Nine Worthies

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Oldest known sculptures of the Nine Worthies at the old city hall in Cologne, Germany.

The Nine Worthies (les neuf preux) were nine historical, scriptural, mythological or semi-legendary figures who, in the Middle Ages, were believed to personify the ideals of chivalry. They were first described in the early fourteenth century, by Jacques de Longuyon in his Voeux du Paon (1312). Neatly divided into triads, these men were considered to be paragons of chivalry within their particular tradition: be it either Pagan, Jewish, or Christian. De Longuyon's choices soon became a common theme in the literature and art of the Middle Ages and earned a permanent place in the popular consciousness.

The Worthies were:

Pagan:

Jewish:

Christian:

Eustache Deschamps to the neuf preux adds neuf preuses (women), including Penthesilea, Tomyris and Semiramis. Together with their male counterparts, they precede Henry VI as he enters Paris in 1431, and figure in Le Jouvencel (1466). The list of preuses was however less fixed, and not always structured in pagan, Jewish and Christian triads. Thomas III of Saluzzo^[1] has: Deiphille, Iynoppe, Hippolyte, Menalyppe, Semiramis, Lampetho, Thamarys, Theuca, Penthésilée. As depicted in a woodcut series by Hans Burgkmair, the preuses are: Lucretia, Veturia, Verginia, Esther, Judith, Jael, St Helena, St Brigita of Sweden and St Elisabeth of Hungary.

As a group, the nine worthies represent all facets of the perfect warrior. All, with the exception of Hector and arguably Arthur, are conquering heroes. Most came from royal families. All brought glory and honor to their nations and were noted for their personal prowess in arms. As individuals, each displayed some outstanding quality of chivalry, which, in combination with their historical context, made them exemplars of knighthood.

The Cloisters has the remaining portions of an early 15th century tapestry series illustrating the Nine Worthies.^[2] The Nine Worthies were also a popular subject for masques in Renaissance Europe. In William Shakespeare's play Love's Labour's Lost the comic characters attempt to stage such a masque, but it descends into chaos. (The three Worthies actually named in the play include two not on the original list, Hercules and Pompey the Great, as well as Alexander.) The Nine Worthies had not devolved to folk culture even in the seventeenth century, for a frieze of the Nine Worthies, contemporary with Shakespeare's comedy, was painted at the outset of the seventeenth century at North Mymms Place, Hertfordshire, an up-to-date house built by the Coningsby family, 1599.^[3]

Don Quixote evokes the Nine Worthies in Volume I, Chapter 5, telling a peasant (who is trying to get him to admit who he is) "...I know that I may be not only those [legendary people] I have named, but all the Twelve Peers of France and even all the Nine Worthies, since my achievements surpass all that they have done all together and each of them on his own account."