Facts about Jousting
Special jousting helmets were sometimes used with narrow eye slits, made so that the wearer could only see out by leaning forwards.
During a jousting tournament, the horses were cared for by their grooms in their respective tents.
Ring jousting is the official state sport of Maryland, the first official sport of any American state.
The fourteenth century Chronicles of Froissart contains many details concerning jousting in medieval times.
The two most common kinds of horse used for jousting were chargers and destriers.
The Italian town of Foligno also holds an annual ring-jousting tournament, the Giostra della Quintana, that dates back to the 1613.
Some Renaissance fairs feature competitive jousts, tilting at rings, or other jousting contests, in which the outcome is not predetermined.
Jousting was popular from the Middle Ages until the early 1600s, during which time armor evolved considerably.
The most commonly seen form of jousting in the contemporary era is the theatrically-based variety of the sport in dinner theaters and Renaissance fairs.
The skills and techniques used in jousting were first used in combat, as mounted knights would charge at their enemies with weapons to try to kill or disable them.
Special jousting arm- and shoulder-pieces, which traded mobility for extra protection, were also added.
A full harness frequently included extra pieces specifically for use in jousting, so that a light combat suit could be reinforced with heavier "bolt-on" protective plates on the cuirass (breastplate) and helmet.
Jousting is thought to have originated as an informal friendly contest between knights and was later included as a prelude to the main melee event at medieval tournaments.
The biographer of William Marshal, 1st Earl of Pembroke observed shortly later that in his day, noblemen were more interested in jousting than tourneying.
By the fourteenth century, with the decline of the tournament, jousting became the leading aristocratic sporting amusement.
Other forms of jousting also arose—such as armed combat without horses and tilting at rings.
Today it has seen a modest resurgence at fairs, dinner theaters, and events organized by the International Jousting Association.
The lists, or list field, constituted the roped-off arena in which a jousting event or similar tournament was held.
Another form of jousting is tilting at the rings, in which the galloping rider attempts to insert his lance through small metal or wooden rings.
The first mention of an exclusively jousting event was the Round Table held in Cyprus by John d'Ibelin, Lord of Beirut in 1223.
A form of tilting known as tent pegging is the only form of jousting officially recognized by the International Federation for Equestrian Sports.
Jousting is a sport consisting of martial competition, usually between two mounted knights or other horsemen, using a variety of weapons, especially lances.
Jousting under the IJA rules follows a points system where points are given for breaking one's lance tip on the opposing knight's shield.
The primary use of the jousting lance was to unhorse the other by striking him with the end of the lance while riding toward him at high speed.
By the early thirteenth century, jousting had its own devoted constituency.
Other weapons were used for jousting included maces, morning stars, various pole weapons, swords, and daggers.
Jousting was a component of the tournament, but not usually its main feature, serving instead as an evening prelude to the grand charge on the day of the main event.