Another publication about the most common misconceptions of modern man.

What were they like - real knights?

Brave defenders of the oppressed and true to their word warriors for whom honor dearer than life, gallant admirers of beautiful ladies - this is how we usually perceive medieval knights. We believe that the main qualities of a knight are honor and nobility, courage and loyalty.

This is all, of course, very inspiring, but thinking this way, we are most seriously mistaken, because in reality there were no such noble knights at all - they existed only on the pages chivalric romances.

But let's go in order. Let's figure out what qualities of a knight were inherent in this class.

Qualities of a knight

First, no one but yourself knights never defended. For the most part, they were ordinary bandits and for several centuries terrorized those around them, robbed merchants and pilgrims, did not submit to any authority and, without much mental anguish, killed anyone who dared to resist them.

Secondly, the scenes from chivalric romances, where beautiful ladies tearfully asked for help and what they immediately received. It's a delusion . In reality, at the sight of approaching knights everyone who could move independently, and beautiful ladies, first of all, in a panic, tried to hide out of their sight.

Here are just a few examples. In 1208 knights Simon de Montfort captured the city of Beziers in Languedoc, one of the centers of the heretical teachings of the Albigensians. To the question of one of knight And how to distinguish heretics from true Christians, the papal legate Arnold Amaury replied: “Kill everyone. God recognizes his flock." noble knights Fifteen thousand people were slaughtered, mostly women and children.

Richard the Lionheart is the owner of the best qualities of a knight.

What are we talking about when the very embodiment of nobility, Richard the Lionheart, after taking one of the Saracen fortresses, ordered to open the stomachs of some given hundreds, and several thousand others, to check if they had swallowed the jewelry.

In 1369, Edward, also known as the Black Prince, called by medieval authors "the most noble and worthy knight", captured the French city of Limoges. He granted freedom to fellow knights who were taken prisoner and ordered to kill all the rest of the inhabitants of the city. And in this case, neither women nor children were spared.

Noble knight Edward the Black Prince.

The "noble" knights who participated in the crusade organized by Peter the Hermit in 1096 marked their way across Europe with robberies, violence and murders, as the locals refused to supply them with provisions.

Many knight and went on a crusade just to get more loot. And the kings of the states of Europe welcomed these campaigns, because in this way for a long time (and sometimes forever) they got rid of uncontrollable and warlike knights.

In this light, the following story seems not so implausible:

The knight returned to the castle to his lord. He was badly dented, his armor was bent, his helmet was broken, his face was covered in blood. His horse was lame, and he himself could hardly stay in the saddle.

"What trouble has befallen you?" the señor asked the poor fellow.

He straightened up in the saddle with difficulty:

“Oh, I did a good job for you, sir! I gave your enemies a good blow in the north...

- What? exclaimed the astonished baron. “I don’t have any enemies in the north…

“Uh…” the knight drawled wearily. “It wasn’t, so now it will be!”

Knights Manners

But maybe knights were connoisseurs of beauty and distinguished by excellent manners? There was nothing like that, the knights had no such qualities. It's a delusion.

Historians claim that in their castles it was always incredibly dirty, in the yards among garbage, dirt and garbage, chickens and pigs swarm, the rooms were heated with smoky coal and lit with torches. The knights ate with their hands, used their hair and beard as napkins, and slept dressed. And the ability of noble knights to appreciate the beautiful is evidenced by the fact that, having captured Christian Constantinople, they destroyed wonderful works of ancient art, masterpieces of marble, wood, and bone. And all for the simple reason that the crusaders perceived only gold as something valuable.

We also note that the barbarians from the West, who for some reason are recklessly called noble knights, in 1204 turned the richest book depositories in Constantinople with the most valuable works of ancient writers and philosophers into ashes.

Recover from the consequences of the invasion knights with crosses on cloaks, the Byzantine capital could no longer ...

So really there were no knights in the best sense of the word? Are the best qualities of a knight, listed by us at the beginning of the article, just fiction? I can calm the romantics. Although in very a small amount, but noble knights still existed. A few literate knights they simply imitated book heroes: King Arthur, Lancelot, Tristan and other literary models. As they say, thanks for that. That is the great power of art! In those times far from us, they still believed what was written ...

