Le Spectacle Des Joutes

Appearing around the 11th century, the tournament resembled a simple dress rehearsal for battle: horsemen armed with lances faced each other in collective assaults in the hope of capturing men and horses and then ransoming them. Fairly primitive in form, the tournament soon evolved into the joust, an individual opposition between two combatants identified by their coats of arms. The 15th century saw the development of pas d'armes: jousting exercises consisting of defending a "pas" or passage against anyone who took up the challenge.