Chivalry isn’t about opening doors, but elevating society in its hour of maximum danger

Gilgamesh and Enkidu Slaying Humbaba by Wael Tarabieh, 1996, via Wael Tarabieh’s Website.

The Ancient Roots of Noble Conduct

Chivalry's earliest documented appearance comes from around 2100 B.C. in the "Epic of Gilgamesh," perhaps humanity's oldest surviving poem. The wild man Enkidu, civilized through his connection with a woman, confronts the tyrannical King Gilgamesh to end his despotic custom of claiming sexual rights to every new bride in his city. Through combat, Enkidu forces the king to abandon his abuse of power - an act of intervention that transforms into friendship and mutual respect.

King Arthur riding to face the giant of Mont St Michel.

Photo: IanHinley

Medieval Transformation

The early medieval knight began as little more than a mercenary thug of low social standing. Chivalry's adoption as a professional ethos allowed these warriors to transcend their origins and achieve status as gentlemen of repute. European literature soon celebrated knights as defenders of the vulnerable. Geoffrey of Monmouth depicts King Arthur slaying a rapist giant. Chrétien de Troyes shows Lancelot sacrificing reputation and wealth to rescue the kidnapped Queen Guinevere. These narratives raised public expectations of aristocratic behavior. By the 14th and 15th centuries, writers like Chaucer and Malory portrayed Arthur's court as a beacon of justice for women, far exceeding the norms of their era. Malory's knights swore oaths specifically denouncing violence against women and pledging to "strengthen them in their rights."

Sack of Constantinople, by Palma Le Jeune, 16th or early 17th century, via War History Online; with Crusade of 1204, by Tintoretto, 16th Century, via Timetoast.com

When Chivalry Fails: The Sack of Constantinople

Yet history reveals that chivalric ideals often crumbled when tested by greed and ambition. No example stands as stark as the Fourth Crusade's catastrophic culmination in 1204 - the sack of Constantinople (now known as Istanbul).

For nearly a millennium, Constantinople had stood as the jewel of western civilisation, a bastion of learning and beauty while Western Europe languished in its Dark Ages. Its libraries preserved classical knowledge, its artisans created unparalleled works of beauty, and its walls protected a sophisticated civilization that traced its lineage directly to ancient Rome.

The crusader knights, bound by chivalric oaths to protect the innocent and uphold Christian virtue, instead turned their swords against fellow Christians. Diverted from their intended goal of reclaiming Jerusalem, they were manipulated into attacking Constantinople by Venetian merchants seeking commercial advantage and vengeful political factions.

Crusaders looting Constantinople.

Credit: Dan Escott, English (1928–87)

What followed was three days of unimaginable savagery that violated every tenet of the chivalric code. Knights who had sworn to protect the vulnerable now raped women seeking sanctuary in churches. Warriors pledged to honor sacred spaces stripped altars of gold, trampled holy relics, and installed a prostitute on the Patriarch's throne while singing vulgar songs.

The crusaders systematically stripped Byzantium of its treasures - melting down bronze statues, plundering jeweled icons, and shipping countless masterpieces to Venice. Ancient manuscripts representing centuries of accumulated wisdom were destroyed or scattered. As historian Steven Runciman later judged: "There was never a greater crime against humanity than the Fourth Crusade."

Constantinople would never fully recover. The civilizational repository that had safeguarded Western heritage for centuries was irrevocably damaged. The Byzantine Empire, fatally weakened, would eventually fall to Ottoman forces in 1453.

This catastrophic failure of chivalric principles reminds us that codes of honor are meaningless when abandoned for material gain. The knights who participated represented the very antithesis of chivalry - using their power not to protect but to despoil, forsaking virtue for plunder. Their actions demonstrate how easily noble ideals can be corrupted when faced with temptation and unchecked power.

Family lineage of Hang Tuah @Exhibition of Hang Tuah at the Melaka International Trade Centre, Malacca. Tempo/Dian Yuliastuti.

Eastern Parallels: Bushido and the Tale of Hang Tuah

The chivalric spirit transcended European borders. In feudal Japan, the samurai warrior class developed Bushido - "the way of the warrior" - a code emphasizing loyalty, honor, courage, and compassion. While Western knights defended ladies and fought for Christ, the samurai lived by seven virtues: righteousness, courage, benevolence, respect, sincerity, honor, and loyalty.

