Running at the ring, riding at the ring or tilting at the ring is an equestrian tournament activity originally practiced at European royal courts and likely derived from other lance games like quintain. It gained new popularity at Natural Chimneys near Mount Solon, Virginia, possibly as early as the 1820s, and since 1962, has been the state sport of Maryland. A similar contest, the '' corrida de sortija'', is held in Argentina where it is considered a

gaucho A gaucho () or gaúcho () is a skilled horseman, reputed to be brave and unruly. The figure of the gaucho is a folk symbol of Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, the southern part of Bolivia, and the south of Chilean Patago ...

sport derived from the Spanish tradition of medieval tournaments.

Description

Participants rode at full speed to thrust the point of the lance through a ring or to hook a ring and carry it off. A performer was allowed three attempts. The French author and riding master Antoine de Pluvinel published descriptions and the rules. The

lance The English term lance is derived, via Middle English '' launce'' and Old French '' lance'', from the Latin '' lancea'', a generic term meaning a wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generic term meaning a spear">wikt:lancea#Noun">lancea'', a generi ...

was shorter than those used for jousting, and had no protective vamplate.

Costumed court festival

This version of a lance game or quintain could be played in teams, and the riders sometimes dressed in exotic fancy costume as a spectacle at weddings or other court festivals. Costumes for a 1570 tournament in Prague were designed by

Giuseppe Arcimboldo Giuseppe Arcimboldo, also spelled Arcimboldi (; 5 April 1527 – 11 July 1593), was an Italian Renaissance painter best known for creating imaginative portrait Human head, heads made entirely of objects such as fruits, vegetables, flowers, fish ...

. At Munich in February 1568, at a match held at the wedding of

Renata of Lorraine Renata of Lorraine (, ; 20 April 1544 – 22 May 1602) was a noblewoman of the House of Lorraine who became a Duchess of Bavaria by her marriage to Duke William V. Early life Born in Nancy, Renata was the second child and eldest daughter of ...

and

William V, Duke of Bavaria William V (29 September 1548 – 7 February 1626), called ''the Pious'', (German: ''Wilhelm V., der Fromme, Herzog von Bayern'') was the duke of Bavaria from 1579 to 1597. Education and early life William V was born in Landshut, the son of ...

, the spectators were entertained by the costumed aristocratic riders and professional

Italian comedians Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, a Romance ethnic group related to or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance languag ...

Henry of Navarre Henry IV (; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry (''le Bon Roi Henri'') or Henry the Great (''Henri le Grand''), was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 16 ...

bought steel rings and painted lances for a masquerade in 1576. There are many records of running at the ring at the Scottish and Tudor courts. At court, the prize was often a diamond ring presented by a lady.

Present day sport

A tournament of tilting at the ring continues to be held in Denmark at

Sønderborg (; ) is a Denmark, Danish town in the Region of Southern Denmark. It is the main town and the administrative seat of Sønderborg Municipality (Kommune). The town has a population of 28,333 (1 January 2025),Croatian Istria since at least the 1970s. Running at the ring, usually referred to as a ring tournament, ring jousting, or simply as jousting, has been practiced in parts of the American South since at least the 1840s. Ring tournaments are still held in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, but most frequently in Maryland, which made this form of jousting its state sport in 1962.

Tudor tournaments

Costume fabrics for

Henry VIII of England Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

to run at the ring at

Greenwich Palace Greenwich ( , , ) is an area in south-east London, England, within the ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime history and for giving its name to the Greenwich Meridian ...

in January and February 1516 included velvets, damasks, satins, and sarcenets. He performed at

Richmond Palace Richmond Palace was a Tudor royal residence on the River Thames in England which stood in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Situated in what was then rural Surrey, it lay upstream and on the opposite bank from the Palace of Westminste ...

