Chivalry, armor, jousting tournaments, heraldry, and medieval warriors.
Test your knowledge with these top questions!
Which French king died after a lance splinter injured his eye during a joust in 1559?
His teenage son Francis II inherited the throne, making Mary, Queen of Scots, queen of France.
A coronel, the blunt tip on a jousting lance, was designed to catch on what?
Multi-pronged coronels spread the impact across a shield, reducing the chance of piercing it.
Which piece of armor protected a jousting knight's head?
Some jousting helmets were bolted to breast- and backplates, with a padded hood holding the head firmly to guard against whiplash.
In jousting, why did a wooden barrier divide the course?
The barrier was called a "tilt," a word that also came to mean jousting itself.
In heraldry, what does a knight's family emblem get called?
Coats of arms used colors and symbols so armored knights could be recognized in battle and at tournaments.
The sword tap on the shoulders that marks a squire becoming a knight is called the:
The accolade formalized the promotion to knighthood; candidates often kept a night-long vigil over their arms beforehand.
Which piece of plate armor protects a knight's hands?
Gauntlets were armored gloves that shielded a knight's hands and wrists while still allowing a grip on the sword.
What weapon do knights wield during a jousting tournament?
Jousters charged each other on horseback, using the lance's impact to knock an opponent out of the saddle.