Chivalry only western
The tradition of chivalry did happen before the enlightenment, and it was unique. This is a great mistake people make when thinking about the world. Chivalry is hundreds of years old and deeply embedded in the western mind set, but it is completely alien to almost every other culture. There is no such thing as women and children first in the middle east. Ask all the israei soldiers who are amazed that grown male arab fighters will strategically hide behind women and children without concern that they will get shot first. I think the existence of chivalry paved the way for women’s rights during the enlightenment because it made the concept of trying to cater to women not seem absurd.
comment at https://quillette.com/2018/12/20/feminisms-dependency-trap/#comment-54922