TICKET #5

TICKET #8

The historical novel is a genre

The historical novel is a genre

narrative literature, showing human destinies and

characters that convey the appearance of a particular historical era

The historical novel is a genre

narrative literature, showing human destinies and

characters that convey the appearance of a particular historical era

The historical novel is a genre

narrative literature, showing human destinies and

characters that convey the appearance of a particular historical era

features of the historical novel.

TICKET #13

TICKET #18

TICKET #19

TICKET #25

TICKET #5

1. Define the concept of "tragedy" using the example of W. Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet".

Tragedy is one of the types of drama, which is based on a tense, irreconcilable conflict, most often ending in the death of the hero. In the tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" the problems of the irresistibility of rock, earthly love are raised. The tragedy is based on the conflict (collision) of people, interests, positions, the manifestation of the hero's insoluble internal contradictions. This conflict cannot be resolved otherwise than through the suffering of a person, it leads to his death, but also to spiritual growth, to the sharpening of feelings, to the manifestation of human qualities. Other participants in the tragedy are involved in the conflict, it is experienced by everyone. In the tragedy "Romeo and Juliet" time itself, the situation, opposite characters are in conflict. Chance plays the role of inevitability.

In Shakespeare's tragedy, pure, natural, sinless love and the disorder of the world (blood feud, ambition) collide. This is a conflict of pure heart and prejudice. In an atmosphere of mutual hostility, a great love suddenly arises, which opposes evil and affirms the beauty of the world.

The play also shows the clash of fathers and children, progressive young people. According to the custom of that time, the choice of a partner when marrying a son or daughter was made by the parents, regardless of the feelings of the children. This is how it is in the Capulet family. The father chose Count Paris as Juliet's husband, without asking her consent.

Love is opposed to misanthropy. Romeo and Juliet not only rebelled against the old ways and their relationship. They gave an example of a new life. They are not separated by enmity, they are united by love. the main idea work is that the long-awaited peace comes thanks to the sincerity of the feelings of the young generation, ready to accept death in the name of eternal love and reunion outside of these cruel worldly principles.

TICKET #8

1. Determine the features of the historical novel genre using the example of W. Scott's work "Ivanhoe".

The historical novel is a genre

narrative literature, showing human destinies and

characters that convey the appearance of a particular historical era

The historical novel is a genre

narrative literature, showing human destinies and

characters that convey the appearance of a particular historical era

The historical novel is a genre

narrative literature, showing human destinies and

characters that convey the appearance of a particular historical era

The historical novel is a genre

narrative literature, showing human destinies and

characters that convey the appearance of a particular historical era

The creator of the historical novel genre is Walter Scott.

features of the historical novel.

1) Image of the events of a particular historical era. These events are most often turning points when the fate of the country is decided.

In the novel "Ivanhoe" the time of feudal strife of the XII century in England is recreated. There is a struggle between the Saxons (the native inhabitants of England) and the Normans (the conquerors). In the country at that time there was a struggle for the centralization of royal power. The work tells about the boundless arbitrariness of the feudal lords, about the transformation of knightly castles into robber cells, the lack of rights and poverty of the peasants. The writer vividly depicts the cruelty of the servants of the Catholic Church, the robbery and violence of the crusader knights. Also in the center of the plot of the novel are episodes typical of the era (a tournament of knights, a siege and storming of the castle in order to free the hostages)

2) The private life of people is depicted against the background of historical events and is connected with them.

In "Ivanhoe" the author gives a description of the personal life of the characters in the context of historical events, talks about extraordinary adventures and real historical facts. The action of the novel revolves around the young knight Ivanhoe and the beautiful Lady Rowena. The fictional character Aiyengo in the novel is an associate of King Richard and a member of the Crusade. Real and fictional events are closely intertwined.

3) The presence of historical figures in the novel. Such in the novel is Richard the Lionheart, but he is depicted here not so much as real person as much as the kind king of folk tales.

4) Representatives of different classes act in the novel (in Ivanhoe these are kings, knights, feudal lords and their servants, monks, robbers). Their clothes, housing, household items are described in detail, even the manner of speaking is transmitted.

The historical novel introduces us to history, helps to understand the peculiarities of life and customs of people in a time far from us.

