Starts: Thursday 24 September 2026, 7pm to 9pm BST
The term “knight” has been used for over a millennium to describe a particular elite, their behaviour and ethics, yet knighthood was not static and it altered to reflect political and cultural realities. This course examines contemporary literature and images to reconstruct the changing nature of knighthood, chivalry and tournaments, from the Normans to the Victorian era.
We will examine key issues such as:
- Was William Marshall “the greatest knight that ever lived”, and was Richard I really a “Lionheart”?
- What was Courtly Love and did it actually exist?
- How and why did the Order of the Garter start?
- How did the gentry achieve knighthood in the sixteenth & seventeenth centuries?
- Why did the Victorians hold a tournament in Scotland in 1839?
- What was Chivalry and what is its lasting legacy today?
Start Date: Thursday 24 September2026
Time: 7-9pm GMT
Duration: 11 weeks
Full Fee: £165
Location: Online
After week one, each session will begin with a class discussion of the key issues raised in the reading for that week. Then the key questions and themes of the reading for the next week will be introduced by the tutor.
This course will be delivered via Zoom. Students joining the course will need access to a computer, laptop or tablet with a microphone (essential) and a webcam (desirable), as well as a reliable broadband connection.
Book your place on this course using this link. We will send you an invoice after you have booked your place.