for the Venetian ambassador in May 1517. It was said that

Anne Boleyn Anne Boleyn (; 1501 or 1507 – 19 May 1536) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England from 1533 to 1536, as the Wives of Henry VIII, second wife of King Henry VIII. The circumstances of her marriage and execution, by beheading ...

was frightened when Henry fell from his horse while running at the ring, and this caused her miscarriage. In February 1547, English soldiers at

Boulogne Boulogne-sur-Mer (; ; ; or ''Bononia''), often called just Boulogne (, ), is a coastal city in Hauts-de-France, Northern France. It is a Subprefectures in France, sub-prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Pas-de-Calais. Boul ...

held a tournament to celebrate the

coronation of Edward VI The coronation of Edward VI as List of English monarchs, King of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of Ireland, Ireland took place at Westminster Abbey, London, on 20 February 1547. Edward ascended the throne following the death of King Henr ...

. Instead of tilting, they held courses of running at the ring. One team of six were dressed "like Turks".

John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland (1504Loades 2008 – 22 August 1553) was an English general, admiral, and politician, who led the government of the young King Edward VI from 1550 until 1553, and unsuccessfully tried to install Lady Jane ...

wagered and lost a valuable velvet cap to Jakes Granado, running at the ring at

Westminster Palace The Palace of Westminster is the meeting place of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and is located in London, England. It is commonly called the Houses of Parliament after the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons and the ...

on 6 June 1550. Jacques Granado and his brother Bernardine were Squires of the Stable to

Edward VI Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) was King of England and King of Ireland, Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death in 1553. He was crowned on 20 February 1547 at the age of nine. The only surviving son of Henry VIII by his thi ...

. Edward VI took part in April and May 1551, riding against Edward Seymour, the King's team wore black silk coats "pulled out" with white, the challengers wore yellow taffeta. Edward VI rode again at

Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...

in 1552.

Roger Ascham Roger Ascham (; 30 December 1568)"Ascham, Roger" in '' The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 1, p. 617. was an English scholar and didactic writer, famous for his prose style, his pr ...

wrote that to "run fair at the tilt or ring" was one of the necessary skills "for a courtier to use". When the French ambassador,

Gilles de Noailles Gilles de Noailles, abbé de l'Isle (1524–1600) was French Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire from 1575 to 1579. He was the brother of his predecessor as ambassador, François de Noailles, and was succeeded by Jacques de Germigny. He was sent to ...

, came to see

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. She was the last and longest reigning monarch of the House of Tudo ...

at Horsley in

Surrey Surrey () is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East Sussex, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the wes ...

in August 1559, they watched Robert Dudley,

Master of the Horse Master of the Horse is an official position in several European nations. It was more common when most countries in Europe were monarchies, and is of varying prominence today. (ancient Rome) The original Master of the Horse () in the Roman Rep ...

, and other courtiers running at the ring from a window: Noailles wrote:

''d'alla asseoir prés d'une fenestre, au devant de laquelle son Grand Escuyer, et dix ou onze autres Gentilshommes se tenoient prestz pour luy donner du plaisir à voir courre la Bague''

We sat near a window, below which, nearby, her Great Squire udley and ten or twelve other courtiers ran at the ring for her pleasure.

In 1655

Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester (9 March 1602 or 9 March 16033 April 1667), styled Lord Herbert of Raglan from 1628 to 1644, was an English nobleman involved in royalist politics, and an inventor. While Earl of Glamorgan, he was ...

, included an artificial "ring horse" for running at the ring in his ''Century of Inventions''.

Scottish records

Mary, Queen of Scots

Mary of Guise Mary of Guise (; 22 November 1515 – 11 June 1560), also called Mary of Lorraine, was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from 1538 until 1542, as the second wife of King James V. She was a French people, French noblewoman of the ...

, the mother of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was List of Scottish monarchs, Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legit ...

, had a son by her first marriage to the

Duke of Longueville Duke of Longueville (''Longueville-sur-Scie'') was a title of French nobility, though not a peerage of France. History The title was created in 1505 by Louis XII of France, King Louis XII of France for his first cousin once removed, François d' ...

