Knighthood, Chivalry & Tournament
Glossary of Terms


J
The glossary is meant as a growing resource for students, re-enactors, and anyone interested in knighthood, chivalry, or the medieval tournament. The current page is but a brief listing of what we would like to have on the page; if you would be interested in helping with a given area, such as in heraldry, transcribing tournament accounts, translations, or research, drop the author an email at brion@chronique.com. Additionally, we would like to expand many of the definitions here; if you want to try one or more of them send your submissions to the email address above--we can use the help!

Jarl: Welsh equivalent for earl or count.

Jeu de la Hache: A 15th century treatise on axe-fighting, perhaps the most extensive fechtbuch known. It details the use of the halberd or poleaxe with great precision, including tactics useful in war, tournament, or even in judicial duels. The jeu was translated recently by Dr. Sydney Anglo and printed in the journal Archeologia.

Jongleur: See minstrel.

Journeyman: {}

Joust: The charge of two knights bearing shield and lance. See also the Joust of Peace and Joust of War.

Joust of Peace: An à plaisance joust between two knights, usually done at tournament or between knights who want to test their prowess against one another. Jousts, where individual knights demonstrated their prowess, grew in popularity from the 13th century onward; prior to that knights fought in tournaments primarily in groups. Frequently galleries of ladies were present to watch jousts of peace, sometimes offering elaborate favors to the knights who championed their honor. During the late 15th and 16th centuries, specialized armour that became very heavy was fashionable to use in the joust, great hulking pieces featuring many reinforcing plates and bolts, giving the harnesses a very alien appearance.

Joust of War: Very common during the Hundred Years War or at an emprise, this was the same as a joust of peace except that the tips of the lances were sharpened rather than purposefully blunt. Knights were frequently killed or wounded in these engagements, and spectators other than other knights would have been uncommon.

Joute, le: Fr. for joust.

Joute plénières: 14th century French tournaments open to all comers.

Joyeuse: The famous sword of Charlemagne.

Joyeuse Guarde: The castle of Lancelot, held by popular legend to be Alnwick or Bamburg castles. Prior to the time when Lancelot came upon it, it was a cursed castle known as Dolorous Castle, but Lancelot was able to break the spell and take up residence within. When Arthur and Guenevere visited, the castle was renamed Joyeuse Guard, but after Lancelot’s adultery with Guenevere was discovered, the name reverted. It was to Dolorous Guard that they returned.

Judges: Officials in a tournament responsible for upholding the spirit and the rules determined by the sponsor. Charnay and King René both refer to the judges as diseurs.

Judicial Duel: Generally fought between combatants of knightly rank between the appellant and the defendant. A charge of dishonorable conduct underlies the combat, fought to the death before judges. Not a tournament, it is a form of trial by combat. Many of the surviving fechtbuchs seem to describe techniques used in the judicial duel that would have been forbidden in the tournament, such as piercing an opponent’s foot with the butt-spike of a poleaxe.

Back
to Glossary Index