Chivalry

Chivalry is as much about the skills and manners of a warrior class as with a literature derived from the deeds of those warriors, but presented in an idealised fashion which returned to define the manners of the warriors. Chivalry was a collocation of qualities made into a coherent ideal: skill and courage, and a craving for glory or fame acquired through knightly skills and its necessary courage. Tournaments were the place to acquire and hone skills. They were also places where a great deal of money could be made with sufficient courage and skill, as William Marshal and others did. Chivalry required that the knight be courteous and gallant towards ladies. He must be generous with a defeated enemy; his word must be his bond, for should he break his oath or parole, his name and glory would be fatally sullied. In October 1326, Sir Hugh Despenser was executed, having been one of the most influential men at Edward Il's court; he was said to have dishonoured the order of chivalry. As part of his sentence it was ordered that Despenser be hanged in a *surcoat *quartered with his arms and that afterwards his arms should be destroyed for ever.