perform a charitable act for you. You reap what you sow.
Largesse: Why not buy someone a gift outside of some special occasion, holiday or festive time? Think about the things you buy yourself and then think of the last time you surprised someone with something as simple as a card. Why wait for birthdays, Christmas or weddings? Give a friend or family member a gift out of the blue. Buy them a meal or take them to a movie. Show your generosity and prove that people mean more to you than property or possessions.
These are just five virtues of chivalry that I challenge you to undertake. Feel free to do more. It was Sir Geofroi de Charny, chevalier of France and bearer of the sacred Oriflamme and author of the 14thC Book of Chivalry who said, “He who does more is most worthy”.
Rise up to these challenges and perhaps someday our paths may cross on our emprise.
Salut,
Sir Justyn.
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