The Royal Joust The Royal Joust
The sport of jousting began in 1066 as a way for knights to practice their horsemanship
and show off their skills with the lance. It later became a way to settle judicial
disputes. The victorious knight was seen to have God on his side, therefore not
guilty. It also was a way for a knight to quickly make a name for himself and
earn large sums of money.
As the sport of Jousting became more popular and less brutal, the laws and
rules became more complex. This is where the idea of chivalry came into play.
A knight would choose a beautiful, married, lady whose husband was of higher
ranking than the knight. He would then fight in her honor.
He would face the other opponent and try to knock him off his horse with the
lance. In the end, the Joust became a test of physical strength for both the
horse as well as the knight. It is now a popular event at Renaissance Fair’s and corporate theme parties
across the country.
