In the military
sense, chivalry was the heavy cavalry of the Middle Ages
which constituted the chief and most effective warlike
force. The knight or chevalier was the professional
soldier of the time; in medieval Latin, the ordinary word
miles (soldier) was equivalent to "knight." This
pre-eminence of cavalry was correlative with the decline
of infantry on the battlefield. Four peculiarities
distinguished the professional warrior:
his weapons;
his horse;
his attendants, and
his flag.
WEAPONS
The medieval army
was poorly equipped for long-distance fighting, and bows
and crossbows were still employed, although the Church
endeavored to prohibit their use, at least between
Christian armies, as contrary to humanity. At all events,
they were regarded as unfair in combat by the medieval
knight. His only offensive weapons were the lance for the
encounter and the sword for the close fight, weapons
common to both light-armed and heavy cavalry. The
characteristic distinction of the latter, which really
constituted chivalry, lay in their defensive weapons,
which varied with different periods.
