Terry Jones: The Knight

[Sir Edward]

Terry Jones does a historical presentation on knights. It's worth noting that this falls into the camp of looking at knights as being rather brutal and not at all like the romanticized view. As we know, there's a lot of truth to this, but it's not fair to describe some of these high levels of brutality as always being the norm (killing villagers by the thousands, for instance), and chivalry never being adhered to. If this were the case, there wouldn't have been anyone left alive anywhere.

His quote from Chretien de Troyes is from "The Knight of the Cart", and is a line spoken by a woman who is manipulating a knight, and saying that this is how it was in the olden days. He skillfully avoids mentioning these details about the context.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhWFQtzM4r0[/youtube]
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[Sir Gerard de Rodes]

Hi Ed, is this clip from the series he did as an adaption of his book on Medieval Lives ?( unfortunately I can`t view it in this country as it`s copy written by the BBC  )
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[Sir Edward]

It looks like it's part of a series. I'm not familiar with it, unfortunately.

[Sir Gerard de Rodes]

Well if you get the chance to read his book it is quite entertaining, as one would expect from a python lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terry_Jones%27_Medieval_Lives

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Terry-Jones-Medieval-Lives-Ereira/dp/0563522755

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[Sir Wolf]

i think i saw it a few years ago. it was entertaining

[Sir William]

I'll have to check this out but if he goes about dispelling the myth that knights were primarily saintly chivalric types, then I'm interested already.  That is not to say I do not believe in chivalry or its sustainability- just that it seems a bit...unrealistic to believe that they were ALL like that as I don't believe it is human nature to place the safety and needs of others, at least not overall.  I DO believe, however, that there are certain types of individuals who are 'made' in that way; really good cops, doctors, teachers- it takes a certain kind of individual to perform these duties admirably and well, especially considering the adversity they face from an unforgiving and ungrateful community-at-large.

[Sir Patrick]

As a history buff, I've kown the "truth" about actual knights for years, so why is it every time I see something like that I still feel as if someone just told me there's no Santa Claus?  Recieving the accolade may allow someone to call himself a knight, but it is what is inside the man that makes him one.

[Sir Wolf]

wait ?

theres no santa claus?

[Sir Edward]

I know what you mean. It's like "Stop raining on my parade!!!!" 

[Sir Patrick]

wait ?

theres no santa claus?

Oh, I didn't say there wasn't a Santa, Sir Wolf.  I was just saying it was like when someone says there's no Santa.  You can go back to writing your list now

[Sir James A]

As the times changes, some things never change.

Were there brutal, unchivalrous knights? Sure. Were there chivalrous, honorable knights? Sure.

Are there good cops today? Yep. Are there cops who plant evidence, abuse suspects, and make the rest of the force look bad? Yep.

Both people of authority, and keepers of peace. Just centuries apart.

I believe the same is said of samurai; some were brutal and tormented peasants in order to collect pay for their liege (daimyo), some tormented for fun, some were loyal and honorable and strictly followed bushido (roughly japanese chivalry).

It's all in who you pick to look up to. If you aspire to be like the chivalrous knights, don't let the renegade ones sour your vision. In the end, the goal isn't so much to be exactly like them, but to be become who you want to be by following their example.

[Sir William]

Well said, Sir James.