"Religion united its influence with those of loyalty and love, and the order of knighthood, endowed with all the sanctity and religious awe that attended the priesthood, became an object of ambition to the greatest sovereigns"

This quote by Thomas Bulfinch speaks to the power of faith in the Middle Ages. Faith was a powerful force in the lives of people throughout this time, and it was typically used to influence and manage the masses. The quote recommends that faith was used to join loyalty and love, and to create a sense of awe and regard for the order of knighthood. This order was viewed as a spiritual and respectable organization, and it was something that even the most effective rulers sought to be a part of. Religion was a powerful tool utilized to develop a sense of unity and regard for the order of knighthood, and it was something that was highly respected and revered by the people of the Middle Ages.