Jousting and tournaments

The Middle Ages were a time of heroic deeds and daring battles fought by chivalric knights, but what was a knight to do in a time of peace? The creation of tournaments helped end boredom and also allowed knights to train for the next war. Tournaments, with their varying events, grew very popular not only with the participants, but with spectators as well. How, like any new trend, certain tournaments caused much controversy. This did …

…job to fight in wars, defend his lady, and prove dealers, armories, and harness makers. Also by usurers, fortunetellers, and prostitutes." (Morris, 141). Winning such tournaments was one way a lowborn knight to make a name for himself. Even today medieval tournaments are reenacted and we have our own version of tournament, state fairs that still provide entertainment and allows us to put our competitive nature to use, even if the prizes are not as good.