Arming the knight display

This show would ideally precede the Tourney, and can sometimes link directly into it. It consists of a number of different fighters, i.e. men at arms, mercenaries, archers, and knights.  During the show the fighters are gradually armed, piece-by-piece, with the armour and weapons being described and explained by the narrator.  There is normally a short weapons demonstration at the end of this show.

The ‘Arming the Knight’ display allows us to demonstrate the flexibility and practicality of medieval armour.  Far from being the heavy, cumbersome equipment depicted in so many Hollywood films, a man wearing properly-fitted armour can run, somersault, turn a cartwheel and even vault onto a horse.  A medieval knight had to be fast and mobile as well as being heavily protected.  If, for example, he needed a crane to hoist him onto his horse, he would be completely helpless if unhorsed.  This is simply not practical, and contemporary sources refer to astounding feats of agility and endurance performed by men in armour, including one knight who swam a castle moat and then, arriving safely on the other side, later dictated a letter to his armourer complaining that the armour had chafed him whilst he was swimming! 

During this display, the fighters of the Paladins of Chivalry will demonstrate how they are arrayed for tournament.  The different harnesses (not ‘suits’) of armour will be laid out for the audience to view, and our knowledgeable narrator will engage the audience explaining the history, style, manufacture and particular attributes of each piece of armour as the show progresses.  Most of the knights will be armed by squires or (occasionally) women (as some pieces of armour are impossible to put on oneself), although some of the more lightly-armoured combatants will be able to arm themselves and to help their comrades.

The Paladins will display knights in full harnesses of armour, demonstrating the fascinating progression of armour technology that took place during the fourteenth century, which began with knights dressed in maille (not ‘chain mail’) with small embellishments of leather or metal, and ended with knights dressed head to foot in gleaming steel plates.  Our fighters present a colourful and imposing sight, as the armour catches the sunlight and the colours of their heraldry are displayed upon their jupons (heraldic tunics) and shields.  We will also usually have an assortment of lightly-armoured fighters clad in padded jacks and simple helms, as well as an archer with his war equipment and mighty bow, or a Continental crossbowmen come to “pick a quarrel.”

The arming display will be carried out either in a central arena (using microphone), with the knights and men-at-arms arrayed around the edges close to the crowd, or if the client prefers it can be carried out as a series of talks by the individual knights as they are armed.  If this is the case then each knight, with his squire, will be armed outside his tent and each will attract and entertain his own audience.  If this latter format is followed then microphones cannot be used.

The Arming the Knight display will conclude with a brief demonstration of some of the fearsome weapons carried by our fighters.  Most of the combatants will carry a simple arming sword, but they may also have an axe; a two-handed or a ‘bastard’ (‘hand and a half’) sword; a mace, a flail, a quarterstaff or club or the deadly warhammer, with its lethally-sharp beak designed to puncture armour and heavy hammer to crush bones.  This demonstration gives the audience a brief taste of what to expect during our most spectacular show: the Tourney!