What is the symbolism of the chevalier in the poem, The Windhover?

The chevalier, or chivalrous knight, the speaker addresses in the sestet symbolizes the poetic conflation of the erotic and spiritual modes. Here, the speaker is addressing God, but by calling Him "my Chevalier," he imbues the address with an intimate and romantic tone (11). This mingling of earthly eroticism and spirituality was a common convention of English poetry, one exemplified by poets like George Herbert, to whom Hopkins alludes later in the poem.