A time of change.
During the 13th Century there was a gradual change in how a tournament was structured. In the early days, wide geographical areas were covered and thousands of participants were involved, often with only partially rebated or nearly sharp weapons. As time went on, and the event of the tournament evolved, a culture and tradition developed. This brought along more defined rules and etiquette, and was the period of the development of the joust as a component of the whole event, and a more organised arrangement of individual combats.
At this time there was no barrier to separate opponents, and often multiple simultaneous combats would occur. This led to a whirling and exciting contest between individuals, operating “at large” against each other with spear and sword.
As part of the only UK group to participate in this form of tournament, I have have had a unique insight into the adrenaline and challenges that these events bring, and the amount of training and skill involved in successfully participating.