Sir John Astley in
a Joust of Peace
Middle 15th century
Archeologia
Click to find out what the pieces of armour
are!
Glossary of Arms and Armour Terms
The illumination left accompanies a collection of chivalric
manuscripts once owned by the knight jousting on the left, Sir
John Astley. The book, commissioned in the middle of the 15th
century, contains many interesting tracts on chivalry, including
the English Coronation ceremony, rules for jousts, some challenges,
an oath taken by heralds, and other miscellaneous pieces.
Notice in the illumination that the knight's lances have
just shattered, yet neither knight is injured. By the late 14th
century, the joust had become a martial knightly sport unto its
own, sometimes held at tournaments and sometimes as part of a
pas d'armes. The gallery of ladies
watch the encounter, happy in their berfrois
(a medieval word for a wooden structure similar to covered bleechers).
For a description of Sir John and the book that contains some
of his knightly deeds, see the Archeologia
article on this web site!