Chivalry and Courtly Love: Cultural Shifts, Gender Relations, and Politics in early Tudor Court Culture

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to explore and uncover the strong presence chivalry had during the development of the early Tudor dynasty, particularly following the end of the Wars of the Roses and into the early modern era. It seeks to answer the questions of how prevalent the phenomena of chivalry and courtly love were during the transition from the medieval to the early modern period, as well as their importance in the political and dynastic foundations of the Tudor dynasty. Further, the work aims to examine what chivalry and courtly love reveals about gender, politics, and social dynamics during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. In the foundations of his reign, Henry VII craved dynastic stability, legitimacy, and monarchical power. In establishing his dynasty, Henry attempted to create a legacy that emphasised the conceptual ideals of chivalry, and courtly love, as critical for strength, courtly performance and politics. The thesis will argue that the early Tudor kings sought to drive cultural chivalric elements into the political, and dynastic foundations of the early Tudor public sphere. It will explore how chivalric and courtly love ideals created a framework for conversation and behaviour, gauging how gender roles were perceived and performed by courtiers during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. Chivalry’s place in Tudor court culture has been considerably understated, discussed as a cultural undertone, and not properly contextualised. By focussing on this cultural ideal in early Tudor court life, the thesis will argue chivalric discourse was crucial to both kings and courtly performance.