Cardini, F. The Origins of Medieval Knighthood (Istoki srednevekovogo rytsarstva), 1987. In Russian

Кардини Ф. Истоки средневекового рыцарства. / Пер. с итал. В. П. Гайдука. — Общ. ред. и послесл. В. И. Уколовой и Л. А. Котельниковой.
Москва : Прогресс, 1987.
384 с. : цв. ил. Издательский иллюстрированный твердый переплет, обычный формат.
***
Cardini, F. The Origins of Medieval Knighthood (Istoki srednevekovogo rytsarstva). / Translated from Italian by V. P. Gayduk.
Moscow : Progress, 1987.
384 pp. : colour illustrations. Publisher's illustrated hardcover, standard format.

This 1987 edition represents the first Russian translation of the seminal work by Franco Cardini, one of Italy's most distinguished contemporary medievalists. Far from a mere military chronicle, The Origins of Medieval Knighthood is a profound multidisciplinary investigation into how the "warrior on horseback" evolved from a technical military necessity into the supreme social and moral ideal of the Middle Ages.
Cardini’s narrative spans centuries, tracing the roots of chivalry back to the nomadic traditions of the Eurasian steppes, the military reforms of Late Antiquity, and the Germanic tribal structures. He masterfully synthesizes archaeology, the history of technology (such as the introduction of the stirrup), and the evolution of religious thought. The author argues that knighthood was a "driving idea"—a unique worldview that reconciled the brutal reality of warfare with the spiritual demands of Christianity, eventually manifesting in the Crusades and the courtly love tradition.
The book is celebrated for its rich visual component, containing numerous color plates that reproduce medieval miniatures, frescoes, and artifacts of material culture. These illustrations are not merely decorative but serve as essential evidence in Cardini’s analysis of social psychology and heraldic symbolism. Published by "Progress" during a period of renewed Soviet interest in Western historiography, this volume remains a cornerstone for historians, culturologists, and anyone fascinated by the romantic yet rigorous reality of the medieval knight.