Medieval Easter: International Jousting Tournament highlights

Over Easter weekend (29 March to 1 April 2024), the Royal Armouries hosted the Medieval Easter International Jousting Tournament. Teams from the United Kingdom, France and Italy battled it out to win some of the most coveted prizes in the jousting world today.

Over the weekend, the knights were competing as individuals for the Queen's Jubilee Horn, presented to the Royal Armouries in 2002, by the late Queen Elizabeth II; and as national teams for the Sword of Honour.

Relive all of the action from a weekend filled with thundering hooves, shattering lances and the toughest competitors on horseback with our highlights programme.

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[darraghchapman]

Very cool, though I'd have happily traded the scoreboard reading for some full speed clips with audio rather than commentary

[mozzy]

Well this is a criminally underviewed video. Appreciate the effort that clearly went into it!

[antiluckermd]

These are Richard and India, keepers of spiky stuff at the Royal Armouries museum in the UK, which houses a collection of thousands of iconic items made for poking from throughout history.

[causewaykayak]

Welcome to the competitors from France and from Italy.

[TheIconsofsin]

Well done to everyone involved that was fantastic, all of you are true knights at heart

[Mulvers]

Love this sports coverage style! (also thank you Andy for how much you've taught me on my past visits to the Armouries)

[rodneyhull]

The horses thundering by was unforgettable at my visit

[jacktanner]

I witnessed that hit at 10:15 and can still hear it - It actually stopped the Armet closing again properly that they could not allow Marie to do another run - the fact she appeared very eager to do so immediately earned my respect.

[brianshutt]

Loved every second! Bravo to everyone! 🐎🐎🐎 -- Kim in Indiana

[chivalricmedia]

Absolutely brilliant round up of what was an amazing tournament!!! 👏👏👏👏

[grahampalmer]

I've no idea why the thought popped in to my head but I saw the first few seconds of the video - & thought of 'Brave Sir Robin' from Monty Python's Holy Grail. 😀

[nerdycus]

Super interesting to see the decorations on the armor, stuff you probably wouldn't have when fighting on foot.

[ptonpc]

That looks like an amazing event. Melee next time?

[Pedrok]

Did not know anything about it was it advertised anywhere glad to see it though

[ComiCBoY]

Im sad my local renfest doesnt do jousting anymore becasue someone broke the safety rules at a tournament and got hurt. At my renfest no one is supposed to be within 3 feet of the tounament fence and someone went right up to it and got hit by a piece of a shattered lance and they sued and despite the clear signs and rules saying dont be near fence so they just pass by each other on horses now and dismount and just do some choreographed fight for a min. Was very underwhelming.

[Theknightman-wgdz]

The visor popping open seems really dangerous especially with the lances being wooden like that and exploding everywhere. You ever heard of king Henry II of France?

[orkharrid]

We need to petition to have this televised or added to the Olympics :P

[nellynelson]

Could we not have just had the actual jousing tournament at real speed and THEN the rundown

[andybrown]

Started wondering if competitors deliberately put dents and dings in their breastplate to suggest that they take more hits than they do

[asdgashash]

Why are you hyping up "a hit so hard the lance is dislodged from the rider's hand" in the first highlight? The hit is two horsepower hard every time. Followed by granting points to rider for losing control of the lance, when otherwise the hit would be illegal. At least that's how I understood the marshal's ruling.