A Knight's Chivalry

c'kemi

(Albanian for 'hi')

vintage illustration of Merlin and King Arthur at the Knight's Round Table

It's good to be back. I do try to post every day,

but some days conspire against me!

Guinevere's Dowry by Rackham

Let's be chivalrous today, shall we?

I want to share with you this fantasy Prince and Princess paper doll set today.



"The motto of chivalry is also the motto of wisdom;

to serve all, but love only one."

- Honore de Balzac

"Some say that the age of chivalry is past,

that the spirit of romance is dead.

The age of chivalry is never past,

so long as there is a wrong

left unredressed on earth."

- Charles Kingsley

I found this wonderful quote from Will Durant on

www.chivalrynow.net/articles/steven.htm :

...The Candidate began with a bath as a symbol of spiritual, perhaps as a guarantee of physical, purification... He was clothed in a white tunic, red robe, and black coat, representing respectively the hope-for purity of his morals, the blood he might shed for honor or God, and the death he must be prepared to meet unflinchingly.

     For a day he fasted; he passed a night at Church in prayer, confessed his sins to a Priest, attended Mass, received Holy Communion, heard a sermon on the moral, religious, social, and military duties of a Knight, and solemnly promised to fulfill them.

     He then advanced to the altar with a sword hanging from his neck; the Priest removed the sword, blessed it, and replaced it upon his neck. The Candidate turned to the seated lord from whom he sought Knighthood, and was met with a stern question: ...For what purpose do you desire to enter the Order? If it be riches, to take your ease, and be held in honor without doing honor to Knighthood, you are unworthy of it...

     The Candidate was prepared with a reassuring reply. Knights or Ladies then clothed him in a Knightly array of hauberk, breastplate, armlets, gauntlets (armored gloves), sword, and spurs. The lord, rising, gave the Accolade - three blows with the flat of the sword upon the neck or shoulder, and sometimes a slap on the cheek, as symbols of the last affronts that he might accept without redress; and dubbed him with the formula, ...In the name of God, St. Michael, and St. George I make thee Knight....

     The new Knight received a lance, a helmet, and a horse; he adjusted his helmet, leaped upon his horse, brandished his lance, flourished his sword, rode out from the Church, distributed gifts to his attendants, and gave a feast for his friends...

—Will Durant

by Wilda Dupree,

all stamps by RubberStampAve

 Today I have included an entire paper doll set,

and that wonderful but long description of a knighting,

so I think I better stop now since, for Michael,

I will not write a book,

I will not write a book,

I will not write a book!

'King Arthur', by Charles Ernest Butler

recycled bottlecap magnet by inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

See you tomorrow!

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

Camelot!

Sut Mae

pronounced "sit my"

Hello in Welsh, North Wales

Fleur Harris Sky Castle

http://www.hatch.jackywinter.com/

It's time for

Camelot!

company logo

Now, I'm not going to get into all the Arthurian Theories,

or all the details of the legends and stories.

That would be a huge production!

Besides, I find the whole King Arthur/Lancelot/Guenevere thing very depressing.

I tend to like happy endings!

But

I do have some fun graphics,

classic paintings

free paperdolls

and cool chivalry quotes!

a tapestry

"Chivalry! - 

Why, maiden, she is the nurse of pure and high affection -

the stay of the oppressed, the redresser of grievances,

the curb of the power of the tyrant -

Nobility were but an empty name without her,

and liberty finds the best protection in her lance and her sword."

by Sir Walter Scott

"Heraldic Chivalry" by Alfons Mucha

paperdolls by Tom Tierney, Dover Publications

Pendragon Castle, in Cambria England I believe.

This is thought to be the birthplace of King Arthur.

You know, if there is anyone that is more 'savvy' about King Arthur and his history/legends, please feel free to correct me if I get some facts wrong.

I will post the corrections, and give credit to whomever helped me!

c.1904

poster for the tv series 'Camelot'

Rubber Stamp Avenue Gallery

artwork by Wilda Dupree, using RSA stamps

web site addy to the right of my blog

'The Temptation of Sir Percival'

by Arthur Hacker

"More than a code of manners in war and love,

Chivalry was a moral system,

governing the whole of noble life..."

- Barbara W. Tuchman,

 from  'A Distant Mirror'

Knight in shining armor

from a wonderful book of the history of armor in paperdolls

courtesy of Origami Bears.

Check out her fantastic website, addy to the right of my blog!

"You who long for the Knightly Order,

It is fitting you should lead a new life;

Devoutly keeping watch in prayer,

Fleeing from sin, pride and villainy;

The Church defending,

The Widows and Orphans succouring.

Be bold and protect the people,

Be loyal and valiant, taking nothing from others.

Thus should a Knight rule himself.

He should be humble of heart and always work,

And follow Deeds of Chivalry.

Be loyal in war and travel greatly;

He should frequent tourneys and joust for his Lady Love;

He must keep honor with all,

So that he cannot be held to blame.

No cowardice should be found in his doings,

Above all, he should uphold the weak,

Thus should a Knight rule himself.

