Nine Worthies

The Nine Worthies (les neuf preux) were nine historical figures meant to be the embodiment of the ideal of chivalry. They were first written of in the early fourteenth century, by Jacques de Longuyon in his Voeux du Paon (1312). Neatly divided into triads, these were the champions of chivalry for the Paganism, Old Testament Law, and new Christian Law. His choices rapidly became a common theme in the literature and art of the Middle Ages and stayed in the popular mind as a fixed image.
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The nine figures of ‘history’, known for their particular qualities of prowess and chivalry. The first iteration of
the Worthies occurs in the 14th century, when the list comprised the following:

Hector, Ceasar, Alexander
Arthur, Charlemagne, Godfrey de Bouillon
Joshua, David, Judas Maccabeus

Later, French authors added a 10th worthy, Bertrand du Guesclin, but this addition did not take hold outside of France. The
worthies were a very popular shorthand for a sort of chivalric ‘hall of fame’, an inspiration for poetry, romance, stained glass
windows, sculpture, tapestries and woodcuts.