The Knight and Chivalry by Richard Barber

The Knight and Chivalry by Richard Barber

A profoundly intelligent book which combines the results for monumental research with elegance and lucidity. DAILY TELEGRAPH (Review of the 1970 edition) The concept of chivalry is one of the central ideas of the medieval world, linking the practicalities of warfare to the highest levels of literary and religious idealism. To understand it, it is necessary to give equal weight to the worlds of reality and imagination in order to examine the complex interaction between the two which produces chivalry. The warriors and knights of early medieval Europe show the first stirrings of a chivalric order. The chansons de geste and the early romances, the biographies and handbooks for aspiring knights, provide an intellectual reflection of the new mood. The physical and social constraints of chivalry were perfectly met by tournaments, which developed from training for warfare into spectacular pageants. The study draws new parallels between chivalry and christian belief, and shows how, from the church's changing attitude to war as reflected in the crusades, the military orders emerged. Only as methods of warfare were transformed in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries was the medieval knight finally transformed into the Renaissance courtier. The Knight and Chivalry, first appeared in 1970 and has now been completely revised and updated to take account of the latest research.

The concept of chivalry has been in existence for well over a thousand years; even today, it is not quite deadIn this valuable book Dr Barber has set himself the task of tracing its history from the beginning - aventure every bit as daunting as any undertaken by his heroes - and has acquitted himself with honour. His place at the Round Table is now assured. It has been won by a combination of scholarship with quite exemplary thoroughness. JOHN JULIUS NORWICH, THE SPECTATOR Richard Barber's magnificent study explores the development of the knightly hero from the iron warrior of the chansons de geste to the courtly lover of the romans, those epics of chivalry in which love and honour were inseparable. In the second half of the book, Dr Barber relates chivalry in literature to chivalry in life a profoundly intelligent book which combines the results of monumental research with elegance and lucidity. DAILY TELEGRAPH I am greatly impressed by his solid scholarship. * CYRIL CONNOLLY, SUNDAY TIMES *

RICHARD BARBER has had a huge influence on the study of medieval history and literature, as both a writer and a publisher. His first book on the Arthurian legend appeared in 1961, and his major works include The Knight and Chivalry (winner of the Somerset Maugham Award in 1971), Edward Prince of Wales and Aquitaine, The Penguin Guide to Medieval Europe and The Holy Grail: the History of a Legend which was widely praised and was translated into six languages.

SKU	GOR002483126
ISBN 13	9780851156279
ISBN 10	0851156274
Title	The Knight and Chivalry
Author	Richard Barber
Condition	Very Good
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Boydell & Brewer Ltd
Year published	1974-01-01
Number of pages	472
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.
Note	This is a used book - there is no escaping the fact it has been read by someone else and it will show signs of wear and previous use. Overall we expect it to be in very good condition, but if you are not entirely satisfied please get in touch with us