These warriors understood that true strength lay not merely in martial prowess but in self-mastery. The 17th-century text "Hagakure" advises: "The way of the samurai is found in death" - not as morbid fatalism, but as readiness to sacrifice oneself for higher principles. Like their Western counterparts, samurai were expected to protect the vulnerable and uphold justice, even at personal cost.

In the Malay Archipelago, the legendary 15th-century warrior Hang Tuah exemplified similar chivalric ideals. As admiral to the Sultan of Malacca, Hang Tuah's loyalty became proverbial throughout Southeast Asia. Despite facing betrayal, imprisonment, and exile due to court intrigues, his dedication to his sultan never wavered.

The duel between Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat.

The "Hikayat Hang Tuah" chronicles how he lived by the code of "setia" absolute fidelity - declaring "Takkan Melayu hilang di dunia" ("Malays shall never vanish from the earth"). When ordered to execute his childhood brother-in-arms Hang Jebat, who had rebelled against the Sultan, Hang Tuah placed duty above personal feelings - a painful decision that demonstrates chivalry's sometimes tragic demands.

Yet Hang Tuah's chivalry extended beyond blind obedience. He served as diplomat and cultural ambassador, mastering languages and customs to represent his kingdom with dignity. His respect for other cultures while maintaining his identity mirrors the ideal gentleman's adaptability and worldliness.

President John F. Kennedy addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Sept. 20, 1963, two months before his assassination. | AP Photo

Chivalry’s Modern Resurgence

In the modern era, chivalry has found its champions not only in warriors but in statesmen who chose peace over power. Among them, President John F. Kennedy stands as a towering figure of principled restraint. At the height of Cold War tensions, he refused to escalate into open war with the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis - choosing diplomacy and mutual understanding over catastrophic confrontation.

Kennedy also defied pressures from close allies, warning Israel against the development of nuclear weapons, striving instead for a world less defined by atomic brinkmanship. And when it came to Vietnam war, he began pushing for a phased withdrawal, recognizing the moral and strategic folly of deepening involvement in a distant civil conflict.

His choices were not without consequence or opposition. But like the knights of old, Kennedy understood that true strength lies not in conquest, but in the courage to resist the lure of violence when peace is still possible.

The legacy of such modern chivalry continues to inspire those who stand for justice. From civil rights leaders to protestors demanding dignity and reform, the spirit of the knight remains alive. Just as toxic masculinity and systemic cruelty persist, so too does the ancient ideal of the warrior who rises not for self-glory, but to protect the vulnerable and uphold human dignity.

The Dark Knight embraces extraordinary tasks in upholding a chivalrous code, his quest to recover the values that has been lost. In doing so, he takes upon himself a suffering and loneliness that isolates him from his fellow citizens and inevitably by the very people he’s trying to protect. He sacrifices his personal happiness and reputation for the greater good, embodying the idea that true heroism often means being willing to suffer in silence for others.

The Dark Knight/DC.

A Code for Our Time

The inequities and prejudices that plagued King Arthur's era haven't vanished. In many ways, our society needs chivalric values of mercy, justice, and humility more urgently than ever before. True chivalry isn't about holding doors open or picking up dinner checks - though these courtesies have their place. At its core, chivalry represents the willingness to stand between the vulnerable and those who would exploit them, to speak truth to power, and to temper strength with compassion.

From the battlefields of Prince Hector and Achilles in Troy to the streets of modern New York, from Japanese dojos to Malaccan palaces, chivalry has transcended culture and time as the highest expression of noble character.

So I ask you, dear gentleman: In your daily lives, where do you stand in this ancient tradition? When faced with injustice, do you don the metaphorical armor of the knight? And when tempted by personal gain - like those crusaders at Constantinople's gates - will you remain steadfast to principle or surrender to baser instincts? More importantly, what battle for honor and justice calls for your sword today?

Further Reading

1. Professor Jennifer Wollock, "Chivalry is not about opening doors, but protecting society’s most vulnerable from attack", The Conversation (2021).

2. Jennifer R. Goodman, "The legend of Arthur in British and American literature", Twayne Publishers (1988).

3. Raja Izz, "Nine Worthies: Legendary Men of Chivalric Ideals & Their Enduring Legacies" (2024). https://gentlemanscodes.com/personality/nine-worthies-legendary-men-of-chivalric-ideals-and-their-enduring-legacies

4. Raja Izz, "Alexander the Great: A Chivalric Tale & Lessons for the Modern Man" (2024). https://gentlemanscodes.com/chivalry/alexander-the-great-a-chivalric-tale-and-lessons-for-the-modern-man