It was this force, called God, or love in its spiritual sense, which governed the movements of the planets, the tides, the changes of seasons, the treaties between nations, and the human bonds of fealty, marriage, and friendship.
Boethius sums up the notion: And all this chain of things In earth and sea and sky One ruler holds in hand: If Love relaxed the reins All things that now keep peace Would wage continual war The fabric to destroy Which unity has formed With motions beautiful. O happy race of men If Love who rules the sky Could rule your hearts as well! Watts, Baltimore: Penguin, , II The medieval world was therefore part of a multifaceted and hierarchical universe in which all elements were bound together in a "great chain of being.
Augustine A. All of scripture, indeed all of Christian doctrine, taught the essential importance of charity in this spiritualized sense. Caritas Versus Amor Distinguished from the spiritualized sense of love as caritas , was the more worldly sense of love which was referred to as amor. The men and women of the Middle Ages, like people everywhere from the beginning of recorded history, were caught up by love in its many earthly forms and variations. Amor signified the love of things of this world--money, power, possessions, other men and women--things which, however attractive and compelling, were by their own natures fragile and short-lived.
Despite these drawbacks, money and possessions were ardently pursued during the Middle Ages, and so, of course, was romantic love. Geoffrey Chaucer, the most famous author of the Middle Ages, wrote stories about courtly love in his book Canterbury Tales. The Miller's Tale describes the art of courtly love. Geoffrey Chaucer exhibited courtly love for the beautiful Blanche, the wife of John of Gaunt. Whereas his marriage to Phillippa de Roet was seen as a good but practical match.
The wandering minstrels and troubadours of the Middle Ages sang ballads about courtly love and were expected to memorize the words of long poems describing the valour and the code of chivalry followed by the Medieval knights. Courtly Love Each section of this Middle Ages website addresses all topics and provides interesting facts and information about these great people and events in bygone Medieval times including Courtly Love.
Search our website. Home Launch Flash Timeline. Medieval Caesarean. Back Courtly love Explore this item in our Flash timeline. Find out more about the Courtly love Here. Love is a subject that transcends time and place.
In those days, a firm system of love and courtship was practised. Strict rules governed courtiers and defiance of these rules may have resulted in social scorn. Courtly love was basically a culture that prevailed in the Medieval times that directed the relationship between members of the court — usually a knight and a noble lady as publicised in medieval literature. Rules were set regarding how a lady should show her admiration for a knight and how a knight should return her affections or declare his intentions of love.
Despite the rules surrounding courtly love, the moral parameters were vague. Parties could become deeply engrossed in a relationship, regardless of their civil status. According to historical records, Medieval courtly love was first practised in the 12th century in Aquitaine, France.
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