Facts: First Blood
Photograph by J.J. Kelley and NGT
- The “tournament” or “tourney” originated in western Europe as a series of military exercises in which knights fought each other to display courage and skill.
- Jousting is a trial of skill that requires precision and aim as two riders running at each other on horseback try to hit each other with lances.
- A Joust is a mock battle between two riders on horseback that charge at each other with horizontal lances with the intent to unseat the opponent from his/her horse.
- Jousting fell out of popularity at the beginning of the sixteenth century.
- A lance is a spear made out of wood once used by cavalry for combat on horseback.
- The armored knights of the European Middle Ages gained advantage over their opponents in battle due in part to the combination of lance and stirrup on horseback. This led to the development of the tournament joust, which differed as knights attempted to unhorse each other one on one.
- Medieval battles usually had hundreds of single combats like one on one jousting.
- In medieval times, middle class citizens were not allowed to participate in jousting tournaments, though they were welcome to watch the nobles take part.
- Medieval knights carefully guarded their privilege of participating in tournaments and jousting, which was one of the knights’ favorite pastimes.
- Knights practiced the art of war with the act of jousting.
- Between the 12th and 16th centuries, the chaotic and dangerous style of jousting developed into an ornate spectacle of courtly life that overshadowed the often unskilled jousting.
- There is always danger involved in jousting, as demonstrated in 1559 by Henry II of France, who was mortally wounded by a splintered lance during one of the last great tournaments.
- The principal offensive weapon of a knight during battle was the lance.
- The history of the knight’s lance saw the weapon increase in length and weight, making knights more specialized at fighting each other.
- In battle, knights would open combat with the lance and continue with the sword, either on horseback or if forced to dismount, on foot.
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First Blood
Charlie Andrews and his Knights of Mayhem are determined to make professional full-contact jousting the next extreme sport.
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