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"Joust" redirects here. For other uses, see Joust (disambiguation).
Tilting with a lance at a Renaissance Fair.
Tilting with a lance at a Renaissance Fair. The term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different Pole weapons based on the Spear. A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering usually held in the United States, open to the public and

Jousting is a sport and an entertainment for the rich and noble. It consists of martial competition between two mounted knights using a variety of weapons, usually in sets of three per weapon (such as tilting with a lance, blows with the battle axe, strokes with the dagger, or strokes with a sword), often as part of a tournament. Knight is the English term for a social position originating in the Middle Ages. The term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different Pole weapons based on the Spear. The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape split and cut Wood, Harvest timber, as a Weapon A dagger (from Vulgar Latin: 'daca' - a Dacian Knife) is a typically double-edged blade used for Stabbing or thrusting A tournament (IPA) is a Competition involving a relatively large number of competitors all participating in a Sport or Game. [1]

Jousting was just one of a number of popular martial games in the Middle Ages referred to generically as hastiludes. A combat sport (also known as a combative sport) is a competitive Contact sport where two combatants fight against each other using certain rules of engagement typically Hastilude is a generic term used in the Middle Ages to refer to many kinds of martial games.

Though the first recorded tournament was staged in 1066, jousting did not gain in widespread popularity until the 13th century. It maintained its status as a popular European sport until the early 17th century. [2]

Jousting was added to tournaments several centuries after their inauguration. This article is about the tournaments of the Middle Ages For the general article on tournaments see Tournament. The joust permitted a better display of individual skill and, although dangerous, offered large sums of prize money. Many knights made their fortune in these events, whilst many lost their fortune or even life. For example, Henry II of France died when a shard of his opponent's broken lance went through his visor and into his eye. Henry II (Henri II (31 March 1519 &ndash 10 July 1559 of the House of Valois and the son and successor of Francis I, was King of France from 31

Depiction of a late 13th century joust in the Codex Manesse
Depiction of a late 13th century joust in the Codex Manesse

Contents

Medieval jousting

The skills and techniques used in jousting were also used in combat. The Codex Manesse, Manesse Codex, or Große Heidelberger Liederhandschrift is an Illuminated manuscript in Codex The ComBat was an Aluminium Cricket bat and the subject of an incident that occurred at the WACA cricket ground in Perth in December 1979. In combat, mounted knights would charge at their enemies with weapons to try to kill or disable them. The primary use of the jousting lance was to unhorse the other by striking them with the end of the lance while riding towards them at high speed. The term lance has become a catchall for a variety of different Pole weapons based on the Spear. This is known as "tilting". Other weapons were also used for jousting. A melee weapon (from French "mixed" referring to groups of fighters interlocked in close combat is any Weapon that does not involve a projectile — that is [1]

War put on hold for a joust

The 1300s document (translated from French) called The Chronicles of Froissart contains many details concerning jousting in medieval times. Froissart's Chronicle was written in French by Jean Froissart. For example, much can be gleaned from its account of a war put on hold for a joust as it illustrates and documents:

The Chronicles of Froissart records that, during a campaign in the Gatinois and the Beauce in France during the Hundred Years War between the English and French, a squire from Beauce named Gauvain Micaille yelled out to the English, "Is there among you any gentleman who for the love of his lady is willing to try with me some feat of arms? If there should be any such, here I am, quite ready to sally forth completely armed and mounted, to tilt three courses with the lance, to give three blows with the battle axe, and three strokes with the dagger. Froissart's Chronicle was written in French by Jean Froissart. The Hundred Years' War (Guerre de Cent Ans was a prolonged conflict lasting from 1337 to 1453 between two royal houses for the French throne vacant with the extinction of the senior Now look, you English, if there be none among you in love. " This is what Froissart says happened next:

His proposal and request was soon spread among the English, when a squire, an expert man at tournaments, called Joachim Cator, stepped forth and said, "I will deliver him from his vow: let him make haste and come out of the castle. "

Upon this, the lord Fitzwalter, marshal of the army, went up to the barriers, and said to Sir Guy de Baveux, "Let your squire come forth: he has found one who will cheerfully deliver him; and we will afford him every security. "

Gauvian Micaille was much rejoiced on hearing these words. He immediately armed himself, in which the lords assisted, in putting on the different pieces, and mounted him on a horse, which they gave to him. Attended by two others, he came out of the castle; and his varlets carried three lances, three battle-axes, and three daggers. He was much looked at by the English, for they did not think any Frenchman would have engaged body to body. There were besides to be three strokes with a sword, and with all other sorts of arms. Gauvain had three brought with him for fear any should break.

