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Revision as of 21:59, 18 December 2004 by SimonP (talk | contribs)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Jousting is a competition between two knights on horse-back, wherein each knight tries to knock the other off his mount. Jousting was popular in medieval times, although it is still performed in Renaissance fairs. The knights were each equipped with three weapons; a lance, a one handed sword, and a rondel. When one knight knocked the other off of his mount, he was declared the winner of the round. If both knights were knocked off their mounts at the same time, it was considered a tie; they would then engage in sword combat, and the last standing was victorious. The knights usually jousted in a best out of three situation. The reward of the tournament was the hand of his choice of lady.
Modern-day jousting competitions feature riders on horseback attempting to thread a lance through a ring. The rings become smaller as the competition progresses; riders who fail to capture a ring are eliminated until a winner is determined. This version of the game is the official state sport of Maryland.
Weapons
Modern day jousting fairs are offered by the excellent group The Knights of Arkley. www.knightsofarkley.com
Lance
The Jousting Lance, typically made of oak, weighed an average of 40 lb (18 kg). The primary usage of these was to unhorse an opposing riding unit. Typically used in England and France during the Middle Ages, these were usually accompanied by other melee weapons equipped on the other side of the horseman.
See also
Some jousters today are still doing it in the traditional manner on horseback against live opponents. The jousters at the WCJA are good examples of this.
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