Joust Arena (Civ3)/Civilopedia

Jousting is mock-combat between men on horseback with lances. The Middle Ages were a brutal time, where war was
common, and warriors plentiful. Of the warriors of any land, the knights were the most professional and the most
ruthless. Knights were minor nobility and very often held no lands, so war was their method of income. On those rare
occasions where there was not a war currently occupying the knights of the realm, the knights would often take to
brigandage, seeking to survive by pillaging their own people. The kings and clergy of Europe developed the
concept of the Tournament to combat this unacceptable condition. A Tournament was a large spectacle of
mock-combat using blunted weapons, and was much less lethal than real combat, although accidents did happen. The
knights of Europe would travel from town to town as each held its own festival or market days, and each event had a
Tournament set up by the local lord. The knights would then compete in these Tourneys for glory, but more
importantly for money. While all kinds of fighting and skill competitions took place at these events, jousting was
the most breathtaking, as the thunder of the massive warhorses was followed by the horrifying yet thrilling
crash of the lances and clatter of one or both combatants falling from their snorting mount. The advent of
Tournaments saw a marked decrease in rogue knights plundering the local peasantry, which made the peasants happy,
the money and chance to display their skills made the knights happy, and the lessening of brigandage and the extra
people the Tournaments brought to their markets made the nobles happy. The Tournaments also had the beneficial
side-effect of keeping the knights ready for combat at a moment’s notice.