The earl of Buckingham, hearing of this combat, said he would see it, and mounted his horse, attended by the earls of Stafford and Devonshire. On this account, the assault on Toury ceased. The Englishman that was to tilt was brought forward, completely armed and mounted on a good horse. When they had taken their stations, they gave to each of them a spear, and the tilt began; but neither of them struck the other, from the mettlesomeness of their horses. They hit the second onset, but it was by darting their spears; on which the earl of Buckingham cried out, "Hola hola! It is now late. Put an end to it, for they have done enough this day: we will make them finish it when we have more leisure than we have at this moment, and take great care that as much attention is paid to the French squire as to our own; and order some one to tell those in the castle not to be uneasy about him, for we shall carry him with us to complete his enterprise, but not as a prisoner; and that when he shall have been delivered, if he escape with his life, we will send him back in all safety. "

[…] On the day of the feast of our Lady, Gauvain Micaille and Joachim Cator were armed, and mounted to finish their engagement. They met each other roughly with spears, and the French squire tilted much to the satisfaction of the earl: but the Englishman kept his spear too low, and at last struck it into the thigh of the Frenchman. The earl of Buckingham as well as the other lords were much enraged by this, and said it was tilting dishonorably; but he excused himself, by declaring it was solely owing to the restiveness of his horse. Then were given the three thrusts with the sword; and the earl declared they had done enough, and would not have it longer continued, for he perceived the French squire bled exceedingly: the other lords were of the same opinion. Gauvain Micaille was therefore disarmed and his wound dressed. The earl sent him one hundred francs by a herald, with leave to return to his own garrison in safety, adding that he had acquitted himself much to his satisfaction. [1]

Equipment

Jousting helmet (Stechhelm), late fifteenth century. Illustration by Albrecht Dürer.
Jousting helmet (Stechhelm), late fifteenth century. Illustration by Albrecht Dürer. Albrecht Dürer (ˈalbʀɛçt ˈdyʀɐ ( May 21, 1471 &ndash April 6, 1528) was a German painter, Printmaker

The lists

The lists, or list field, is the arena in which a jousting event or similar tournament is held. More precisely, it is the roped-off enclosure where tournament fighting takes place. [3][4] It is mentioned frequently in the novel Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott. Ivanhoe is a Novel by Sir Walter Scott. It was written in 1819 and set in 12th century England, an example of Historical fiction Sir Walter Scott 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 &ndash 21 September 1832 was a prolific Scottish Historical novelist and Poet popular throughout [5] In the late medieval period, castles and palaces were augmented by purpose-built tiltyards as a venue for "jousting tournaments". A tiltyard (or tilt yard or tilt-yard) was an enclosed Courtyard for Jousting (also known as "tilting"

The horse

Main article: Medieval horses

The two most common kinds of horse used for jousting were warmblood chargers and coldblood destriers. Horses in the Middle Ages differed in size build and breed to the modern Horse, and Warmbloods are a group of middle-weight horse types and breeds primarily originating in Europe, registered with organizations that are characterized by open studbook Horses were first used in warfare over 5000 years ago The earliest evidence of the use of horses ridden in warfare dates A draft horse, draught horse or dray horse (from the Anglo-Saxon dragan meaning to draw or haul is a large Horse bred for hard heavy tasks The destrier is the most well-known war horse of the medieval era. Chargers were medium-weight horses bred and trained for agility and stamina, while destriers were heavy war horses. Horses were first used in warfare over 5000 years ago The earliest evidence of the use of horses ridden in warfare dates These were larger and slower, but helpful to give devastating force to the rider's lance through its weight being about twice as great as that of a traditional riding horse. The horses were trained for ambling, a kind of pace that provided the rider with stability in order to be able to focus and aim better with the lance. The term Amble or Ambling is used to describe a number of four-beat intermediate gaits of Horses All are faster than a walk but usually slower than a

During a jousting tournament, the horses were cared for by their grooms in their respective tents. For other uses see Groom A groom is an employee who is responsible for some or all aspects of the welfare of a stable owner's Horses and/or They wore caparisons, a type of ornamental cloth featuring the owner's heraldic signs. A caparison is a covering or cloth laid over a Horse or other animal especially a Pack animal, or horse of state Heraldry in its most general sense encompasses all matters relating to the duties and responsibilities of officers of arms. Competing horses had their heads protected by a chanfron, an iron shield for protection from otherwise lethal lance hits. Barding (also spelled bard or barb) is Armour for horses During the late Middle Ages as armour protection for Knights

Other forms of equipment on the horse included long-necked spurs which enabled the rider to control the horse with extended legs, a saddle with a high back to provide leverage during the charge or when hit, as well as stirrups for the necessary leverage to deliver blows with the lance. A spur is a metal tool designed to be worn in pairs on the heels of Riding boots for the purpose of directing a Horse to move forward or laterally while riding For the bone see Stapes. For other uses of the word stirrup see Stirrup (disambiguation.

