Jousting is a sport that consists of martial competition between two mounted knights using a variety of weapons, usually in sets of three per weapon (such as tilting with a lance, blows with the battle axe, strokes with the dagger, or strokes with a sword), often as part of a tournament.
Jousting was just one of a number of popular martial games in the Middle Ages referred to generically as hastiludes.
Though the first recorded tournament was staged in 1066, jousting did not gain in widespread popularity until the 13th century. It maintained its status as a popular European sport until the late 16th century.
Jousting was added to tournaments several centuries after their inauguration. The joust permitted a better display of individual skill and, although dangerous, could win large sums of money. Many knights made their fortune in these events, whilst many lost their fortune or even life. For example, Henry II of France died when a shard of his opponent's broken lance went through his visor and into his eye.
Read more at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jousting
2007-10-28 09:59:41
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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While the others have indeed listed the physical part of it, the other was political. A man could rise high in court if his jousting skills pleased the king. Bored kings and courtiers used jousting as not only entertainment, but to cure their lust for war when peace was abundant.
Anthony Rivers, brother of Elizabeth Woodville, consort of Edward IV, was well known for his love of jousting, and even though a scholared man, still took up the jousting stick at any occasion, including a famous one with Antoine of Burgundy. This gained him a certain reputation at the time that worked for his benefit.
Henry VIII is another example of such. He was known for his love of the joust, and many men saw their rise and fall at the opposite side of the jousting field when Henry was involved. He even had an injury in one joust that left a significance in his life until he died, over 10 years later. His injury was a wound on his leg that never healed and often got infected.
2007-10-29 05:00:50
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answer #2
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answered by Vala 4
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A joust is defined as a fight between mounted knights wearing armor and using lances. It was a favorite form of entertainment during the Middle Ages. Jousting contests took place at Medieval tournaments which provided a venue for knights to practise various forms of combat to the delight, and for the amusement, of crowds of onlookers. The tournaments kept the knight in excellent condition for the role he would need to play during medieval warfare - skill with weapons and supreme strength and fitness were necessary to knights of the Middle Ages.
Much detail here:
http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/jousting.htm
http://www.medieval-spell.com/Medieval-Knights-Jousting.html
http://www.swords.co.nz/fjousting.html
http://www.kyrene.org/schools/brisas/sunda/ma/1brian.htm
NB: the knights would often carry a favour from their ladies; the lady would tie a scarf or part of their sleeve to the lance.
2007-10-28 11:12:35
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answer #3
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answered by Sybaris 7
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armored mounted knights would charge each other and try to unseat each other with lances (long poles, usually wooden, pointed at the end). combat might continue on foot with swords thereafter.
2007-10-28 07:54:26
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answer #4
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answered by kent_shakespear 7
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