Many sports have historically prepared the individual both physically and emotionally for battle. In the Middle Ages, the "tournament" became the most popular form of recreation for knights all over Europe. The events of the tournament - joust, the melee, and fighting on foot - kept the knight in condition for the role he played in warfare. The tournament lasted well after the heavily armored knight became tactically obsolete and remained a sport in which nobility, valor, and grandeur were a continuing reality.

The "pas d'armes"or "passage of arms," was one form of the tournament. Traditionally, an individual sent a proclamation to many different countries announcing that he would take on challengers at a certain time and place. The hosts for the "pas d'armes" were called tenants or holders. The challengers, who came from all over, were called venants or comers.

Rules of the Game

The tenants hung two shields from an elm tree, one designed as a symbol of war and the other as a symbol of peace. When a venant approached, he would touch the "peace" shield if he wished to joust with a blunt lance (or "courtesy lance") or he would touch the "war" shield indicating a pointed lance. Once a challenge was accepted, the venant was inspected by a heraldic expert to ascertain that he was a knight of honorable standing. If the venant chose, he could fight on foot with a sword or an ax and also fight from a horse. Once a challenge was made, the venant was treated with lavish hospitality based on the motto "ce que vouldrez," meaning "whatever you like."