Chvialry is Dead

Chivalry was a peculiar aspect of the practice of war in medieval Europe. The code of chivalry requires of every knight that he be brave, honest, courteous, generous, gracious, and above all, completely loyal to his lord. Knights were seen as the core of an army, since they could break enemy lines and carry swift victories. However, increasingly more powerful archery and the use of pike men and stakes meant that the use of massive cavalry charges could not be relied upon and thus the use of knights and the ideals of chivalry came to an end. If any battle summed up this change, it was the battle of Agincourt in 1415. There were numerous examples of truly chivalrous conduct during the Hundred Years’ War. Many French, and several English, defeats in war can be traced to a bit too much concern for knightly honor. At Agincourt this was certainly the case.
At Agincourt, charging French knights, compressed by the terrain and the English arrows into a fragmented line of attack, reach...