From Deadly Fray to Diverting Fair
One of the definitive images of the days of chivalry is that of knights in shining armor competing at a grand tourney while gorgeously clad ladies cheered them on. This tradition holds such a cherished place in our memories that its origins seem lost in the mists of time.
Yet the origins of the tournament are not really difficult to trace. It all began as... fighter practice.
The significant advantage of a mounted combat force in any army stemmed from its ability to work together. This took practice. The tournament was a way for warriors to practice working together and at the same time use their other mounted combat skills. It was also a proving-ground for knights looking for service.
An uncontrolled melee, the early tournament was fought over miles of countryside, pitting one group of fighters against another. Although a recess or recet was available wherein knights could take refuge from the fray, there were no other safeguards. Combatants wore the armor they always wore in battle and used the same weapons they used to kill their foes. It mattered not that the men they fought were their countrymen; in the tourney, they were the enemy as well.
Fortunes were won and lost at the tournament. A defeated knight might have to pay to the victor a large ransom, which usually consisted of his armor, weapons and horse--the things that were of the utmost value to a knight. Deaths were not uncommon, especially at a time when an infection could so easily kill.
Careers were won and lost, as well. A knight looking for service could be spotted by a lord looking for soldiers. Knights already in service would still prove themselves at the tournament every time they practiced, and if they were defeated, their place in their liege-lord's army could be diminished.
In the early tournament, Chivalry did not apply. No one held back or tried to avoid killing their opponents. There were even knights who practiced what was known as a "Count of Flanders" technique, which involved waiting until late in the combat, then joining the fray and attacking tired and worn-out fighters and thus easily winning their belongings.
The church tried to ban tournaments, threatening to refuse Christian burial to any knight killed in a tourney. This unfortunately did not deter those knights who were looking for work or addicted to the dangerous sport. English knights went to France in search of tournaments and the jobs that could be found there.
Princes and kings were also concerned about the high rate of injury and deaths. They needed healthy men to fight for them in significant battles; the loss of life (of both horses and men) was a financial and political blow. Suspicious leaders were also concerned about these gatherings, where insurrection could foment and treachery could take root.
In the last decade of the twelfth century, King Richard I of England attempted to bring tournaments under control and at the same time raise money for his military campaigns. He did this by devising a licensing system. In 1194 he issued licenses for five different locations in England. Knights had to pay a fee to participate, and foreign knights were banned. In this way Richard not only raised money but kept an eye on political maneuverings.
Safety measures gradually began to appear. The free-for-all was discouraged and a one-on-one battle was encouraged to better display a knight's horsemanship skills. This one-on-one evolved into the joust. Beginning in the thirteenth century, arms of peace were devised -- special weapons such as blunt-tipped lances and special armor (some of it designed to break apart) were used only in tournaments.
Over time, the tournament evolved into a grand spectacle. It was organized by heralds and announced to the public weeks in advance. Grand processions took place, and evening banquets were given. Ladies in finery looked on from the gallery, giving chosen knights a favor, such as a scarf, to display as they contested. Prizes were won. Minstrels cheered on the knights who employed them and entertained the crowd. Merchants sold their wares.
The tournament became a festival that no one wanted to miss.
Check out Issue #4 of Knight Life: The
Joust.
View the Knight Life Table
of Contents
Visit your Guide's picks for the Top 7 Books about Knights