The armor

Jousting was popular from the Middle Ages until the early 1600s. During that time armour evolved from being chain mail (called simply mail at the time), with a solid, heavy helmet, called a "great helm", and shield. Mail (also maille, often given as chain mail or chain maille) is a type of Armour or jewellery that consists of small metal rings linked The great helm or heaume, also called pot helm and barrel helm, of the High Middle Ages arose in the late 12th century in By 1400 knights wore full suits of plate armour, called a "harness". Plate armour is personal Armour made from large Metal plates worn on the Chest and sometimes the entire Body. A full harness frequently included extra pieces specifically for use in jousting, so that a light military combat suit could be reinforced with heavier, "bolt-on" protective plates on the cuirass (breastplate) and helmet, and also with jousting-specific arm and shoulder pieces, which traded mobility for extra protection. Cuirass ( French cuirasse, Latin coriaceus, made of leather from corium, the original breastplate being of Leather) the These extra pieces were usually much stronger on the side expected to take the impact of the lance. Special jousting helmets were sometimes used, made so that the wearer could only see out by leaning forwards. If the wearer straightened up just before the impact of the lance, the eyes would be completely protected. Some later suits had a small shield built-in the left side of the armor. In some cases this was spring loaded to fly into pieces if struck properly by the opponent's lance.

The lance

In modern times, jousting is often done for show or demonstration purposes, and the lances used are usually made of light wood and prepared so that they break easily. Lances were often decorated with stripes or the colors of a knight's coat of arms. In a real joust, the lances were of solid oak and a significant strike was needed to shatter them. However, the (blunt) lances would not usually penetrate the steel. The harnesses worn by the knights were lined on the inside with plenty of cloth to soften the blow from the lance.

Broken lances are common in full contact jousts. In this picture, airborne fragments of both lances are visible.
Broken lances are common in full contact jousts. In this picture, airborne fragments of both lances are visible.

Modern-day jousting

International Jousting Association knights in historically correct reproduction armour jousting at a tournament in Taupo New Zealand, 2006
International Jousting Association knights in historically correct reproduction armour jousting at a tournament in Taupo New Zealand, 2006

Modern day jousting or tilting has been kept alive by the International Jousting Association, [1], which has strict guidelines for the quality and authenticity of jousters' armour & equipment, and has developed the use of breakable lance tips for safety.

Jousting under the IJA rules follows a points system where points are given for breaking the lance tip on the opposing knight's shield, note there are no points given for unhorsing an opponent. IJA sanctioned tournaments also include skill at arms where the riders display their horsemanship and weapons handling skills with swords on the Moors Head, they use spears for the rings and spear throw, and use the lance against a spinning quintain. Many IJA tournaments also include a mounted melee with fully armoured riders using padded batons in place of swords for safety. None of the IJA events are theatrically based and they offer the public a chance to observe living history as opposed the Renaissance Fair type entertainment type jousting.

Today, tent pegging is the only form of jousting officially recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports. Tent pegging (sometimes spelled "tentpegging" or "tent-pegging" is a Cavalry sport of ancient origin and is one of only ten equestrian disciplines The Fédération Équestre Internationale (commonly known as the FEI or in English the International Federation for Equestrian Sports, is the international governing body of The sport involves using a lance or sword to strike and carry away a small wooden ground target. The name "tent pegging" is derived from the cavalry tactic of causing confusion in enemy camps by galloping though the camps and collapsing the tents by pulling up the tent peg anchors with well-placed lance tip strikes. The actual sport of tent pegging, however, originates in medieval India, when horse cavalrymen would try to incapacitate elephant cavalry by striking the elephants with lances on their extremely sensitive toenails[6]. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

Ring jousting is the official state sport of Maryland, and was the first official sport of any American state. [7]

The Italian town of Foligno also holds an annual jousting tournament, the Giostra della Quintana, that dates back to the 1613. Foligno, (Latin Fulginiae Fulginium) is an ancient town of Italy in the Province of Perugia in east central Umbria, on the Topino river The Giostra della Quintana is a knight ring Jousting tournament based on a historical event The Knights have to spear rings from the statue of the Quintana.