— Eustace Deschamps

King Arthur and his knights riding back to Camelot

Medieval illustration

A Knight's Puzzle:

Print out this sheet first.

Next, print out this sheet.

Help the kids learn how to use scissors, and have them cut out the rectangles.

or

You can print the above sheet on sticker paper for smaller ones.

I think that if they are too small for scissors,

you cut out the rectangles, and have them practice using a glue stick.

Gotta' get them every little fine motor exercise in when we can!

This little fellow has more costumes, for another day.

Camelot Castle, in early life

Legos

by Wilda Dupreeusing all Rubber Stamp Avenue stamps, from RSA Gallery

 

Embroidery Knight in Armor

http://www.logosoftwear.com/

The title page for 'The Boy's King Arthur',

illustrated by N.C.Wyeth

Movie still from "Camelot", c.1960

Robert Goulet, Julie Andrews and Richard Burton

movie photo, Richard Burton (King Arthur) and Julie Andrews (Queen Guinevere)

by the way, I found the name Guinevere spelled like that,

and also Guenevere.

I am more accustomed to the first, but found many samples of the second.

So, I'll interchange them!

 "Queen Guinevere A'Maying"

by John Colllier

"Guinevere, Queen of the Tournament"

by Herbert Draper

http://www.cartoonstock.com/

rubber stamp avenue card Gallery

'How Sir Belvedere Cast the Sword Excalibur into the Water'

by Aubrey Beardsley

"Gentlemen, be courteous to the old maids,

no matter how poor and plain and prim,

for the only chivalry  worth having

is that which is the readiest to pay deference to the old,

protect the feeble, and serve womankind,

regardless of rank, age, or color."

— Louisa May Alcott (Little Women)

'Road to Camelot'

by George Henry Boughton

One of a number of paintings that Michael Jackson commissioned from Nordahl.

This one features Michael Jackson and Lisa Marie Presley.

"Society expected each man

to aspire constantly to Chivalric Behavior;

 in return, they gave him an honorable place

in the union of men..."

—Arno Borst, Medieval Worlds

Well, that's it for today!

Yep, I have more Camelot and castles and knights and queens....

for another time.

Don't forget to smile at a stranger today!

inkspired

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com

M'Lady Faire and her Castle

shwmae

pronounced "shoe-my"

Hello, from South Wales

hair jewelry for sale at http://www.gardensofwhimsy.etsy.com/

Let us take a peek at the women of the Medieval Castle today.

Great Eras Collection, Medieval Barbie, 1995

From the scouring servants

to the kitchen

to the ladies in waiting,

to the master hall,

the castle couldn't have been run properly without women.

Duh!

(Of course, a properly run castle also needed men!)

card from Rubber Stamp Avenue's Gallery, using RSA stamps

I will be adding more cards from RubberStampAvenue's Card Gallery.

I love her stamps!

You can see most of her catalog here:

http://www.rubberstampave.com/index.html

If you love pirates, mermaids, knights,

oh, just every category...

she has it!

Visit, order, and say Karen from Brighton sent you!

http://www.rubberstampave.com/

I like this one because it looks to me like the 'princess' is just enjoying  a nice day outside, and there are these knights on horses rushing around, but she doesn't seem alarmed at all. They're just silly knights you know.

That's what they do!

Donegal Castle Keep, restored, Ireland

Liana has made some wonderful paper doll costumes that fit with our theme:

She has stopped creating her wonderful paper doll costumes. I am very sad.

You can see her extensive old blogs here:

http://www.joechip.net/liana/

I think we should all inundate her with requests for more!

:0)

The traditional view of Maids in the time of Chivalry and Knights is

swooning

fainting

delicate

fragile

idle.

This is, of course, the romanticized view of women because of the Chivalry Code.


"The institution of chivalry forms one of the most remarkable features in the history of the Middle Ages."

- Horatio Alger

I will talk about Chivalry in another blog,

as today we devote our time to M'Lady Faire.

painting, a scene from King Lear, Shakespeare

Princess of the Irish Court, Barbie, 2001

Burresheim Castle, Germany

vintage illustration



Portrait of a Woman

by Robert Campin c.1420

Here are some paintings from the Medieval Ages that show women

doing a bit more than

swooning

fainting

being delicate

and fragile

and idle.

Women as Warriors, c.1430

Spinning

Hunting

writing

Why not take inspiration from some of the paintings above,

and draw and color some more outfits for this Lady.

Medieval painting, woman milking cow

Zarnek Malborku

Poland, 13th century

fantasy prince and princess to color

a Fantasy Lady's costume from Liana:

inspired from the movie "Voyage of the Dawn Treader",

based on the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis

from an article about historical women's accessories

www.yesnet.yk.ca

I have enjoyed this adventure through Medieval Ages,

from the woman's perspective.

Oh yes, I still have more castles and knights and Chivalry to come!

hand tinted vintage illustration of Romeo and Juliet

Not quite the Medieval Ages, but still cool!

inkspired

http://www.inkspiredmusings.blogspot.com/

http://www.inkspired.etsy.com/

dominoes@myinkspired.com