Entre a fé e a espada: a construção de identidades na obra de Laude Novae Militiae de Bernardo de Claraval (1090-1153)

Abstract

This monograph analyzes the symbolic construction of a Templar chivalric identity in the Middle Ages, based on the work and influence of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux (1090–1153). The main focus is on how Bernard, through his treatise De Laude Novae Militiae, contributed to legitimizing the union between monastic life and military practice, elevating the figure of the Christian knight. Drawing on concepts such as identity, difference, and alterity, discussed in the introduction, the study investigates how Bernard took part in the shaping of a religious identity defined by opposition to the other (the infidel, the layman) and by the spiritualization of the chivalric ideal. The structure of the monograph is organized as follows: the introduction offers a theoretical and conceptual discussion on identity, with particular attention to its application in the medieval context. The first chapter provides a historical contextualization of the period and an analysis of the Vita Prima Bernardi, the hagiography dedicated to the saint, with emphasis on his family origins and conversion process. The second chapter addresses Bernard’s views on society, his hierarchical vision of the Christian world, and his relationship with chivalry. Finally, the last chapter is dedicated to an analysis of De Laude Novae Militiae, highlighting its significance in the symbolic legitimization of the Christian knight and in the consolidation of a distinct identity for this group.