Page 280 - Dictionary of Heraldry and Related Subjects

trooper. In a few military orders it strict control and on al1 principal
described an Esquire aspiring to occasions two or more Officers of
Knighthood.
Ams were present to act as con-
trolling staff and masters of cere-
Siege Towers - Wooden towers con- mony.
Prizes were awarded and at each
structed in the vicinity of the
were tournament a 'Queen of the
fortress
besieged
which
designed to raise numbers of the Tournament' was elected who, by
attacking troops to the height of her presence, virtually ensured that
the top of the wall to attack over the Knights observed the laws of
the top of it or to a height above chivalry. It was she who presented
the wall from which archers could the prizes at the end of the meeting.
fire more effectively down on to the
The procedure was roughly as
follows. On the day prior to the en-
defenders.
counters beginning, the shields of al1
Srnithfield - A district of central the participating Knights were dis-
London, north of the Thames and played in a field near the lists by
immediately outside the old city two or more of each Knight's
waIls, which was used quite exten- retainers. The competing Knights
sively for tournaments during the then rode round the field touching
Middle Ages.
the shield of a11 those to whom they
issued a challenge. If the shield was
touched with a sharp weapon the
contest was to be fought with sharp-
ened lances, if the shield was
T
touched with blunt weapons then
blunt weapons were used.
The encounters took place in an
Tournaments - Apart €rom hunting, area known as the Lists which varied
tournaments were the only sport in size according to the type of
available in the Middle Ages and baltle that was to be fought. In the
even these could only be taken part case of the mêlée large areas were
needed but in the later types of
in by the Nobility.
Tournaments were held on al1 tournament when the strictest con-
possible occasions, such as corona- trol was observed a barrier some
tions. births of Royal heirs, impor- five feer in height was constructed
tant marriages, etc., and on fre- in the middle of the lists and the
quent occasions they were held two Knights charged each other
with no particular cause to cele- with the barrier on their left side. In
brate. this way, though the Knights could
Originally the early tournaments be wounded the horses were gener-
were generally between teams of alIy untouched.
Knights, sometimes mounted, some- Initially the principat object was
times on foot, but although these to unhorse one's adversary but in
were intended to be peaceful en- later years a speciaI type of brittle
counters it was not uncornmon in lance was employed which shivered
the heat of the moment for blows to (broke) on contact with the adver-
be struck in anger and rnany fatal sary's armour or shield. The points
casualties occurred. were scored by the number of
In later years rules were produced lances shivered and each contest
and tournaments were held under consisted of eight or ten courses.
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