Pierre Terrail LeVieux, seigneur de Bayard

by Donovan Baldwin
http://nodiet4me.com

"Le chevalier sans peur et sans reproche."

He was a knight of France in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Chevalier de Bayard was also considered to be the epitome of chivalry and was held up as an ideal for knights of the time, and for many others since.

He was so esteemed by the people of his time that the french phrase quoted at the beginning of this article, translated as "the knight without fear and above reproach", was used to describe him. For himself, Pierre Terrail LeVieux preferred the simple appelation, "le bon chevalier"..."the good knight."

A warrior respected and looked up to by other warriors of his time, both comrades and opponents, he was also known for his wit, intelligence, and kindness. On one occasion, when wounded, he placed a homeowner and his family under his protection as he recovered from his wounds in their house. One of the most skilled commanders of the age, he won battles not only by his own skills as a warrior and commander, but by the fruits of an espionage organization he fostered.

His personal valor came never in question. In one famous battle, he, with twelve other French knights, won in battle against an equal number of Spanish knights. Another tale has him single-handedly holding a bridge against 200 Spaniards.

So respected was he, not only his by countrymen, but by foes as well, he was twice released after being captured simply out of respect for his valor and his reputation. One time, he was asked to give his word to refrain from returning to the battle for at least six weeks...which he did.

In an era when mercenaries were the rage, and it was not the least bit uncommon to change one's loyalty at the drop of a plume in order to pursue one's own goals, the Chevalier de Bayard remained loyal to his country and his king until his death in 1524. Even as he was dying, he reproached an old comrade-in-arms, Charles, duc de Bourbon, for fighting on the other side.

The other day, my wife mentioned to me that so many of us live lives sheltered from the realities of existence that we lose the connection we once had with life itself. Once we had to feed ourselves, protect ourselves, and choose life-or-death roles that we would play out in society. We made decisions knowing that we would have to live with the fruits of those decisions, unable to quickly and easily change plans. There was a time when the common options of life exposed us to the opportunities for fame and/or fortune or for death...or worse.

These days we worry about which video to rent, watching horror movies to get our kicks. Most of us fret about losing our hair or our figures more than losing our lives, while holding firmly to beliefs and positions which profit us rather than the world in which we live.

In his times when death, disease, or dismemberment was a reality of daily life, the Chevalier de Bayard remained faithful to his faith, his country, his king, and his honor. He was known then, and still remains, "le chevalier sans peur et sans reproche".

I wonder what will be said about you and me when we are gone.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Donovan Baldwin is a 65-year-young amteur bodybuilder and freelance writer currently living in Stone Mountain, Georgia. He is retired from the U. S. Army after 21 years of service and is a University of West Florida alumnus (BA Accounting 1973). He writes frequently on health and fitness and occasionally on other subjects as well, as witness this article. He has a blog titled Fitness After 40 at http://fitness-after-40.blogspot.com.
Originally published on SearchWarp.com for Donovan Baldwin Sunday, January 03, 2010
Article Source: Pierre Terrail LeVieux, seigneur de Bayard