Today the terms "knighthood" and "chivalry" evoke images of polite and courteous behavior or the mythical deeds of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. Throughout the Middle Ages, however, knighthood and chivalry described the warlike and violent world of the European ruling class: the nobility. A knight was an armored warrior on horseback, and chivalry described his bellicose aristocratic culture. This course seeks to understand the origins, nature, and transformations of knighthood and chivalry during the Middle Ages and Renaissance. We will explore such topics as the ethos of knighthood, Christian lay piety, family structure and inheritance patterns, the changing status of women, warfare and crusades, life in castles, relations with peasants, jousting and tournaments, courtly love, chivalric literature, and the gradual emergence of "civilized" courtly manners. Groups B and D

GOLDBERG