a martial sport or exercise which the ancient cavaliers used to perform, to show their bravery and address. It is derived from the French word tourner, i.e., "to turn round," because to be expert in these exercises, much agility both of horse and man was requisite, they riding round a ring in imitation of the ancient Circl.
The first tournaments were only courses on horseback, wherein the cavaliers tilted at each other with canes in manner of lances; and were distinguished from jousts, which were courses or careers, accompanied with attacks and combats, with blunted lances and swords. See Joust.
The prince who published the tournament, used to send a king at arms, with a safe-conduct, and a sword, to all the princes, knights, &c., signifying that he intended a tournament and a clashing of swords, in the presence of ladies and damsels; which was the usual formula of invitation.
The first engaged man against man, then troop against troop; and after the combat, the judges allotted the prize to the best cavalier, and the best striker of swords; who was accordingly conducted in pomp to the lady of the tournament; where, after thanking her very reverently, he saluted her and likewise her two attendants.
These tournaments made the principal diversion of the 13th and 14th centuries. Münster says, it was Henry the Fowler, duke of Saxony, and afterwards emperor, who died in 936, that first introduced them; but it appears from the Tours chronicle of Tours, that the true inventor of this famous sport, at least in France, was one Geoffry, lord of Preuilly, Tournay, about the year 1166.
Influences of them occur among the English in the reign of king Stephen, about the year 1140; but they were not much in use till Richard's time, towards the year 1149. After which period these diversions were performed with extraordinary magnificence in the Tilt-yard near St James's, Smithfield, and other places.
The following account of a tournament, from Maitland, is curious. King Richard II. designing to hold a tournament at London on the Sunday after Michaelmas, sent divers heralds to make proclamations of it in all the principal courts of Europe; and accordingly not a few princes, and great numbers of the prime nobility, resorted hither from France, Germany, the Netherlands, &c. This solemnity began on Sunday afternoon, from the Tower of London, with a pompous cavalcade of 60 ladies, each leading an armed knight by a silver chain, being attended by their squires of honour, and, passing through Cheapside, rode to Smithfield, where the jousts and tournaments continued several days with magnificent variety of entertainments; on which occasion the king kept open house at the bishop of London's palace for all persons of distinction, and every night concluded with a ball.
At last, however, they were found to be productive of bad effects, and the occasions of several fatal misfortunes—as in the instance of Henry II. of France, and of the tilt exhibited at Chalons, which, from the numbers killed on both sides, was called the little war of Chalons. These and other inconveniences, resulting from those dangerous pastimes, gave the popes occasion to forbid them, and the princes of Europe gradually concurred in discouraging and suppressing them.