edited by Steven Muhlberger
Modern people often make a big distinction between "tournaments" and "real war," but the distinction was much more fluid in the fourteenth century (and perhaps at other times in the Middle Ages, too). The late 14th century chronicler Jean Froissart, who dedicated hundreds of thousands of words to the faits d'armes (deeds or feats of arms) of his time used faits d'armes indiscriminantly for formal activities, where combatants were regulated by judges and rules, and battles, raids, and sieges. And in fact, sometimes a "real" military campaign would come to a halt while enemies competed in formal, almost friendly combat. Noble and gentle "men at arms" (those who fought in high-quality armor, who might be knights or squires or have neither rank) might kill each other in battle, but might spare each other, too. The same thing applied to "jousts" or "tournaments:" at some level they were friendly confrontations, with rules and limits, but injury and death and real hostility were possible outcomes, and everyone knew it.
The material collected here reflects my interest in 14th-century formal "deeds of arms," what we often call "tournaments." This section includes a great many chronicle accounts of such deeds. Some were written close to the event; others much later. Archival documents are in a separate section.
Where possible under copyright law, I have included both the original text in Latin, Middle French, Middle English or Scots, and a translation into modern English. Many of the translations are my own, and I invite comment on them.
The collection is organized in two different ways:
Accounts in chronological order of
the events described
and
Accounts organized by source and date
of writing.
Will McLean has made available some accounts of 15th
Century Deeds of Arms at the St. Michael's
Tournament Company web site.
As of February 21, 2003, I have added a section called Deeds
of Arms -- From the Archives:
Documents relating to Formal Deeds of Arms of the Fourteenth
Century. These include archival documents proper -- government licenses
and orders connected with deeds of arms -- and announcements of and invitations
to jousts and other formal deeds. These are more nearly contemporary
with the events discussed, but usually were issued in preparation for the
combats, and so can't describe them.
All translations by Steven Muhlberger are copyright 2001-3 by Steven Muhlberger, but may be used for educational purposes.
Historical Materials on Knighthood and Chivalry -- KCT Library
Accounts in chronological order of the events described
Henry of Grosmont jousts with William of Douglas (Wyntoun) -- 1338
Bartholemew de Burgersh at Reims (Grey) -- 1359
Hastiludes at London (John of Reading) -- 1359 John Asneton at Noyon (Froissart) -- 1370 Gavin Macaille challenges the English army (Froissart) -- 1381 Jousts at Vannes (Froissart) -- 1381 Joust between Jean Boucinel and Nicholas Clifford (Froissart) -- 1381 Joust between Miles Windsor and Tristan de Roye (Froissart) -- 1382 Peter Courtenay jousts with the Lord of Trimouille and the Lord of Clary (Juvénal des Ursins, Froissart) --1383?St. Inglevert -- 1390text in Latin translation by Steven Muhlberger
Accounts organized by source and date of writing.
Adam Murimuth, Continuatio Chronicarum -- 1346
Jean Le Bel, Chronique -- 1350s
La Bataille de Trente Anglois et de Trente Bretons (anonymous poem) -- 1350s or 60s
Geoffrey le Baker, Chronicle-- 1356Thomas Grey of Heton, Scalacronica-- 1362
John of Reading, Chronica -- 1367
The Anonimalle Chronicle -- before 1382 (this section)
Henry Knighton, Chronicle--late 1370s to 1396
Anonymous Poem on the Deed of Arms at St. Inglevert (Middle French text at Gallica, starting on p. 61) -- 1390s?
Jean Froissart, Chronicles -- (various editions in the late 14th c. and the very early 15th c.)
Chronique du religieux de Saint-Denis (Monk of St. Denis) -- 1380-1422
Chronographia Regum Francorum-- 1405
Le Livre des fais du bon Messire Jehan le Maingre, dit Bouciquaut, Mareschal de France et Gouverneur de Jennes (Life of Boucicaut) -- 1409
Historia Vitae et Regni Ricardi Secundi (History of the Life and Reign of Richard II) -- early 15th century.
Jean Juvénal des Ursins, Histoire de Charles VI -- 1416
The Brut or The Chronicles of England -- Continuation to 1419
Androw of Wyntoun, The
Orygynale Chronykil of Scotland -- early 1420s