Poeticall Musick
- - English Renaissance music c. 1607
Jousting
The tournament, or mock battle, was a favorite recreation of knights
in the Medieval and Renaissance ages.
King Henry II banned the sport, and his heirs overcame the
ban by travelling throughout Europe and found the games
and whole-heartedly participated.
The sport kept the knights in shape for real battle, and allowed
them to hone their skills as a warrior. It was
also a way to collect ransom for prisoners who were
part of the mock battle, thus increasing ones forutnes.
However, there was always a chance of serious injuries.
So eventually, the rules were changed. Weapons had the tips
blunted, blows from the backside were disallowed, nor
striking the opponent if he had lost his helmet. To aim
too low or too high, it would be considered treason. Also,
if a knight hit another horse with a weapon, he was
disqualified. Horses were bedecked in armor protection.
The players had to have a noble bloodline. And this
had to be proven. "Robber" knights and ones who had
been a usurer were excluded.
In the joust, the pair of knights followed a set sequence
of events. First, the encounter with the lance....lances
were lowered, the knights' heads were drawn down and
close for the moment of impact during the joust.
The object was to knock
the opponent off his horse. If the lance happened to
break, the squire would rush up and give his knight a
replacement. If three lances were broken, then swords were
used. If after time, there was no 'victor', the men
would dismount and fight on foot....attempting to throw
the opponent off balance. When one fell to the ground,
either from wounds or a blow that proved greater in his
own strength, he would yield and then ask for mercy.
Obviously, the one that remained upright was victorious.
Often times, jousting was used not for recreation. Some
came about because of a feud. Sharp, pointed lances were
at times used, against the kingdoms' rules.
The prize could be anything from a woman, to a jewel or
a piece of prized armour.
Colors played an important part in the joust. Many-a-
times, the knight would sport the colors of a lady. Or
perhaps the colors of the lords and kings of their
country. Also, at times, the knights would assume
popular names such as Lancelot or Gawain.
At the end of the joust tournament, there would be
large amounts of food and drink, singing and dancing.
Here, the knights (at least the ones who could still
stand on their feet) would relax and enjoy the
agreement of the ransoms. The feast was always
arranged by the tournament host.
This text is a compilation of reading from
the book,
Knights
by
Julek Heller & Deirdre Headon �1982
*****FOR FURTHER READING & RESEARCH*****
Jousting Terms
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