Tournaments are relatively amiable contests of martial skill between knights. A tournament is fought with rebated (dull) swords and and jousting lances (weakened and with a coronal).
A tournament is usually hosted by a nobleman of peer rank
Tournaments may be held to mark births, coming-of-age, marriages and funerals, or to mark other great occasions and feasts. The host of frequent or great tournaments gain a good reputation, but all peers are expected to host tournaments occasionally.
Apart from the contest of arms, tournaments involve nightly feasts given by the host, dances and romance
Tournaments were developed by the Grand Kings of the first Clemencian dynasty.
Knights present themselves to their host as for any arrival at a court. Then they must present themselves to the Marshall of the List (often the lord's marshall) to enter the tournament, decide which side to fight in the tourney (if one is held) and submit a banner with his colours for the making of windows.
Knights are examined to see if they are eligible for taking part in the tournament.
At the helm show, all the participating knight must parade without their helmets, so that all present may protest if the knight is dishonoured, a commoner or should for some other reason be excluded from the tournament.
In the making of windows, the submitted banners are hung from available surfaces (windows, battlements, trees, scaffolds) to advertise the presence of each participating knight.
Knight commonly also array themselves with a ladies' favour, if they have it. This is a piece of clothing received from a lady as a token of her good will, to inspire the knights and guide them safely. The usual token is a scarf, a sleeve or a long glove.
Tournaments are often held at, or they attract, markets and fairs.
The joust is a single-elimination contest in which knights seek to unhorse each other. The contest goes on until a single victor remains.
The melee is another single-elimination tournament. It is fought on foot. A melee contest ends when a contestant has been disarmed thrice; or when his weapon is broken, he is knocked down, knocked unconscious, otherwise unable to continue, or yields. It is not dishonourable to yield in the melee, but it is rarely done.The contest goes on until a single victor remains. The melee is not as popular nor as prestiguous as the joust, and is sometimes omitted.
The tourney is a mock battle in which two teams, one belonging to the host, who often leads it, and the other being the "visiting" team. The two teams fight primarily on the tournament area, but the tourney may spill off into the vicinity, without being stopped. The tourney is judged by the Marshall of the List, whose rulings are undisputable. He is assisted in observing and judging by a number of rulings.
The fight is much like an actual battle, customarily beginning with a charge and then turning into a pitched battle man-to-man. The sides may withdraw, press and flank freely, and may separate from the melee to charge again.
A contestant remains in the tourney until he is disabled, captured or removed by the Marshal of the List. Being unhorsed, disarmed or breaking shield or lance is not disqualifying provided the knight's squire or team mates may bring him a new horse or new armaments.
Captured knights are taken to a ward, once they reach the ward they may not be freed as long as the tourney last. Wounded knights are given first aid on the sidelines.
The knight who fights with the greatest skill, valor and chivalry, is declared champion of the tourney, the most prestiguous title to be gained at a tournament. The champion is usually named on the winning team of the tourny
The tournament patron may omit this part, in a small tournament or because of the chance of rowdiness or bloodshed. However its popularity makes this an unusual move.
After the tourney, those knights still in a fighting shape may issue challenges, which may be issued to specific individuals, members of specific groups or anybody. The challenge may also be to a contest of a certain kind, such as a fight with morningstars, or a battle of swords on horseback. To refuse a personal challenge without a resonable excuse (wounds, usually) is generally considered cowardly, and may bring on a bad reputation. Challenges are usually fought on the same conditions as a joust or melee, and may not be to the death.
Challenges may be fought (implicitly) over grudges of various kinds, as a sort of low-intensity duel.
Knights may also challenge each other to duels during tournaments, but this is generally considered boorish in the extreme.
For the benefit of commoners and lowly bellatores, there are often other contests at a tournament. These includes contests of archery, of fencing, quarterstaff, wrestling and weightlifting.
There may also be such side events as beastbaiting or theatre.
The champion of the joust, the champion of the melee, and the champion of the tourney are all given prizes by the host. These may be money, but more common are war steeds, armaments and armour of high quality, and fine objects of art.
In addition to fighting with rebated arms and striking to subdue, the tourney participants must abide by the following rules:
Not attacking a prone man; Not striking an opponent from behind; Not striking unhelmeted opponents; And not striking steed - the latter leads to immediate dismissal