, François III d'Orléans, Duke of Longueville. François wrote to Mary of Guise from the

Palace of Fontainebleau Palace of Fontainebleau ( , ; ), located southeast of the center of Paris, in the commune of Fontainebleau, is one of the largest French royal châteaux. It served as a hunting lodge and summer residence for many of the List of French monarchs ...

in January 1548, mentioning his exercises wearing armour and running at the ring, ''courir la bague''. He hoped that by learning these martial skills he would be able to help his mother against her enemies. In December 1561,

René II de Lorraine, Marquis d'Elbeuf René II de Lorraine, Marquis d'Elbeuf (14 August 1536 – 14 December 1566) was a French noble, and soldier during the latter Italian Wars and early French Wars of Religion. The youngest son of Claude of Lorraine, Duke of Guise and Antoin ...

, with

John Stewart, Commendator of Coldingham John Stewart, Commendator of Coldingham (1531–1563) was a Scottish landowner. He was a son of Elizabeth Carmichael (1514–1550) and James V of Scotland. His mother later married John Somerville of Cambusnethan. Career As a child, John Stewa ...

Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney Robert Stewart, 1st Earl of Orkney and Lord of Zetland (Shetland) (spring of 1533 – 4 February 1593) was a recognised illegitimate son of James V, King of Scotland, and his mistress Eupheme Elphinstone. Robert Stewart was half-brother to M ...

, and others, performed in tournaments on the sands of

Leith Leith (; ) is a port area in the north of Edinburgh, Scotland, founded at the mouth of the Water of Leith and is home to the Port of Leith. The earliest surviving historical references are in the royal charter authorising the construction of ...

, probably to celebrate the birthday of Mary, Queen of Scots. There was running at the ring, with two teams of six men including the French diplomat

Paul de Foix Paul de Foix de Carmain (1528–1584) was a French prelate and diplomat. He was son of Jean de Foix, comte de Carmain, by his wife Aldonce. He studied Greek and Roman literature at Paris, and jurisprudence at Toulouse, where shortly after finishi ...

, one team dressed as women, the other as exotic foreigners in strange masquing garments. The events, attended by the diplomats Thomas Randolph, were perhaps the first ring tournaments as equestrian

masque The masque was a form of festive courtly entertainment that flourished in 16th- and early 17th-century Europe, though it was developed earlier in Italy, in forms including the intermedio (a public version of the masque was the pageant). A mas ...

s in Scotland. Randolph wrote of his conversation with Paul de Foix about the first event:

we sett in talke of the pastymes that was Sunday before, where he, Lord Robert, Lord John and others rane at the ringe, 6 against 6, dysguised and appareled th'one half lyke women, and th'other lyke strayngers, in straynge maskinge garmentes. The Marquis that day did verie well, but the women whose part the Lord Roberte dyd sustayne wane the rynge. The Queen herself behylde it and as many others as lyste.

The Count of Moretta attended the second event at Leith in December 1561. Thomas Randolph saw Mary, Queen of Scots, watching running at the ring at the sands of

again in March 1565. The contestants included

Lord Darnley Lord Darnley is a noble title associated with a Scottish Lordship of Parliament, first created in 1356 for the family of Stewart of Darnley and tracing a descent to the Dukedom of Richmond in England. The title's name refers to Darnley in Scot ...

and Lord Robert. An entertainment written by

George Buchanan George Buchanan (; February 1506 – 28 September 1582) was a Scottish historian and humanist scholar. According to historian Keith Brown, Buchanan was "the most profound intellectual sixteenth-century Scotland produced." His ideology of re ...

for the

wedding of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry, Lord Darnley Mary, Queen of Scots, and Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley, were married at the Palace of Holyroodhouse on 29 July 1565, when she was 22 years old, and he was 19. Background Mary, Queen of Scots had Wedding of Mary, Queen of Scots, and Francis, Dauph ...

