Some view chivalry as a cultural phenomenon that arose and inevitably declined during the Middle Ages. It was intrinsically bound to swords and lances, knights in armor, castles, and crusades. We have artifacts, legends, and a collection of literature that originated from that Age of Chivalry, providing images, heroes, and love stories.

While all that’s true, it limits chivalry to a particular era distant from today.

I see it differently. I see a continuing timeline rooted in the ancient past, extending through the High Middle Ages and still available now. Like all other aspects of our historical legacy, it was developed from and remains part of an ongoing continuum. Furthermore, its elements are not limited to the West. We find similarities wherever a warrior class refined itself with civility and moral commitments. It holds universal relevance that provides real and valuable inspiration for us today.

Some may laugh at the idea of chivalry being applied in today’s world. To this I point out those individuals in modern history we most admire. There were and still are heroes dedicated to truth, compassion, bravery, self-discipline, and fighting for good causes. They may not fight on horseback, like the Round Table Knights, but that’s to be expected. As humanity evolves, ideas of enacting change go along with it.

The legacy of chivalry defines today’s villains as well—people who lie, cheat, foment violence, and worship greed.

Just as Western chivalry would never have developed without the influence of the Odyssey, or Plato, or German traditions, or Christian influence, or Islamic poems, we would not be the best of who we are today without virtues shaped by chivalry feeding our development.

To differentiate this continuum from the historical Age of Chivalry, we coined the term “Chivalry-Now.”

“Now” reflects the eternal moment that extends from the past and carries us into the future. It reminds us to be awake to that moment, morally and intellectually, and active in shaping human progress.

Chivalry-Now’s intent is simple: to strengthen the finest moral components of our culture for the benefit of all. Aspiring Knights commit themselves to reflecting those values while inspiring them in others. It must never be an imposed ideology, as so many ideologies are. It is forged by the personal inspiration of freedom and conscience—just as it should be.

This is where we find ourselves. We invite you to join us.