Tournaments or mock battles were a popular form of entertainment for the lords and their ladies. These tournaments were especially popular during the 1200's-1400's. Not only was it a form of entertainment, but it was also a way of practicing their battle skills. The tournaments were very elaborate and sometimes could be deadly.

Knights would sometimes fight in teams called melees or by themselves called a joust. Even though the knights used blunted swords and lances, it was still common for people to be seriously hurt or even killed in accidents that happened at these tournaments. That's quite a serious game!

The people who attended the tournament wore really fancy clothes to show off their wealth.

 

Knights at War

Actual war was quite brutal and gory! Knights could still be damaged by barbed arrows even though they were wearing armor and padded jerkins. They could die from falling off their horses and foot-soldiers (guys on the front battle lines) could be trampled to death underneath the horse's hooves.

Knights could also have limbs ripped off in battle or their bellies cut open by the barbed arrows and the swords.

If knights were captured by their enemies. they usually were brutally killed; unless of course, they could afford to pay off their captors with large sums of money.

Certainly, the Warfare Rules today weren't in effect back then!