, the ''Pompae Equestres'', involved the arrival of teams of exotic knights, and may have provided themes for a tournament. Mary offered a diamond ring as a prize to runners in March 1566. In May 1567, following his wedding to Mary, Queen of Scots,

James Hepburn, 4th Earl of Bothwell James Hepburn, 1st Duke of Orkney and 4th Earl of Bothwell ( – 14 April 1578), better known simply as Lord Bothwell, was the third husband of Mary, Queen of Scots. He was accused of the murder of Mary's second husband, Henry Stuart, Lord ...

, then known as the

Duke of Orkney Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they ...

, ran at the ring at a court festival at the

Water of Leith The Water of Leith (Scottish Gaelic: ''Uisge Lìte'') is the main river flowing through central Edinburgh, Scotland, that starts in the Pentlands Hills and flows into the port of Leith and then into the sea via the Firth of Forth. Name The ...

or beside the

Firth of Forth The Firth of Forth () is a firth in Scotland, an inlet of the North Sea that separates Fife to its north and Lothian to its south. Further inland, it becomes the estuary of the River Forth and several other rivers. Name ''Firth'' is a cognate ...

. According to

William Drury Sir William Drury (2 October 152713 October 1579) was an English statesman and soldier. Family William Drury, born at Hawstead in Suffolk on 2 October 1527, was the third son of Sir Robert Drury (c. 1503–1577) of Hedgerley, Buckinghamshir ...

, "there was a triumph upon the water before the Queen and the Duke. The Duke ran at the ring, and the soldiers made some show after the manner of a skirmish".

James VI

In October 1579,

James VI of Scotland James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

took up residence at

Holyroodhouse The Palace of Holyroodhouse ( or ), commonly known as Holyrood Palace, is the official residence of the British monarch in Scotland. Located at the bottom of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh, at the opposite end to Edinburgh Castle, Holyrood has s ...

. Sand was brought to lay out a course for running at the ring, under the direction of

William MacDowall William MacDowall or McDougall (died 1580) was a Scottish priest and Master of Works to Mary, Queen of Scots, her mother Mary of Guise, and James VI of Scotland. The title 'sir' was used in Scotland by a priest without a master's degree. The nam ...

who had supervised works in the palace garden for three decades. The rings were suspended from a "potence". The lances used may have been hollow and lighter than those used for combat. Elizabeth Stewart married

James Stewart, 2nd Earl of Moray James Stewart, 2nd Lord Doune, ''jure uxoris'' 2nd Earl of Moray (c. 1565 – 7 February 1592), was a Scottish nobleman. He was murdered by George Gordon, Earl of Huntly as the culmination of a vendetta. Known as the Bonnie Earl for his good ...

in January 1581. The wedding was celebrated in Fife with a tournament of "running at the ring" and James VI took part in a costume of white satin dressed with silken ribbons. Two day after, the party came to

, where a water pageant culminated with an assault on a pasteboard Papal

Castel Sant'Angelo Castel Sant'Angelo ( ), also known as Mausoleum of Hadrian (), is a towering rotunda (cylindrical building) in Parco Adriano, Rome, Italy. It was initially commissioned by the Roman Emperor Hadrian as a mausoleum for himself and his family. ...

, built on boats on the

water of Leith The Water of Leith (Scottish Gaelic: ''Uisge Lìte'') is the main river flowing through central Edinburgh, Scotland, that starts in the Pentlands Hills and flows into the port of Leith and then into the sea via the Firth of Forth. Name The ...

