A tournament was originally an exhibition of combat between mounted men. Named from the tournament, or quick turning of the horses, it appeared in Europe in the 11th century, and quickly grew in popularity, both in France and England, where, in the reign of Henry II, it became necessary to prohibit tournaments owing to extravagant indulgence in them by the younger nobility. Later, tournaments were allowed to be held under royal licence, und a classic account of one in the time of Richard I is given in the book Ivanhoe, in which the customs and rules of such assemblies are graphically indicated. Froissart is also a mine of information regarding tournaments.
The essential feature of a tournament was the single combat of knight with knight, each striving to unhorse or incapacitate his opponent, the usual weapon being the lance. Sometimes, however, one body of knights fought against another body. They took place on most occasions of rejoicing.
Participation in tournaments was usually reserved for those of noble birth, and about the end of the 13th century a new set of rules was embodied in a statute of arms for tournaments, which laid down, among other provisions, that disputes arising out of a tournament were to be settled by a court of honour composed of princes and earls. By the 16th century the tournament had degenerated until it was merely a form of pageant. The term is now applied to many kinds of athletic contests.
In the 18th century novel Ivanhoe, the author, Walter Scott describes the arena and audience of a fictional 12th century tournament as follows:
On the verge of a wood, which approached to within a mile of the town of Ashby, was an extensive meadow, of the finest and most beautiful green turf, surrounded on one side by the forest, and fringed on the other by straggling oak-trees, some of which had grown to an immense size. The ground, as if fashioned on purpose for the martial display which was intended, sloped gradually down on all sides to a level bottom, which was enclosed for the lists with strong palisades, forming a space of a quarter of a mile in length, and about half as broad. The form of the enclosure was an oblong square, save that the corners were considerably rounded off, in order to afford more convenience for the spectators. The openings for the entry of the combatants were at the northern and southern extremities of the lists, accessible by strong wooden gates, each wide enough to admit two horsemen riding abreast. At each of these portals were stationed two heralds, attended by six trumpets, as many pursuivants, and a strong body of men-at-arms for maintaining order, and ascertaining the quality of the knights who proposed to engage in this martial game.
On a platform beyond the southern entrance, formed by a natural elevation of the ground, were pitched five magnificent pavilions, adorned with pennons of russet and black, the chosen colours of the five knights challengers. The cords of the tents were of the same colour. Before each pavilion was suspended the shield of the knight by whom it was occupied, and beside it stood his squire, quaintly disguised as a salvage or silvan man, or in some other fantastic dress, according to the taste of his master, and the character he was pleased to assume during the game. The central pavilion, as the place of honour, had been assigned to Brian be Bois-Guilbert, whose renown in all games of chivalry, no less than his connexions with the knights who had undertaken this Passage of Arms, had occasioned him to be eagerly received into the company of the challengers, and even adopted as their chief and leader, though he had so recently joined them. On one side of his tent were pitched those of Reginald Front-de-Boeuf and Richard de Malvoisin, and on the other was the pavilion of Hugh de Grantmesnil, a noble baron in the vicinity, whose ancestor had been Lord High Steward of England in the time of the Conqueror, and his son WilliamRufus. Ralph de Vipont, a knight of St John of Jerusalem, who had some ancient possessions at a place called Heather, near Ashby-de-la-Zouche, occupied the fifth pavilion. From the entrance into the lists, a gently sloping passage, ten yards in breadth, led up to the platform on which the tents were pitched. It was strongly secured by a palisade on each side, as was the esplanade in front of the pavilions, and the whole was guarded by men-at-arms. The northern access to the lists terminated in a similar entrance of thirty feet in breadth, at the extremity of which was a large enclosed space for such knights as might be disposed to enter the lists with the challengers, behind which were placed tents containing refreshments of every kind for their
tion, with armourers, tarriers, and other attendants, in readiness to give their services wherever they might be necessary.
The exterior of the lists was in part occupied by temporary galleries, spread with tapestry and carpets, and accommodated with cushions for the convenience of those ladies and nobles who were expected to attend the tournament. A narrow space, betwixt these galleries and the lists, gave accommodation for yeomanry and spectators of a better degree than the mere vulgar, and might be compared to the pit of a theatre. The promiscuous multitude arranged themselves upon large banks of turf prepared for the purpose, which, aided by the natural elevation of the ground, enabled them to overlook the galleries, and obtain a fair view into the lists. Besides the accommodation which these stations afforded, many hundreds had perched themselves on the branches of the trees which surrounded the meadow; and even the steeple of a country church, at some distance, was crowded with spectators.
