The jousting tournament was a special entertainment for the nobility of the 11th-16th centuries. And although it was created to train military qualities and demonstrate the abilities of a knight, the tournament often turned into a fun spectacle with elements of theatrical performance. The authors of many works glorify the heroes who obtained the favor of the ladies through battles. Educated, respectful men in the treatment of ladies in tournaments turned into cruel warriors who rushed at rivals without fear of anything.
How it all began
France is considered to be the birthplace of heroes clad in steel. In this country, special attention was paid to strong and enduring warriors, and high-quality weapons were worth their weight in gold. The choice of a good knight for a jousting tournament guaranteed half the success of the duel. Geoffroy de Preilly formulated the rules for pre-existing fights and made the process attractive to princes, dukes and barons. At one of the tournaments, he was killed by a more agile opponent, guided by his own rules.
Geoffroy decided that a pretext was needed for holding a jousting tournament: a concluded peace, a newborn first-born, a wedding or a holiday. instigator (organizer)events) challenged the defender, who was supposed to become an opponent. All this was done in a very decent manner, in a polite manner. The opponent was awarded with honors a beautifully designed letter, calling him to the tournament. The future rival could accept it by sending judges from his side to conduct the competition, but he could also refuse, citing some good reason. If an agreement was reached, preparations for the tournament began. The place had to be chosen wisely. A large glade next to a large city could become a playground. It was surrounded by a wooden fence. After that, the benches and the arena were prepared.
Temporary City
At the time of the jousting tournament, an independent settlement appeared, because spectators came to the tournament from many regions of the country. Not everyone wanted to rent a house in the city. Many arranged temporary tents. They were installed near the venue of the tournament. Since everyone needed to eat, merchants arrived there with food and water, jewelry, clothing, as well as knightly uniforms. In addition, all the feudal lords sought to take more servants to show their greatness. Therefore, the temporary campground turned into a real small town.
Also, the joust was a kind of fashion show, because both participants and spectators were eager to dress very nicely. The rules of the tournament stated that only a nobleman who had four generations of noble ancestors could participate in it.
Planned to the last detail
Scenario of knightlyThe colorful tournament could be compared with a theatrical performance. First, upon the arrival of all the judges and the two founders of the tournament, their emblems were hung out: at the top - the instigator and defender, and below - the judges. Then the banners of the participants were checked to allow participation in the tournament. For the evening, to familiarize the girls with the participants, helmets of knights were exhibited! The ladies looked at them with interest. If any knight had the imprudence to offend a lady, she could touch his helmet. Based on this, the knight was removed from the tournament. Dances were organized in the evening.
The next morning, everyone gathered for Mass and took the oath. The church was initially against such cruel games, but when they began to use blunt spears with tips, the clergy calmed down. Based on such ornate rules, the lists were held.
Knight's tournament. Game
Pretty attractive in its prefecture, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt perfectly captures the little details of the life of heroes on horseback. Guillaume is a warrior who came to a jousting tournament for the sake of his beloved. To perform feats for her sake becomes the meaning of his life, but the girl is not happy with this turn of events. Having met the Herold (the witcher), the knight asks for help from a friend. Already battle-tested, the witcher once again helps Guillaume win.
The Witcher gives a very colorful description of the jousting tournament, because it is precisely such details that make this story come alive. The very conduct of battles in the game has fairly simple rules: the hero is given three spears. He canfight until they break. Getting severely wounded or dying means losing. A later innovation was the introduction of glasses. They are given for hitting an opponent's helmet with a spear, in a breastplate, or for the fact that a warrior was able to knock an opponent out of the saddle.
Tournaments nowadays
Now many forgotten traditions are being revived. A striking example of this is the knightly tournament in Vyborg. This event is gaining more and more popularity. The organizers are trying to recreate the fights that took place more than 500 years ago with maximum accuracy. For example, if in the 13th century a helmet had to weigh 5 kg, then in a modern tournament it will be the same. Also, much attention is paid to the design of competitions, heraldry, clothing, ceremonial.
However, not everyone agrees to this. In 2017, an unexpected incident occurred that called into question the further holding of tournaments. The authorities of the city were offended by the fact that no one asked them for permission to reconstruct the competitions of the Middle Ages, and the knights themselves are rather quick-tempered people. The tournament management now has to deal with the accusations against the participants, as well as with paperwork.
Legacy
Thanks to the beauty of the battles, jousting tournaments entered the cinema, perfectly complementing the plot. We present to your attention films created on the theme of chivalry, although some of them do not even contain a mention of feats:
- "The Hobbit", in parallel with it - "The Lord of the Rings".
- "Howtrain your dragon.”
- Star Wars - all parts.
- "A Knight's Tale".
- Gate of the Warriors.
- Troy.
Literature lovers are especially well aware of this era and will not be limited to films alone. It's nice to know that even now the traditions of chivalry are followed by many men. They achieve their goals in a fair and honest way, treat girls politely, and do not fail in critical situations. The jousting tournaments have left a wonderful mark on history, clearly showing what a hero should be.