. White satin and taffeta outfits, "play claithis", were bought for James VI, his master stabler, and a page. In February 1581 a payment was made for painted spears supplied to James VI and sand delivered to Holyrood to build a course or track called a "carear" or career. Jousting at the court of James VI was celebrated by the poet

Alexander Montgomerie Alexander Montgomerie (Scottish Gaelic: Alasdair Mac Gumaraid) (c. 1550?–1598) was a Scottish Jacobean courtier and poet, or makar, born in Ayrshire. He was a Scottish Gaelic speaker and a Scots speaker from Ayrshire, an area which w ...

in ''A Cartell of Thrie Ventrous Knights'', which seems to be a pageant prologue for an actual tournament:

To prove thy knights. We dout not bot they dare,
In play or ernest, be bold to brek a tre. (tree = lance)
And so I trou, dare ony of yon thrie:
Bot they are not come heir for sik a thing;
Bot rather, for thair Ladyes sake, to se
Quha fairest runis, and oftest taks the ring.
Go to than, schirs, and let us streik a sting.
Cast crosse or pyle, wha sall begin the play;
And let the luifsume Ladyis and the King
Decerne, as judges, wha dois best, this day.

The

Earl of Leicester Earl of Leicester is a title that has been created seven times. The first title was granted during the 12th century in the Peerage of England. The current title is in the Peerage of the United Kingdom and was created in 1837. History Earl ...

sent James VI a

pied A piebald or pied animal is one that has a pattern of unpigmented spots (white) on a pigmented background of hair, feathers or scales. Thus a piebald black and white dog is a black dog with white spots. The animal's skin under the white backg ...

horse, and

Roger Aston Sir Roger Aston (died 23 May 1612) of Cranford, Middlesex, was an English courtier and favourite of James VI of Scotland. Biography Aston was the illegitimate son of Thomas Aston (died 1553), Thomas Aston (died 1553). Scottish sources spell his n ...

wrote to him that James rode "right bravely" for a golden ring on 10 June 1580, when six riders challenged all comers during a royal progress at Dundee. At the baptism of Prince Henry in August 1594 at

Stirling Castle Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most historically and architecturally important castles in Scotland. The castle sits atop an Intrusive rock, intrusive Crag and tail, crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill ge ...

, there were three teams of riders. One team was dressed as the Christian Knights of Malta, one in Turkish fashion, and three men dressed as

Amazons The Amazons (Ancient Greek: ', singular '; in Latin ', ') were a people in Greek mythology, portrayed in a number of ancient epic poems and legends, such as the Labours of Hercules, Labours of Heracles, the ''Argonautica'' and the ''Iliad''. ...

. A fourth team, to be dressed as Africans called "Moors" did not show up. The event was held in the valley by the castle, and watched by the queen,

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I. She was List of Scottish royal consorts, Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and List of English royal consorts, Queen of Engl ...

, with her ladies-in-waiting, and the ambassadors. The audience was swelled by a large crowd of young men from Edinburgh armed with muskets. The "Christian Knights" were James VI; the

Earl of Mar There are currently two earldoms of Mar in the Peerage of Scotland, and the title has been created seven times. The first creation of the earldom is currently held by Margaret of Mar, 31st Countess of Mar, who is also clan chief of Clan Mar. Th ...

; and Thomas Erskine of Gogar. The "Turks" were the

Duke of Lennox The title Duke of Lennox has been created several times in the peerage of Scotland, for Clan Stewart of Darnley. The dukedom, named for the district of Lennox in Dumbarton Dumbarton (; , or ; or , meaning 'fort of the Britons (histo ...

; Lord Home; and Sir Robert Kerr of Cessford. The "Amazons" were the Lord Lindores as

Penthesilea Penthesilea () was an Amazonian queen in Greek mythology, the daughter of Ares and Otrera and the sister of Hippolyta, Antiope, and Melanippe. She assisted Troy in the Trojan War, during which she was killed by Achilles or Neoptolemus. The ...

