“Tristan and Isolde”, painting by John Waterhouse (ca. ![]() Since Classical Antiquity and throughout the Middle Ages, it also doubled as the word for “upper social classes”, referring to the principles of morals and ethics which nobility were obligated to represent. The word “Chivalry”, which comes from the Latin ‘ caballarius‘ and the 11th century Old French ‘ chevalerie‘ meaning “horse soldiery”, embodies a concept and philosophy much greater than its literal elements of horsemanship and knightly discipline. Meaningful activities reflecting the values of Chivalry are perhaps the most important and tangible characteristic of the modern Order.Ĭode of Chivalry Reflecting Values of Nobility It is the responsibility of all Templar Knights and Dames to represent the living tradition of Chivalry in their own lives and professional activities, leading by example, to promote and advance those principles and values for the benefit of world civilization.Ī concise understanding of Chivalry is also essential to defining the activities of the restored Templar Order, which its Knights and Dames pursue in real-world practice. Very much like the body of ancient “lost history” which the Templar Order brings back to the modern world, the principles of Chivalry and traditional values have also been largely forgotten in the consciousness and culture of modern society, and also need to be restored. “ The very same qualities that constituted a gentleman, in the first age of the world, are… to the end of time… as God is the same, yesterday, today, and forever.” The ancient origins of chivalric rules of courtly culture were confirmed by the British Knight, Royal Councillor to Queen Elizabeth I and Adviser to King James I, Fulke Greville, 1 st Baron Brooke (1554-1628 AD) – named “Fulke” as a descendant of the founding Templar Patron King Fulk of Jerusalem – who was often quoted as an expert on protocols of the British royal court: That Egyptian tradition of courtly nobility culture traces back to the Mesopotamian “Narts” (Knights) of the “Nartmongue” (Holy Grail) of a “Round Table”, dated to ca. These teachings were preserved by the Ancient Priesthood which the Knights Templar recovered and restored from the Biblical Temple of Solomon, a Pharaonic Egyptian Temple, which included a library. 2,400 BC, discovered in Thebes (modern Luxor). ![]() Indeed, the first written code of chivalric rules and courtly etiquette of nobility culture was the ancient Egyptian papyrus scroll, the Instruction of Ptahhotep, dated to ca. The authentic culture of Templar Chivalry represented the highest ideals of European nobility, and also served as a supporting tradition contributing humanitarian values to the culture of nobility. ![]() The fundamental character and function of the Order itself, as documented in the historical record, equally included distinct contributions to nobility culture, serving as the very essence and embodiment of traditional values. The original Knights Templar, however, were more than Guardians of the ancient Sacred Knowledge. “God Speed!”, painting by Edmund Blair Leighton (1852-1922 AD)
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