In today’s society, teenage girls dream of their “knight in shining armor.” Contrary to popular belief, this idea does not come from the true historical version of a knight, but rather from the romanticized version created and popularized by Chrétien de Troyes. Nonetheless, the knight, although not chivalrous in the commonly assumed way, played a fundamental role in the making of Europe through conquest and expansion as detailed in Robert Bartlett’s, The Making of Europe.
Firstly, it is important to understand the image of the conqueror, as presented in this time period, the knight. According to Bartlett, knights were known for their strenuous, meaning energy. Bartlett describes this popular characteristic of the knights writing,“of Norman …show more content…
Bartlett notes”A sure sign of confidence about further expansion is the existence of many prospective, speculative or anticipatory grants and titles. There was a futures market for the medieval aristocracy” (Bartlett, 1973, 90). This often included promising the energy-filled, conquest-hungary knights land that the Lord did not currently have. For instance, the king of Castile and the count of Barcelona agreed on terms for land “which the Saracens hold at present” (Bartlett, 1973, 91). In addition, prospective grants were also given to knights in Ireland and Wales with Robert Guiscard and his brother agreeing to divide up “the land already acquired and yet to be acquired” (Bartlett, 1973, 92). The conquest of land, driven by the expansionary mindset of the knights under grants from nobles spread the Frankish people out across Europe. This is because when a knight would conquer a new patch of territory, an aristocratic family would build a castle and colonize the new land, with the knight receiving some of the land for himself. Consequently, eighty percent of aristocratic families across Europe can trace their roots back to the …show more content…
The opening paragraph of Ywain hails King Arthur saying,“his knighthood inspires us to be valiant and courageous” (Troyes, 1977, 1). To be sure, there is still fighting. For example, a Vassal attacks and humiliates Ywain’s cousin, Calogrenant. In this engagement, the “evil and otherworldly” knight Escalados takes the horse of Calogrenant, leaving Calogrenant “confused and bewildered” (Troyes, 1977, 10). De Troyes purposely emphasizes this example because it is not fair play. Escalados is how a knight in Bartlett would have acted, not how a knight in society should act. It is interesting that Escalados would likely have achieved great success and fame if he was a part of the Norman Conquest, yet he serves as a treacherous villain in the twelfth century cathedral
Firstly, it is important to understand the image of the conqueror, as presented in this time period, the knight. According to Bartlett, knights were known for their strenuous, meaning energy. Bartlett describes this popular characteristic of the knights writing,“of Norman …show more content…
Bartlett notes”A sure sign of confidence about further expansion is the existence of many prospective, speculative or anticipatory grants and titles. There was a futures market for the medieval aristocracy” (Bartlett, 1973, 90). This often included promising the energy-filled, conquest-hungary knights land that the Lord did not currently have. For instance, the king of Castile and the count of Barcelona agreed on terms for land “which the Saracens hold at present” (Bartlett, 1973, 91). In addition, prospective grants were also given to knights in Ireland and Wales with Robert Guiscard and his brother agreeing to divide up “the land already acquired and yet to be acquired” (Bartlett, 1973, 92). The conquest of land, driven by the expansionary mindset of the knights under grants from nobles spread the Frankish people out across Europe. This is because when a knight would conquer a new patch of territory, an aristocratic family would build a castle and colonize the new land, with the knight receiving some of the land for himself. Consequently, eighty percent of aristocratic families across Europe can trace their roots back to the …show more content…
The opening paragraph of Ywain hails King Arthur saying,“his knighthood inspires us to be valiant and courageous” (Troyes, 1977, 1). To be sure, there is still fighting. For example, a Vassal attacks and humiliates Ywain’s cousin, Calogrenant. In this engagement, the “evil and otherworldly” knight Escalados takes the horse of Calogrenant, leaving Calogrenant “confused and bewildered” (Troyes, 1977, 10). De Troyes purposely emphasizes this example because it is not fair play. Escalados is how a knight in Bartlett would have acted, not how a knight in society should act. It is interesting that Escalados would likely have achieved great success and fame if he was a part of the Norman Conquest, yet he serves as a treacherous villain in the twelfth century cathedral