; the Laird of Buccleuch; and the Abbot of Holyroodhouse. These all bore devices or ''imprese'' pertaining to the themes of the festival. Anne of Denmark gave diamond rings to the victors. The rules of the Stirling tournament were: # That all the persons of this pastime compere masked, and in such Order as they come into the Field, so to run out all their courses. # That None use any other Ring but that which is put up: and use no other Lance but that which they have brought for themselves # He that twice touches the Ring, or stirs it, winneth as muche as if he carried away the ring # He that lets his lance fall out of his hand is deprived of all the rest of his courses # That every one run with loose reins, and with as much speed as his horse hath # That none after his Race, in up-taking of his Horse, lay his Lance upon his shoulder, under the pain of losse of that which he hath done in his course # He that carrieth not his Lance under his arme, loseth his course # That none, until his three courses be ended, change his horse, if he be not hurt, or upon some other consideration moved to change him. Some people were not pleased at the idea of the king and his companions dressed as the Catholic "Knights of the Holy Spirit". The intended interpretation was perhaps that the knights would be seen as Protestants overcoming "Turks" who represented the Catholic church.

Ring and glove

There was running at the ring and at the glove at the baptism of

Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. ...

at Holyrood Palace in April 1598. Spears were bought for James VI to run at the ring and "run at the glove" at Perth in August 1601.

Carpet knights

After the

Union of the Crowns The Union of the Crowns (; ) was the accession of James VI of Scotland to the throne of the Kingdom of England as James I and the practical unification of some functions (such as overseas diplomacy) of the two separate realms under a single ...

, in January 1604, a "standing" was built for

to watch running at the ring at

Hampton Court Hampton Court Palace is a Listed building, Grade I listed royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, southwest and upstream of central London on the River Thames. Opened to the public, the palace is managed by Historic Royal ...

. The courtier

Roger Wilbraham Sir Roger Wilbraham (4 November 1553 – 31 July 1616) was a prominent English lawyer who served as Solicitor-General for Ireland under Elizabeth I and was judged one of her few really competent Law Officers. He held a number of positions at c ...

wrote a summary of his impressions of the entertainments at court in January 1604, including the masque of '' The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses'' and ruuning at the ring; "King James was at his court at

Hampton Hampton may refer to: Places Australia *Hampton bioregion, an IBRA biogeographic region in Western Australia * Hampton, New South Wales *Hampton, Queensland, a town in the Toowoomba Region * Hampton, Victoria ** Hampton railway station, Melbour ...

, where the French, Spanish, and Polonian ambassadors were severallie solemplie feasted, many plaies & daunces with swordes, one mask by English & Scottish lords, another by the Queen's Maiestie & eleven more ladies of her chamber presenting giftes as goddesses. These maskes, especially the laste, costes £2000 or £3000, the aparells, rare musick, fine songes, and in jewels most riche £20,000, the least to my judgment, & ewels forher Majestie £100,000, after Christmas was running at the ring by the King & 8 or 9 lords for the honour of those goddesses & then they all feasted together privatelie." Some of the events involved

George Buck Sir George Buck (or Buc) (October 1622) was an English antiquarian, historian, scholar and author, who served as a Member of Parliament, government envoy to Queen Elizabeth I and Master of the Revels to King James I of England. He served in th ...

, Master of the Revels. James VI and I competed with his brother-in-law

Christian IV of Denmark Christian IV (12 April 1577 – 28 February 1648) was King of Denmark and King of Norway, Norway and List of rulers of Schleswig-Holstein, Duke of Holstein and Schleswig from 1588 until his death in 1648. His reign of 59 years and 330 days is th ...

at running at the ring at

Theobalds Theobalds House (also known as Theobalds Palace) in the parish of Cheshunt in the England, English county of Hertfordshire, north of London, was a significant stately home and (later) royal palace of the 16th and early 17th centuries. Set in ex ...

in August 1606. Prince Henry competed at running at the ring with foreign visitors and diplomats including

Louis Frederick, Duke of Württemberg-Montbéliard Louis Frederick of Württemberg-Montbéliard (29 January 1586 in Montbéliard – 26 January 1631 in Montbéliard) was the founder of a cadet line of the House of Württemberg known as the Dukes of Württemberg-Montbéliard. Louis Frederick of W� ...

