How important was chivalry in shaping the cultural world of the upper classes? The word chivalry comes from the French term “chevalrie” which when described literally meant the warrior attributes of armed knights on horseback. When the word was first used it did not have many, if any, of the moral or social aspects that were later attributed to it. Reaching the later periods of the Middle Ages there begins to be a consensus opinion on the definition of a chivalrous knight. This knight would have been kind, especially to women, loyal to his lord, a devout and humble Christian, and a powerful and strong-willed fighter. While no man can live up to these expectations, an ideal chivalrous knight would demonstrate all of these qualities. Chivalry began to fade in the 15th century following the unrealistic disposition of courtly love. From the beginning of the Crusades to the present, however, chivalry was not only an important part of the cultural world of the upper classes, but came to define it. Indeed, many major aspects of life in the Middle Ages, including warfare, religion, ceremony, and romance, were significantly influenced by chivalry. These key aspects of life influenced by chivalry would define the cultural world of the upper classes throughout Europe. Chivalry, in its most encompassing definition, can be described as "a form of behavior that knights and nobles would have liked to imagine themselves following, both based on and reflected in epics and romances, a form of behavior that considered armed and mounted combat as one of its key elements. This definition opens many doors to a true depiction of chivalry; yet it is effective in allowing discussion of chivalry from almost all medieval sources Middle Ages. Without chivalry, some of the most important cultural events of the Middle Ages may never have occurred, including the crusades and tournaments, among others. 1974. Kay, Sarah. Raoul de Cambrai. Oxford University Press: USA, 1992. Secondary Sources Bouchard, Constance Brittain. Cornell University Press: USA, 1998. Gautier, Leon. Cavalry. Phoenix House: London, 1965. Lawson, Rich. Shadow Realm. "Chivalry in the reign of King Edward III." http://www.shadowedrealm.com/articles/exclusive/chivalry_king_edward_iii_reign (accessed 11/25/2009). Saul, Nigel. Age of Chivalry: Art and Society in Late Medieval England. Collins & Brown Limited: Great Britain, 1992.