This page is devoted to material on tournaments, jousts, and other formal deeds of arms. It also includes sources that concern heraldry and other ritual and ceremonial expressions of chivalry.
Extensive accounts of medieval tournaments, jousts and deeds of arms:
The Tales from Froissart site includes several descriptions of challenges, tournaments, and other feats of arms. See especially The Tournament at St. Inglevert, An Analysis of the Action, and the index for Deeds of Arms, Tournaments, and Duels.
The Deeds of Arms Collection contains accounts of deeds of arms from a variety of 14th and 15th century works (here at KCT).
The Deeds of Jacques de Lalaing is a modern retelling of the tournament career of a 15th c. champion (S. Matthew Galas, the H.A.C.A.).
Guides and documents:
The Statutes of Arms, England, c. 1260 were restrictive legislation to keep tournaments under control (Internet Medieval Sourcebook)
King René’s Tournament Book is a guide to holding tournaments from 1460 (trans. Elizabeth Bennett).
To Cry a Joust is a 15th century guide to holding a “joust of peace” (KCT).
Pierre de Masse’s Challenge to John Astley, Paris, 1438 — an agreement of terms between two combatants (KCT).
Challenge of John Astley, Squire, to Philip Boyle, Knight of Aragon, London, 1442 — another such agreement (KCT).
Charter of the Order of the Black Swan, a tournament company, 1350 (KCT).
Related materials (heraldry, ordinances of chivalry, miscellany):
Late Mediaeval Oaths for Kings of Arms, Heralds, and Pursuivants (ed. Craig Levin, KCT).
On a MS Collection of Ordinances of Chivalry belonging to Lord Hastings– includes several different documents of interest, some which are listed separately on this or other pages of the section (KCT).
How Knights of the Bath Should be Made, 15th c. (Middle English original) (KCT).
The Zurich Roll of Arms, Switzerland and Germany, 1340s. A beautiful on-line example of a roll of arms. Early rolls of arms were often created in conjunction with tournaments. (ed. Gerrit Bigalski).
An undated Middle English poem on the training of a squire (KCT).
Bibliography
Select Bibliography on Medieval Tournaments includes all the printed materials known to me.
