Tournaments

[Michael A. Chance]

Alessandre writes:

> I would like more info on the Barber and Barker book

_Tournaments: Jousts, Chivalry and Pageants in the Middle Ages_,
Richard Barber and Juliet Barker, Weidenfeld and Nicolson, New York,
Copyright 1989, ISBN 1-55584-400-6.

> However, 
> you listed several different groups who could award prizes. Did you mean
> all of those should be present at one tourney, or could just a few of these
> be presented at a tourney? I guess a few could, but which ones would you 
> suggest?

You could definitely present all of them, or as many of them (or any
other similar types of prizes) as you wish.  Certainly the ones that
the fighters pick themselves are the easiest to set up, since they're
already involved in the tourney.  The rest can be used to get the
non-fighters involved personally in the tournament as something more
than just spectators.  Certainly the "most memorable bout" could set up
some truly great matches, since who wins the match is unimportant -
both fighters get part of the prize.  Just be sure that both halves are
identical.  Of course, as a herald, I tend to be partial to best
heraldic presentation.

> I also liked the idea of a group simply meeting a challenge they 
> had set for themselves, is that a 'period' thing to do?

Very.  Barber and Barker contains several examples of this type of
challenge tourney.

Mikjal Annarbjorn
-- 
Michael A. Chance          St. Louis, Missouri, USA    "At play in the fields
Work: mc307a at sw1stc.sbc.com                             of St. Vidicon"
Play: mchance at crl.com