Was Arthur a real king? The Legend of King Arthur

Feudalism A System of both government and land ownership. In exchange for a nobleman’s oath, the king would give him land, and the nobleman ruled the lands. This even gave these knights to impose taxes and make legal decisions. BUT, he must remain LOYAL to king, or the knight would lose everything.

Code of Chivalry Knights must: Be brave Be loyal Be virtuous Christians Fight for justice Protect the defenseless Always speak truth Respect and honor woman Never refuse a challenge from an equal

Code Continued… Obey authority Give to widows and orphans Live for honor and glory Guard fellow knights

Courtly Love Knights were idealized and well respected by all. Women could “fancy” or admire a knight and give him tokens. This “love” was accepted – no matter the marital status of the two. This is an example of courtly love. SOMETIMES, courtly love was taken too far and resulted in an affair.

Medieval Romance Includes Elements of: Kings Knights Battles Good versus Evil Elements of Supernatural

King Arthur No one knows for sure if Arthur is a true historical character. More than likely, King Arthur is compiled of many noble knights and idealized. Arthur, in the legend, is known as England’s greatest king.

Morte d’Arthur (The death of Arthur) Written by Sir Thomas Malory Morte d’Arthur is one of the 1 st pieces of English literature written in prose. You may assume Malory was a noble and chivalrous man, but he actually spent much of his life in jail. He was accused/convicted of cattle-stealing, extortion(unlawfully obtaining money, property, or services) and assault. SOME believe he was jailed because he was a prisoner of war, not a rustler.

Coat of Arms Coats of arms originated from a need or desire to differentiate and identify families and clans at a time when few people could read. Colors and symbols were designated to indicate the bearer's allegiance and social status. In times of war and pageantry, the symbols helped identify armies and individual soldiers. Some historians believe that the coat of arms was less of a military device than a form of vanity.

Coat of Arms An official coat of arms consists of a shield; helmet with a mantle tied to it that drapes down and forms the shield background; charges, or symbols; and typically, but not always, a crest over the shield. It is difficult and sometimes impossible to decipher the meaning of arms, but depending on the country of origin, colors, charges and designs could make a statement about the person or family.

Color Meanings  Gold: Generosity and elevation of the mind Silver or white: Peace and sincerity Red: Warrior or martyr, military strength Blue: Truth and loyalty Green: Hope, joy and loyalty in love Black: Constancy or grief Purple: Royalty, sovereignty and justice Orange: Worthy ambition Maroon: Patient in battle and victorious