What Is a Jousting Tournament?

During the Middle Ages a jousting tournament was a grand spectacle in which warrior aristocrats battled for glory and perhaps for the love of a beautiful lady. Spectators from all classes of medieval society flocked to the tournaments for the pageantry, the romance and the excitement.

  1. Basics

    • A joust is combat between two horsemen. A jousting tournament is a major sporting event in which several pairs of horsemen fight one after another. It was also possible for the horsemen to team up and fight as squads.

    Origins

    • In 1066 a Frenchman, Geoffroi de Purelli, wrote the first set of regulations for a tournament. Tragically, he was killed in the tournament for which he had written the rules.

    Purpose

    • A tournament kept the fighting men of the upper class fit, strong and in practice between wars, while also providing an outlet for their aggression.

    The Joust

    • A joust was simple: Two men, wearing armor and mounted on horses, lowered their lances and charged. Whoever unhorsed his opponent won.

    The Risks

    • Tournaments were an extreme sport in which many fighters were wounded and sometimes killed. Among the victims was King Henry II of France, who died when a lance pierced his eye.