It only remains to notice respecting the general arrangement, that one gallery in the very centre of the eastern side of the lists, and consequently exactly opposite to the spot where the shock of the combat was to take place, was raised higher than the others, more richly decorated, and graced by a sort of throne and canopy, on which the royal arms were emblazoned. Squires, pages, and yeomen in rich liveries, waited around this place of honour, which was designed for Prince John and his attendants. Opposite to this royal gallery was another, elevated to the same height, on the western side of the lists; and more gaily, if less sumptuously decorated, than that destined for the Prince himself. A train of pages and of young maidens, the most beautiful who could be selected, gaily dressed in fancy habits of green and pink, surrounded a throne decorated in the same colours. Among pennons and flags bearing wounded hearts, burning hearts, bleeding hearts, bows and quivers, and all the commonplace emblems of the triumphs of Cupid, a blazoned inscription informed the spectators, that this seat of honour was designed for 'La Royne de las Beaulte et des Amours'. But who was to represent the Queen of Beauty and of Love on the present occasion no one was prepared to guess.
Meanwhile, spectators of every description thronged forward to occupy their respective stations, and not without many quarrels concerning those which they were entitled to hold. Some of these were settled by the men-at-arms with brief ceremony; the shafts of their battle-axes, and pummels of their swords, being readily employed as arguments to convince the more refractory. Others, which involved the rival claims of more elevated persons, were determined by the heralds, or by the two marshals of the field, William de Wyvil, and Stephen de Martival, who, armed at all points, rode up and down the lists to enforce and preserve good order among the spectators.
Gradually the galleries became filled with knights and nobles, in their robes of peace, whose long and rich-tinted mantles were contrasted with the gayer and more splendid habits of the ladies, who, in a greater proportion than even the men themselves, thronged to witness a sport, which one would have thought too bloody and dangerous to afford their sex much pleasure. The lower and interior space was soon filled by substantial yeomen and burghers, and such of the lesser gentry, as, from modesty, poverty, or dubious title, durst not assume any higher place. It was of course amongst these that the most frequent disputes for precedence occurred.
Walter Scott goes on to describe the rules of the tournament, which he says were imparted to the audience by the monarch:
First, the five challengers were to undertake all comers.
Secondly, any knight proposing to combat, might, if he pleased, select a special antagonist from among the challengers, by touching his shield. If he did so with the reverse of his lance, the trial of skill was made with what were called the arms of courtesy, that is, with lances at whose extremity a piece of round flat board was fixed, so that no danger was encountered, save from the shock of the horses and riders. But if the shield was touched with the sharp end of the lance, the combat was understood to be at 'outrance', that is, the knights were to fight with sharp weapons, as in actual battle.
Thirdly, when the knights present had accomplished their vow, by each of them breaking five lances, the Prince was to declare the victor in the first day's tourney, who should receive as prize a warhorse of exquisite beauty and matchless strength; and in addition to this reward of valour, it was now declared, he should have the peculiar honour of naming the Queen of Love and Beauty, by whom the prize should be given on the ensuing day.
Fourthly, it was announced, that, on the second day, there should be a general tournament, in which all the knights present, who were desirous to win praise, might take part; and being divided into two bands of equal numbers, might fight it out manfully, until the signal was given by Prince John to cease the combat. The elected Queen of Love and Beauty was then to crown the knight whom the Prince should adjudge to have borne himself best in this second day, with a coronet composed of thin gold plate, cut into the shape of a laurel crown. On this second day the knightly games ceased. But on that which was to follow, feats of archery, of bull-baiting, and other popular amusements, were to be practised, for the more immediate amusement of the populace.
At the flourish of clarions and trumpets, they started out against each other at full gallop; and such was the superior dexterity or good fortune of the challengers, that those opposed to Bois-Guilbert, Malvoisin, and Front-de-Boeuf, rolled on the ground. The antagonist of Grantmesnil, instead of bearing his lance-point fair against the crest or the shield of his enemy, swerved so much from the direct line as to break the weapon athwart the person of his opponent - a circumstance which was accounted more disgraceful than that of being actually unhorsed; because the latter might happen from accident, whereas the former evinced awkwardness and want of management of the weapon and of the horse. The fifth knight alone maintained the honour of his party, and parted fairly with the Knight of St John, both splintering their lances without advantage on either side.
The shouts of the multitude, together with the acclamations of the heralds, and the clangour of the trumpets, announced the triumph of the victors and the defeat of the vanquished. The former retreated to their pavilions, and the latter, gathering themselves up as they could, withdrew from the lists in disgrace and dejection, to agree with their victors concerning the redemption of their arms and their horses, which, according to the laws of the tournament, they had forfeited. The fifth of their number alone tarried in the lists long enough to be greeted by the applauses of the spectators, amongst whom he retreated, to the aggravation, doubtless, of his companions' mortification.
