Romances

Works written concerning knights and chivalry , originating during the 12th century, expanding to England, Spain, Italy and Germany. The works originally were built by the Troubadors, weaving the tenets of courtly love with the actions of knights. The romances were one vehicle of expression that changed forever the popular perception of what a knight should be--driving the rough-hewn warrior ‘knight’ towards the more refined gentleman that would emerge. The romances put their vision of what knights should be alongside the church's perception, the reality of what knights became being a fusion of all three influences--the knights themselves, influenced in turn by the court and the church.