Rearing Tournament Joust Knight
This large metal resin knight is made from a wire frame using metal filled resin and hand polished with a bronze metal finish. Modelled on 15th and 16th century European knights in tournament armour with a jousting lance.The history of the tournament and the joust begins with the warlike games, competitions and exercises organised at the court of Charlemagne's successors at the beginning of the ninth century. By the time the feudal system was fully developed, organised and kept in being by an international ruling class throughout Western Europe, the tournament became an established institution.Tournament and joust survived through the sixteenth century, whilst in real warfare the armoured knight was displaced by the gun and the cannon; but a powerful blow to the whole concept was that which struck King Henry II of France in 1559. By the end of the century, fending and duel had practically ousted the tournament everywhere. These knights are magnificently hand modelled showing the feel and life of the even.