During intervals of the tournament it appears that heralds inspired the contestants and audience by announcements and chants inspiring chivalry and bravery such as:
'Love of ladies, splintering of lances! stand forth gallant knights, fair eyes look upon your deeds!' Research Tournament
The Coronet Moth (Craniophora ligustri) is a moth of the family Noctuidae with a wing span of between 30 and 35 mm found in the temperate zone of the Palaearctic living in forests and producing two generations the first flying from May to July and the second from August to September. Research Coronet Moth
The Varied Coronet (Hadena compta) is a moth of the family Noctuidae with a wing span of between 25 and 30 mm distributed through the temperate part of the Palaearctic to Japan. A single generation is produced flying from May to July. Research Varied Coronet
Baron is the lowest but oldest rank of nobility in Britain. The title seems to have been used first to describe men who held grants of land direct from the Crown. By the reign of Edward I 'barony by tenure' was becoming obsolete and the title became confined to the great landowners who were summoned by the king's writ as barons to attend the Great Council, the nucleus of Parliament. In 1387 the first barony by letters patent was created, but baronies still continued to be created by writ until 1607. The only form of creation nowadays is by letters patent, although there are still some barons who hold their rank hereditarily by writ. The baron's mantle has only two bars of ermine, and his coronet has six large silver balls fixed to a silver circlet. Research Baron
Duke is the highest rank in the British peerage. Dukes take precedence over all except princes and princesses of royal blood and certain officials of the Crown. The first duke to be created in England was Edward the Black Prince, who was made Duke of Cornwall in 1337. The honour is rarely given in modern times except to princes of royal blood; and the duchy of Westminster, created in 1874, was the last to be given to anyone not of the royal family. The duke's mantle has four rows of ermine on the cape, and his coronet is formed of a circle of silver gilt, surmounted by eight strawberry leaves, with a cap of crimsonvelvet topped with a golden tassel, which is turned up with ermine. The oldest existing duchy in the United Kingdom is the dukedom of Norfolk, which was created in 1483. A letter to a duke should be addressed: To His Grace the Duke of -.
At various periods and in different continental countries the title duke (Herzog in Germany) has been given to the actual sovereigns of small states. The title 'grand-duke' and 'grand-duchess,' 'archduke' and ' archduchess,' were also in use on the European continent, the latter to distinguish the princes and princesses of the Austrian imperial family. Research Duke
Earl is now the third order in the nobility, but originally the first. The rank was introduced into Britain by the Danes, and the earl became a district administrator appointed by the king. For several centuries it was customary for earls to take their titles from the counties they administered, and for the king to make grants of land in the counties. The premier earldom is really that of Arundel, but as this is now united with the dukedom of Norfolk the senior earldom is that of Shrewsbury, which was created in 1442. The earl's mantle has three rows of ermine on the cape. His coronet is a circle of silver gilt, with eight silver balls on points and golden strawberry leaves between the points. The cap is the same as for the senior ranks.
When William the Conqueror invaded Britain he tried to replace the rank of Earl with that of Count, but was unsuccessful though the wife of an earl does bear the title of countess.
Marquess is the second order of nobility. The first marquess was Robert de Vere, who was created
Marquess of Dublin in 1385 by Richard II. A marquessate is rarely created and only for exceptional services to the State. The premier marquess is the Marquess of Winchester, the title having been created in 1551. The marquess' s mantle has three and a half rows of ermine on the cape. His coronet has only four strawberry leaves as opposed to the duke's eight, the four intervening spaces being occupied by four silver balls. The cap is the same as for a duke. A letter should be addressed: To the Most Noble the Marquess of --. Research Marquess
Viscount is the fourth rank of nobility. The term comes from the Norman Conquest of England, when the Norman rulers applied the word viscounte to the officials appointed as sheriffs. It was not until nearly four hundred years later that it became an order of the peerage. The premier viscountcy is that of Hereford, which was created in 1550. The viscount's mantle has two and a half bars of ermine. His coronet has sixteen silver balls fixed to a silver circlet. Research Viscount
The Maryland penny was a copper coin of the value of two cents, coined in England by LordBaltimore in 1659, and issued in Maryland the same year. The obverse of this penny was stamped with a profilebust of LordBaltimore. The reverse contained a ducal coronet upon which were erected two masts, each bearing a flying pennant with the legend Denarium: Terrae-Mariae. This coin was issued simultaneously with the Maryland shilling. Research Maryland Penny
A coronet is a special crown worn by nobles on State occasions and represented above their coats of arms. The designs vary according to the rank of the wearer. In England, the Prince of Wale's coronet is distinguished from the royal crown by having a single instead of a double arch. A duke's coronet has on the rim eight strawberry leaves; that of a marquis, four strawberry leaves and four silver balls alternately; that of an earl has eight silver balls on long spikes alternating with strawberry leaves set lower; a viscount's coronet has sixteen silver balls close together, and a baron's six. Coronets for earls were first allowed by Henry II; for viscounts by Henry VIII and for barons by Charles II. Research Coronet
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Abbreviations
Research Tournament
