#Knights chivalry code jousting rules code

To put it another way, it was the Christianisation of war. Both were the result of marrying the Catholic Faith to Roman civilisation and the Germanic martial ardour that conquered that civilisation.

#Knights chivalry code jousting rules code

Chivalry was the code by which they attempted to live. Just what do those two words mean? Knighthood was the state of being an armored warrior on horseback, in the days when cannon and rifles had not yet banished those worthies from the battlefield.

Shields must be strapped in such a manner that the rider has control of his or her equipment and mount at all times.Chivalry is the Christian form of the military profession: the knight is the Christian soldier.

The shield should have at least 300 square inches of surface area to present a reasonable minimum target area to the opponent.

The edges should be blunt and corners rounded.

The shields must be constructed of rigid, non-brittle materials-recommended is 1/2' plywood.

Leg, Arm, and Shoulder Protection: Armor recommended, but not required.

Hands: Hands must be protected either by shield, gauntlet, or equivalent (i.e., vamplate on lance).

Groin: Groin area must be protected by sufficient means, including saddle or armor.

Standard equestrian riding vests are deemed equivalent.

Body: Rigid material covering chest and torso.

Gorget: According to heavy weapons standards.

Helms must have sufficient strapping and/or padding to prevent the rigid material from contacting the rider and so as not to be readily dislodged when subject to a moderate frontal impact. There can be no openings that allow the penetration of a 1 1/2-inch dowel.

Helm: Helms must be of rigid materials (18 gauge mild or equivalent).

It is recommended the base section be carved from wood. The grip for the base section should be located so that there is a maximum of 96 inches from the center of the grip to the front of the lance. The maximum length of the base section is 45 inches, including a recommended 6 inches extending into the middle section.

The base section may be made of any non-brittle material.

The cardboard tube must be cleared of broken foam after each run.

The middle section consists of a cardboard tube with a 2-inch interior diameter and a maximum of a 1/8 inch sidewall.

Lances must have a tip of a minimum of 24 inches and a recommended maximum of 48 inches of expanded polystyrene foam (Styrofoam) or Extruded Insulation Foam of 2-inch diameter and 2-pound density, projecting beyond the middle section.

The tip and the base will socket into the middle section.

The lance shall be constructed in three sections, including the tip, middle, and base.

Here are the Equipment and Armor guidelines from the Society for Creative Anachronism's Jousting Rules. Although at some tourneys, the battle continued on the ground with sword combat until one knight yielded or was killed. Most individual jousts ended when one knight was unseated. Some tourneys involved no-holds-barred jousting with very few rules others permitted only direct blows to the shield to unseat the opponent. Tourney rules varied from place to place and country to country. Lance styles and constructions changed over the many years that jousting took place to accommodate different jousting objectives and new materials such as iron. Stronger knights might choose a larger, heavier, or longer lance to gain a reach or weight advantage, while more agile knights might choose a lighter lance and rely on technique to unseat their opponent, rather than brute force. Each knight developed his own lance preferences based on his experiences in the lists.

In medieval times, lance length and construction were not regulated as they are today. Rather, the hosting noble prepared an arbitrary area for jousting, often simply because it was suitable for the viewers and not for the jousters.

The long runway where jousting matches took place, called a list, had no set requirements for length, breadth, or ground type.