In the Middle Ages in Europe, battles, especially the religious Crusades, were fought on foot and on horseback. Knights—aristocratic warriors—rode horses, commanded men, and were expected to follow certain rules in war. This evolving concept of courage and honor eventually came to be known as chivalry. Though the word itself comes from different names for a fighter on horseback, chivalry is about much more than fighting.
People often refer to the "code of chivalry," but there is no specific written code of behavior. Codes were referenced in poems like "The Song of Roland," which describes loyalty to the Christian church, protection of the weak, honesty, courage, and chivalry as some of the virtues of a knight. Other kings' codes included temperance, hope, justice, prudence, and other virtues.
Chivalry evolved from a code of military conduct to a more expansive concept of how an honorable man should behave at all times. Inevitably, communication between the sexes was included in it. Knights were expected to honor and respect women under all circumstances. Service to the cause of love became an important part of the life of a chivalrous knight; and romantic love became highly idealized. Chivalrous love was even given a name, "courtly love," to separate it from other expressions of romantic love. Courtly love was very ritualized. Knights courted their sweethearts for months or years, giving gifts, performing brave acts, composing works of art, all for only a word or a gesture of approval in return. This love was rarely expected to lead to partnership or marriage. Instead, it was almost like religious worship of a woman. It was exalted, as every other aspect of a knight's life was meant to be.
The current meaning of chivalry comes from this romantic aspect of knightly life. Nowadays, chivalry refers to opening doors, pulling out chairs, and other acts of politeness performed by a man for a woman. It's a surprising modern definition for a word that originally described combat on horseback.
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