The Role of the Church (and the Virtuous Woman) in Shaping the Knight in Shining Armor

I remember my military history professor at East Carolina University comparing the warriors in a medieval army to college students descending on downtown Greenville for an evening of riotous, drunken debauchery. He pointed out that one of the often unspoken benefits of having an army is keeping young men busy and tired so that they are less likely to cause trouble. As someone that was once a young man, I must admit that the argument has merit.

I was directed to this short video (click on link below) by an acquaintance on social media. It is an exploration by Ryan M. Reeves, PhD, an Assistant Professor of Historical Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary on how the Catholic Church sought to mold and shape the medieval warrior known as a "knight" into someone more virtuous, more compassionate, and more restrained from following his baser emotions and impulses, while also elevating the status and the power of women in society. As you will see, it was the Church that was largely responsible for creating the recognizable image of the "knight in shining armor" that we hold in the West. Again, the video is relatively short (29:21). I would encourage you to take a half-hour and give it a viewing. ⚔️ 🛡️ 😃

"Knights and Chivalry"