Joust, Jousting, Tournament, Hastilude, Single Combat

A tournament held in Nurnberg in 1546    (www.netmuseum.org)

A medieval military sport by way of combat between two knights on horseback using a variety of weapons. Although the first recorded tournament took place in 1066, there have been accounts of its introduction to Germany around 906 by Henry the Fowler, Holy Roman Emperor and Duke of Saxony who adopted the rules and regulations of France and England where it had previously been practised with the nobility of those countries.

The places where these tilts or tournaments were held had seats erected for the spectators, and the lists, or ground, were railed about in which the champions were to contend. Rewards were appointed for the victorious, and other honours awaited their success in arms.

It was the custom at these jousts or tournaments, for the knights to appear completely armed with shields, surcoats and the caparisons of their horses adorned with their armorial bearings, their esquires riding before them, carrying their tilting spears, with pennons of their arms attached, and the helmets worn by the tilters, upon which was placed the crest. To the sound of a horn or trumpet, the knights arrived at the lists or tilting yards where the jousts were to be held, upon which the heralds attending came forth to receive the name, arms and proofs of the necessary qualifications for admittance, which was then recorded in their books. This done, their shields of arms with the helmets, crests and mantlings, with which they were to joust were hung up, by the left corner, upon the pavilions or other suitable spots near the list field, to the end that every one of them might be known by his arms, crest and liveries to the judges and spectators.

Challenges were then made by the knights to each other by touching the shield with such weapon with which they chose to joust. They used a variety of weapons, usually in sets of three jousts per weapon, mainly the lance which they used for tilting, but at times also the battle axe, sword and dagger.

The contending champions were then admitted through separate barriers and, after performing the usual ceremony and paying their homage to the sovereign or judges, and all courteous respect to the ladies, who generally attended these trials of skill, and delivered the prizes to the conquerors, they took their appointed stations in readiness for the conflict. When the trumpet sounded the charge, they set spurs to their horses, couching their lances or tilting spears by placing the butt end against their breasts.

The primary purpose of tilting with a lance was to unhorse the opponent by striking him with the end of the lance while riding towards him at high speed. The skills and techniques used in jousting were also used in combat, in which mounted knights would charge at their enemies with weapons to try to kill or disable them.

The first charge was generally attended with disastrous consequences. If neither received any material injury or discomfiture, they both wheeled round, replaced their broken lances with others and ran a second tilt which, in like manner, was followed by a third. If neither sustained any disgrace in the three encounters, they both came off with enhanced reputation for their prowess.

These exercises were regulated by many laws, and the forfeiture of home and armour was not the only loss sustained by the vanquished, who sometimes lost his life in this kind of savage pastime which, in the days of chivalry, formed one of the principal pageants of the age.