TICKET #13

Tell us about the qualities of a real knight, based on the actions of the heroes of W. Scott's novel "Ivanhoe".

The main knight in W. Scott's novel is Ivanhoe himself. Throughout the work, he performs actions that correspond to the knightly code of honor. Under the mask of a pilgrim, he is the only one who, taking pity on the weak old man Isaac, gives him a place at the hearth. Then he saves him from robbery and death. He wins several duels of the Knights Templar, fights with King Richard, takes part in the crusade. He saves the beautiful Reveka, throughout the novel without betraying the knightly notions of honor. At the same time, Rowena remains his only lady of the heart. The duty of a true knight is to be a supporter of the weak. Its main advantage is nobility. Ivanhoe is a just and noble man. He is always ready to help honest people, protect them from the willfulness of the treacherous Normans. Ivanhoe understands well that the strength of a person is in friendship, and his happiness is in love. Everyone around him is conquered by the generosity, kindness and simplicity of the young knight. The most terrible crime of a knight is betrayal of honor and duty (Font de Boeuf and Brian de Boisguillebert), this crime is punishable by death.

The second incarnation of a real knight in the novel is Richard the Lionheart. He is most attracted to the life of a simple knight-errant, the glory that he wins alone is dearer to him than the victory won at the head of a hundred thousandth army. It is he, under the guise of the Black Knight, who carries the wounded Ivanhoe out of the burning castle in his arms, and then does many more good deeds: he saves old Cedric and Lady Rowena, reconciles Ivanhoe with his father and blesses the future marriage of the young man and Rowena.

The nobility of a knight. The disinherited one speaks to the squires of those who organized the tournament in which he received so many laurels. According to the law of the battlefield, the knight who won the victory takes the horse, weapons or receives a ransom for them. The Disinherited Knight told the four squires to say hello to the noble knights and his intention to take the ransom, but he would only take half of the total. Brian de Boisguillebert's squire answered that he would not take either equipment or a ransom, since their battle had not yet ended, and they would meet again: that de Boisguillebert himself called the knight of the Disinherited to a mortal battle, and it's hard to forget. And he added that he considered de Boisguillebert his mortal enemy. Left alone with his servant, the Disinherited Knight said: "Until now... the honor of English chivalry has not suffered at my hands."

After being wounded, Ivanhoe was looked after by Rebecca. Eight days passed, and the knight was put on horseback, transported from the house where Isaac, Rebecca's father, temporarily lived. Met on the way with de Brie and his comrades. Ivanhoe named himself when de Brasset saw the wounds of the knight, because he thought that he had been captured by the Saxon robbers of Brasset, he observed harsh concepts of knightly dignity, which forbade any violence against a knight who was in a helpless state. And given that his opponent was in front of him, de Brasset ordered the servants to take him to one of the remote rooms of the castle.

When the wounded Ivanhoe ended up in the castle at the Front de Boefoux and Rebecca looked after him, the siege of the castle began. Ivanhoe so wanted to be with those who are now there, in battle. He tells the girl that being inactive when the knights are fighting with enemies is a real torment for him. “After all, the battle is for daily bread, the smoke of battle is the air that we breathe. We do not live and do not want to live otherwise than surrounded by a halo of victory and glory! Such are the laws of chivalry, we swore to fulfill them, and for their sake we sacrifice everything that is dear to us in life. And then he added that the spirit of chivalry teaches kings to value their lives incomparably below dignity, to neglect any troubles, worries and sufferings, not to be afraid of anything. “Knighthood is the source of the purest and most noble relations, the support of the oppressed, the protection of the offended, the bulwark against the arbitrariness of the rulers! Without him, noble dignity would be an empty phrase. And the authorities find the best patrons in knightly spears and swords!”

What I think about when I read Ivanhoe. Being a man is hard, being a knight is even harder. This title, high and honorary, obliges a person to certain requirements that are put forward by a representative of chivalry. And this means that it is distinguished from others by humanity, dignity, courage, fortitude.

Medieval chivalry is a completely unique phenomenon in the history of Europe. The knighthood was already formed by the 11th century, and at the time of the beginning of the Crusades, the rules for the conduct of knights, their code of honor, had already developed. Chivalry reached its heyday in the 14th century, when tournaments began to be held regularly and a complex heraldry was formed.

