Final answer:
The Church issued edicts in the 10th century to curb knightly violence as part of the peace and truce of God, which limited when and against whom knights could conduct warfare. These edicts were instrumental in fostering the concept of chivalry, although they did not fully stop the violence.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Church in the 10th century sought to mitigate knightly violence and establish a more Christianized society through two notable edicts. One such edict was the establishment of peace and truce of God (Pax Dei and Treuga Dei), which imposed restrictions on when and whom knights could fight. These measures sought to curb warfare during certain days of religious significance, such as Sundays and Lent, and extended protection to non-combatants like clergy, peasants, and merchants. These actions were part of a broader Cluniac reform movement intended to reduce the feudal violence endemic to the period.
Although these efforts by the Church did not entirely succeed in eliminating violence, they contributed to the emerging concept of chivalry, a code of conduct for knights that included the protection of the Church, women, and the defenseless. These ideals laid the philosophical groundwork for the knighthood culture during the High Middle Ages and subsequently influenced the conduct in the Crusades and interactions with the Islamic world.