Chivalric Education

The age of chivalry extended from the beginning of the ninth to the sixteenth centuries. A complicated system of political and personal relationships called feudalism characterized by the early period of the middle Ages and grew among the nobility. Concerned with both loyalty and property, feudalism focused on land tenure, binding royalties and serfs together by the responsibilities of mutual defense and service. The medieval king or lord rewards his vassal by awarding him a portion of his land and, in return, each pledge aid and support to the other. To get young nobles ready to assume their obligations, the institution of chivalry developed and became the basis for a set of ideals to guide their education and conduct. The patterns of chivalry were based upon usages in warfare, religion and courtesy for the upper class. For warfare, there was training in the skills of fighting on horseback. The church contributed ideas of honor, generosity, protection of the weak and loyalty. In addition, there were social graces and manners fit for the nobility. Feudalism is the general term used to describe the political and military system of the Western European during the middle Ages. At that time there was no

strong central government and little security, but feudalism fulfilled the basic needs for justice and protection. Feudalism was a system of land tenure on allegiance and service to the nobleman or lord. The lord who owned the land, called a fief, let it out to a subordinate who was called vassal. Two careers were open to the sons of the noblemen during feudalism times. If they decided in favor of the church, they pursued an education that was religious and academic in nature in order to become members of the clergy. If they decided in favor of chivalry, they pursued an education that was physical, social and military in nature. To the average boy, chivalry has much more appeal than the church. The word chivalry comes from the Old French word chevalerie meaning horse soldiery. But the term came to mean the code of behavior and ethics that knights were expected to follow.

TRAINING PREPARATION FOR KNIGHTHOOD In the middle ages, a young boy in training to be a knight spent the first years of his life chiefly in the care of the women of his family. During this time, he learned how to ride a pony and care for horses, The PAGE At seven, he joins a household of another knight or nobleman and learns how to handle small weapons and learns the code of courtesy and behavior expected of a knight The SQUIRE At fourteen, he acts as a valet, a personal servant to the knight who was his master and sets the table and serves meals. He keeps the knights weapon in good condition and cares for his horses. He helps his knight in his armor, attends to him if injured, rides with him into battles and fights along with his knight. He also guards prisoners. The KNIGHT at twenty-one, any knight could bestow knighthood on another. Some men were knighted on the battlefield if they had shown great bravery. He receives his sword and other weapons from his master or king. The ceremony is solemn in which a prospective knight takes a bath of purification, dressed in white and spends an entire night in prayer and meditation.

1. AIMS A system of education for nobility, chivalry aimed to teach the best ideals. It provided a system of training to inculcate gallantry towards women, protection of the weak, honesty in everything and courage at all times.

a) Morality To inculcate in the minds of young nobles the virtues of honor, honesty, courage, bravery, courtesy, etc b) Responsibility To get the young nobles to assume their responsibilities, how to manage their own estates, and how to deal to the lower classes of people. c) Horsemanship To train the young nobles in horseback warfare, hunting and tournaments d) Gallantry To train the young nobles how to deal gallantry with the ladies of nobility and protection of the weak e). Religiosity To train the young nobles to be devoted to the service of God f). Social Graces To train the young girls in thesocial graces and manners fit for the ladies ofthe nobility

2. TYPES Chivalric was a form of social training. It emphasized on military training and social etiquette. Chivalric education was essentially class education for entrance into aristocracy. This social discipline taught the young noble to manage his estate and to acquire the class consciousness of superiority over lower class. a) Reading, Writing and little literary learning in the vernacular b) Social Training- Training in good manners, right conduct, and social graces. Training of social etiquette has never been surpassed. c) Military Training. Military training was emphasized through the acquisition of professional military skills and made of fighting in warfare a profession d). Religious and moral training. Participation in church rites and ceremonies. e) Physical Training. This was given emphasis

3. CONTENT The curriculum consisted of: a) Religion, music, dancing, especially for girls b) Horse riding for warfare, hunting, and tournaments c) Physical exercises d) Reading, writing, literature in vernacular e) Good manners, right conduct, social graces and etiquette f) Household duties such as sewing, weaving, cooking, embroidery and household management for girls g) At the higher level: the curriculum consisted of the SEVEN FREE ARTS: a. Jousting b. Falconine c. Swimming d. Horsemanship e. Boxing f. Writing and singing verse g. Chess the pupil did not pay any fees because he served his master like a valet.

4. AGENCIES a) The home was responsible for the earliest education; later, the lords and ladies of the castles were the teachers. b) The fields of battle were the schools of boys while, c) The courts were the school for girls. d) Troubadours, ministers and gazetteers served as agents of education and providers of entertainment.