From his earliest years and throughout his training as squire, a young knight was rigorously instructed in the use of arms. Competing in tournaments honed the skills of knights and squires alike, and provided a keen development of military prowess beyond the dangers of the battlefield. As improvements in defensive armour and weaponry were made, the elaborate decoration of arms also flourished. The trials and jousts of the tournament became more than just a stage for combat as the weaponry itself evolved into a stunning art form.
A visual and literary feast, The History of Chivalry and Armour is a study of medieval knights in all their grandeur, fully displaying their instruments of siege, ornaments, and entertainments. Reproduced from a rare nineteenth-century masterpiece, here are the origins, codes, and practices of knighthood, alongside magnificent hand-colored engravings of armour, weapons, and the men who bore them. Enjoy breathtaking shields, helmets, and horse coverings. Revel in meticulously rendered lances, spears, and spiked clubs, as well as incredibly engineered mobile siege towers and muskets. The richly decorated equipment used in warfare and jousting shine brightly in this treasury, accompanied by authentic literature from poets and troubadors of the age.