What qualities of knights have already been lost

The knighthood was not created as a simple community of noble warriors. This is a certain group of people who were united by common moral values. Such positive qualities of medieval knights should be considered in more detail:

• unconditional honesty. A knight could not lie, and a knight who lied could not bear this title. It was dishonorable, because lying was regarded as cowardice, a desire to avoid an honest confrontation4
• fidelity to the word was highly valued. It was unacceptable to betray one's own convictions and refuse promises. Moreover, promises and oaths had a religious basis. And their violation was unworthy of a knight. Such a person could be stripped of his knighthood and expelled from noble society;
• courage. The knight was not to yield to danger. He had to be fearless. Moreover, the knights specially went on campaigns to fight in the name of God and goodness. That is, they themselves looked for dangers for themselves;
• patronage of the poor and offended. The knight was obliged to help the poor and protect the offended. The goal of many knightly enterprises was the protection of the needy.

All of these qualities are welcome today. But they are all relative.

Loss of chivalry - good or bad

Modern "flexibility" is a means of survival in the world. The age of knights is gone forever. And the conditions of people's lives have changed. Therefore, one cannot regret that the knightly rules of conduct have disappeared forever. After all, the world is different.

However, these qualities are somehow inherent in all people and they all cause respect. Therefore, no need to try to be a knight. It is enough to follow the listed rules of behavior in everyday life.

What exactly was this so-called "knight's path to Salvation"? What did a knight have to do in order not only to receive worldly glory, but also to save his immortal soul? Here is what Maurice Keane writes on this subject, conveying in his own words the reflections of Raymond Lull, expressed by him in his treatise on chivalry:

His [i.e. knight - chevalry] the first duty is to defend the faith of Christ from the infidels, for which he will be honored not only in our world, but also after death: this is, of course, the speech of a true son of a crusader! The knight must also protect his secular lord, take care of the weak, women, widows and orphans, and constantly train his body by hunting wild animals - deer, wild boars and wolves - and participating in duels and tournaments. Under the direction of his king, he must judge among the people subordinate to him and lead them in the works of the righteous. It is from among the knights that kings should choose their provosts, baillies, and other high officials. The knight, in turn, must always be ready to immediately leave his castle and go to protect the roads or pursue robbers and intruders.

He also needs: to obtain certain knowledge of the virtues necessary to fulfill all the above duties; try to gain wisdom; develop compassion and loyalty. However, the most important thing in a knight is military prowess, “because most of all chivalry is famous for the nobility of courage (noblesse de courage)” (i.e., valor). And above all for him honor. Well, a knight must flee from pride, as well as perjury, laziness, depravity and betrayal (it should be noted in the concept of Lull a very archaic aftertaste - especially with regard to especially serious types of betrayal: killing his lord, cohabiting with his wife, surrendering his castle enemy).

At the end of his book, Lull concludes what kind of person a knight should become as a result. First, he should have courteous and noble manners, dress well and show hospitality - of course, within the limits of his financial capabilities. Loyalty and truthfulness, courage and generosity (largesse), as well as modesty - these are the main character traits that we should expect in a knight.

This text seems a little pompous, but we should consider that for the Middle Ages this kind of sublime rhetoric, as well as symbolism and conventionality in the presentation of ideas, were the most common, widespread phenomenon. Moreover, in this case, the knightly idea is stated briefly and dryly, one might say, theoretically. And we already see its literary refraction in the knightly and courtly novels of the Middle Ages.

According to Raymond Lull, it turns out that chivalrous piety is a complete and integral system of values ​​that should be characteristic of any true knight. This system includes:
- knightly virtues - valor, fidelity, courage, generosity, generosity;
- military exploits - participation in knightly duels, knightly tournaments, wars for the king (or his overlord) and, finally, the Crusades;
- protection and patronage of churches and monasteries, widows and orphans, destitute, unjustly condemned;
- performance of Christian rites and rituals - fasting, prayer, participation in church services;
- courtesy, or secularism - the ability to behave at the royal court and in general in an aristocratic environment, education, gallantry, courtesy.

Here is an approximate list of elements that together made any knight - an exemplary knight.