The Italian town of Arezzo continues to hold an annual jousting tournament, which dates to the Crusades. Arezzo ( Latin Arretium) is a city in central Italy, capital of the province of the same name, located in The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents Jousters aim for a square target attached to a wooden effigy of a Saracen king, whose opposite arm holds a cat-o-three-tails — three leather laces with a heavy wooden ball at the end of each lace. Saracen was a term used by Europeans in the Middle Ages for Fatimids at first then later for all who professed the religion of Islam. The riders strike the target with chalk-tipped lances and score points for accuracy, but must also dodge the cat-o-three-tails after they have struck the target. [8]

Lance rest built into 1565 plate armour.
Lance rest built into 1565 plate armour.

Modern theatrical jousting competitions are popular at American Renaissance fairs and similar festivals, and feature riders on horseback attempting various feats of skill with the lance, which may not always have a basis in history. Coined in the late 20th century by American stunt performer Kent Shelton the term "theatrical jousting" refers to a form of live entertainment in which a medieval Jousting tournament A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering usually held in the United States, open to the public and

Several international organisations, such as the Society for Creative Anachronism and the International Jousting Association, promote rules to govern their jousting events. Society for Creative Anachronism (usually shortened to SCA) is a historical re-creation and Living history group founded in 1966 which [9]

Many bicycle gangs participate in jousting at the end of all day parties. [10] Two riders mount tall bikes and ride toward one another with a padded lance made of PVC resembling a giant Q-Tip. A tall bike is an unusually tall Bicycle, typically built for the purpose of fun and recreation though with occasional practical use Cotton swabs ( British English: cotton buds) are used in First aid, Cosmetics application and a variety of other uses

Renaissance Fair jousting in Livermore California, 2006.
Renaissance Fair jousting in Livermore California, 2006.

In Port Republic, Maryland the annual Calvert County Jousting Tournament is held every August on the grounds of historic Christ Episcopal Church. Port Republic is a small rural community located in Calvert County, Maryland. Calvert County is a County located in the US state of Maryland. The Episcopal Church is the official name of the Province of the Anglican Communion in the United States. In 2005, the tournament was featured in an edition of ESPN's SportsCenter. ESPN, originally an acronym for Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, is an American Cable television network dedicated to SportsCenter is a daily Sports news Television show and the flagship program of American Cable network ESPN since the network

See also

Notes

  1. ^ a b c The Chronicles of Froissart
  2. ^ In England, jousting was the highlight of the Accession Day tilts of Elizabeth I and James I, and also was part of the festivities at the marriage of Charles I; Young p. The Accession Day tilts were a series of elaborate festivities held annually at the court of Elizabeth I of England to celebrate her Accession Day, November 17 In medieval tournaments a kipper was a person employed by a Knight, usually a vassal of the knight such as a slave, Serf, or Peasant This article is about the tournaments of the Middle Ages For the general article on tournaments see Tournament. Bem Cavalgar ( Livro Da Ensinança De Bem Cavalgar Toda Sela "book on the instruction of riding well on every saddle" is a book written by Edward of Tent pegging (sometimes spelled "tentpegging" or "tent-pegging" is a Cavalry sport of ancient origin and is one of only ten equestrian disciplines A Renaissance fair, Renaissance faire, or Renaissance festival is an outdoor weekend gathering usually held in the United States, open to the public and The Accession Day tilts were a series of elaborate festivities held annually at the court of Elizabeth I of England to celebrate her Accession Day, November 17 James VI and I (19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625 was King of Scotland as James VI, and King of England and King of Ireland as James Charles I, (19 November 1600 &ndash 30 January 1649 was King of England, Scotland and Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution. 201-208
  3. ^ Glossary, Society for Creative Anachronism
  4. ^ Glossary, Cleveland Museum of Art
  5. ^ Ivanhoe
  6. ^ "Tent pegging with Unicef Team Canada", retrieved 2007
  7. ^ "Maryland Jousting Tournament Association", retrieved 2007
  8. ^ Giostra Del Saracino, retrieved February 2008
  9. ^ "Society Equestrian Marshal", retrieved 2007
  10. ^ EasyBeezie "BiKE KiLL" You Tube. Joust at minute mark 7:39. Uploaded January 14, 2007.

References

Giostra Del Saracino, Arezzo: http://www.giostradelsaracino.arezzo.it/


Further reading

Dictionary

jousting

-noun

  1. A medieval European sport in which mounted knights charged at each other bearing lances.
  2. (fig.) Any activity in which two people spar with each other verbally.

-verb

  1. Present participle of joust.
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