![]() ![]() According to the HRB, this was precisely the case. So apparently, according to these relatively early Arthurian sources, Arthur was exceptionally virtuous in at least some ways.Īnd what about his court? If the king was virtuous, we would expect his court to be so as well. The descriptions of Arthur later in that same work continue to convey the same idea about the king. When he is first introduced in Book 9, as a 15-year-old who has just been crowned, he is described as having ‘unparalleled courage and generosity’. 1137, the description of Arthur matches this aforementioned description very well. In Geoffrey of Monmouth’s Historia Regum Britanniae ( HRB), written in c. Admittedly, though, we cannot be completely certain that this description dates back to the original writing of the Historia Brittonum, since it is not in all versions. This is not a comprehensive description of all types of moral virtues, but it does reveal that Arthur was believed to have at least been magnanimous. In this manuscript version, Arthur is termed ‘magnanimous’. The first hint of Arthur as a symbol of exceptional virtue appears in one version of the Historia Brittonum. Development of the Code in Arthurian Lore Let us first look into the development of this courtly Code of Chivalry throughout the early development of Arthurian lore, and then we shall consider what the code actually was, as well as what historical basis it may have had. King Arthur’s reign was viewed as the idealised example of courtly virtue. The display of chivalry featured in the Arthurian legends had a profound impact on western society during the height of the popularity of those legends in Europe. It was expected that knights would temper their brutal and violent lifestyle with virtuous qualities and modes of conduct. In real life, codes of chivalry had been developed and propounded by different individuals and groups during the medieval period. These standards made Arthur’s reign the peaceful and glorious thing that it was famous for being, and the downfall of his kingdom is associated with the discarding of this Code of Chivalry. It was essentially the moral code of conduct by which Arthur and his men had resolved to live by. The chivalric virtues of the Knights Code of Chivalry were described in the 14th Century by the Duke of Burgandy.The Code of Chivalry in the Arthurian legends is not something that explicitly appears in the earliest records of Arthur, but it is a key aspect of the medieval romances. ![]() Knights Code of Chivalry described by the Duke of Burgandy The Arthurian legend revolves around the Code of Chivalry which was adhered to by the Knights of the Round Table - Honour, Honesty, Valour and Loyalty. The Dark Age myths of Arthurian Legends featuring King Arthur, Camelot and the Knights of the Round Table further strengthen the idea of a Knights Code of Chivalry. The wandering minstrels of the Middle Ages sang these ballads and were expected to memorize the words of long poems describing the valour and the code of chivalry followed by the Medieval knights. The ideals of a Knights Code of Chivalry was publicised in the poems, ballads, writings and literary works of Knights authors. These sacred oaths of combat were combined with the ideals of chivalry and with strict rules of etiquette and conduct. The ideals described in the Code of Chivalry were emphasised by the oaths and vows that were sworn in the Knighthood ceremonies of the Middle Ages and Medieval era. The Knights Code of Chivalry and the legends of King Arthur and Camelot ![]()
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