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| The 14th-century carving Nine Good Heroes at City Hall in Cologne, Germany |
David Warren opens his post about Charlemagne with this paragraph:
That triad of triads — the Nine Worthies of medieval antiquity, from Hector and Alexander to Godfrey of Bouillon (three pagans, three Jews, and three Christians, to whom Falstaff was added by Doll Tearsheet in Shakespeare) — are not celebrated today. We must relearn that, without historical characters much larger than life, our own little lives will shrink smaller.
I've heard some of those names before, but not the Nine Worthies, so I asked Google and got back this:
The Nine Worthies were a collection of ideal heroes—three pagans, three Jews, and three Christians—who embodied the ideals of chivalry in medieval Europe, first listed by Jacques de Longuyon in 1312. The pagan figures were Hector, Alexander the Great, and Julius Caesar; the Jewish figures were Joshua, David, and Judas Maccabeus; and the Christian figures were King Arthur, Charlemagne, and Godfrey of Bouillon. These figures represented a historical continuum of heroic leadership and were seen as worthy of study and emulation by aspiring knights.
The Three Groups of Worthies
The Nine Worthies were grouped by their religious and historical origins, creating a universal history of heroic virtue:
- Pagan Worthies:
- Hector of Troy: A courageous and noble warrior from the Trojan War.
- Alexander the Great: The ancient Macedonian king who conquered a vast empire.
- Julius Caesar: The Roman general and statesman.
- Jewish Worthies:
- Joshua: The biblical successor to Moses, who led the Israelites into the Promised Land.
- King David: The biblical King of Israel, known for his bravery and harp-playing.
- Judas Maccabeus: A Jewish leader who fought against the Seleucid Empire.
- Christian Worthies:
- King Arthur: The legendary British king.
- Charlemagne: The king of the Franks and founder of the Holy Roman Empire.
- Godfrey of Bouillon: A leader of the First Crusade and the first ruler of Jerusalem after the Crusader conquest.
Significance
- Chivalric Ideal: The Nine Worthies provided a framework for understanding the ideal knight, whose life served as a model for aspiring to chivalric virtues.
- Universal History: This compilation linked figures from different eras and cultures, presenting a broader vision of history and heroism.
- Cultural Popularity: The concept became popular in literature, art, and tapestries across Europe, reflecting its enduring appeal as a symbol of knightly excellence.
Falstaff and Doll Tearsheet are characters from Shakespeare's play. Falstaff is also the main character in the opera Falstaff by Verdi.
Hal's main companion in enjoying the low life is Sir John Falstaff. Fat, old, drunk, and corrupt as he is, he has a charisma and a zest for life that captivates the Prince. - Wikipedia [Hal is Prince Hal, future King of England]
Dorothy "Doll" Tearsheet is a fictional character who appears in Shakespeare's play Henry IV, Part 2. - Wikipedia
1 comment:
Very much of today's civilization lives in Year One; that wretched eternal year. I reckon that for a few, it is by design. For the others, they being the majority, they follow blindly.
For all, it is ruinous. For the lessons and the tales, the catastrophes and the victories are ignored and forgotten. The history of us lies in dust. This is their fruit. I will not partake.
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