The early days of the age of faith were marked with competition over austerity. The very pious would put themselves at the mercy of god on a cliff face and just stay there until they died. People would visit them as a wonder and cruelly they would give them enough food to continue living on earth.

Eventually though this became uncool but men continued to seek ways of differentiating themselves. But with violence blocked off by the Christian creed they had to collaborate with women to find a work around. The result was the code of chivalry.