THE KNIGHTS WATCH / WATCHR

The term chivalry in origin has the meaning “horsemanship”, formed in Old French in the 11th century from chevalier “horseman; knight”, from Medieval Latin caballārius. In English, the term appears from 1292 (note that cavalry is from the Italian form of the same word) The meaning of the term evolved over time, from the original concrete military meaning “status or fee associated with military follower owning a war horse” or “a group of mounted knights. Regardless of the diverse written definitions of chivalry, the medieval knightly class was adept at the art of war, trained in fighting in armor, with horses, lances, swords and shields. Knights were taught to excel in the arms, to show courage, to be gallant and loyal and to swear off cowardice and baseness. Related to chivalry was the practice of heraldry and its elaborate rules of displaying coats of arms.