Essay/Term paper: Monasticism and the code of chivalry

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Religion

Monasticism and the Code of Chivalry


In the Middle Ages, there were many factors contributing to the building
of monasticism. One of the most important components of the fourth century came
when the Christians believed that Jesus would return very soon. So they did not
care what the world did to itself. Instead they waited for Jesus to fix things,
but it did not happen. This caused the world to become a violent place to live.
Christians were persecuted for their beliefs by the Roman Government. The
Christians had enough and were ready to leave. Some Christians went to a place
where they could have communion in peace without the fear of the Roman
government, this place was Egypt. They were called hermit monks. But others,
Christians, had their ideas of the way that a Christian life should be lived.
They wanted to live in a community, so they could worship together as a group
instead of being alone.
Benedict of Nursia established a rule that was used by most of the monks
as a way of life. In this there were three specific vows, they are used to make
it easier for monks to be closer to God. They are poverty, chastity, and
obedience.
Poverty meant that the need for money and material possessions were not
needed as a means of worship. The monasteries gave the monks the things that
they needed, and this was only the bare essentials. The monasteries made their
own money by owning land and selling surplus products. Thus, they became very
wealthy.
Chastity meant that the men and women would not have sex or get married.
This was said to have saved the monks from the "devilish acts" that happen when
sexual desires were exploited for selfish reasons. Obedience was essential,
each monk had to be absolutely obedient to their abbot. The purpose of this
obedience was to develop personal humility, and to become more holy by becoming
humiliated or less proud of one's self. Only making them worship and become
closer to God. The monasteries were a place to get away from evil and anything
to deter them from God.
The Code of Chivalry means, if you own a horse than you can have wealth
or power in the Middle Ages. As there are more people with horses, the tension
gets tighter and tempers are flared, this is how elite soldiers and knights are
established. These knights are faithful to their local lord as well as to the
Church. And thus moral order is imposed with the bonding of the local lord's
and the Church.
In conclusion, Francis' followers were moral. They trusted God to be
the one they can pray and depend on. This is why the local lords were so
depended on and the monks were so devoted and abundant as the world started to
move in the direction of God as the Christians moved away from the Roman
government.