in April and May 1610. In April 1612, Henry lost and the winner auctioned the prize (a jewel worth 500 crowns) as a valentine among seven ladies of the court. Thomas Somerset was involved in a riding accident while running at the ring at

Whitehall Palace The Palace of Whitehall – also spelled White Hall – at Westminster was the main residence of the English monarchs from 1530 until 1698, when most of its structures, with the notable exception of Inigo Jones's Banqueting House of 1622, ...

in May 1612. His horse trampled the governor of Henri, Duke of Thouars, a companion of the Duke of Boullion. On Monday 15 February 1613, after the

wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Frederick V of the Palatinate The wedding of Frederick V of the Palatinate (1596–1632) and Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia, Princess Elizabeth (1596–1662), daughter of James VI and I, was celebrated in London in February 1613. There were fireworks, masques (small, ...

there was a tournament of tilting and running at the ring at

Whitehall Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London, England. The road forms the first part of the A roads in Zone 3 of the Great Britain numbering scheme, A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea, London, Chelsea. It ...

. Anne of Denmark,

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

, and aristocratic women watched from the Banqueting House. King James rode first.

Prince Charles Charles III (Charles Philip Arthur George; born 14 November 1948) is King of the United Kingdom and the 14 other Commonwealth realms. Charles was born at Buckingham Palace during the reign of his maternal grandfather, King George VI, and ...

did particularly well. The performances of expert riders were appreciated for taking the ring with "much strangeness". George Carleton, newly appointed as a chaplain in the household of Prince Charles in February 1615, praised his skill at riding and running at the ring. There was running at the ring at the creation of the future Charles I as

Prince of Wales Prince of Wales (, ; ) is a title traditionally given to the male heir apparent to the History of the English monarchy, English, and later, the British throne. The title originated with the Welsh rulers of Kingdom of Gwynedd, Gwynedd who, from ...

in November 1616 at Whitehall Palace.

Lady Anne Clifford Lady Anne Clifford, Countess of Dorset, Pembroke and Montgomery, ''suo jure'' 14th Baroness de Clifford (30 January 1590 – 22 March 1676) was an English peeress. In 1605 she inherited her father's ancient barony by writ and became ''suo jure'' ...

wrote that there "was not half so great pomp as there was at the creation of Prince Henry" in 1610.

Philip Massinger Philip Massinger (1583 – 17 March 1640) was an English dramatist. His plays, including '' A New Way to Pay Old Debts'', '' The City Madam'', and '' The Roman Actor'', are noted for their satire and realism, and their political and soci ...

in his play ''

The Maid of Honour ''The Maid of Honour'' is a Literature in English#Jacobean literature, Jacobean era stage play, a tragicomedy written by Philip Massinger, first published in 1632 in literature, 1632. It may be Massinger's earliest extant solo work. Performan ...

'' wrote of " carpet knights" who "thought to charge, through dust and blood, an armed foe, Was but like graceful running at the ring".

William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Newcastle upon Tyne, KG, KB, PC (25 December 1676), who after 1665 styled himself as Prince William Cavendish, was an English courtier and supporter of the arts. He was a renowned horse breeder, as well as being ...

built a magnificent riding school and stable at

Bolsover Castle Bolsover Castle is in the town of Bolsover (), in the north-east of the English county of Derbyshire. Built in the early 17th century, the present castle lies on the earthworks and ruins of the 12th-century medieval castle; the first structure ...

. As a young man he had frequently taken part in equestrian sports and running at the ring at the royal court.

Spanish match

The Spanish word for running at the ring was ''sortija''. There were tournaments including running at ring in Madrid in 1623 when

visited in pursuit of his

Spanish match The Spanish match was a proposed marriage between Prince Charles I of England, Charles, the son of King James VI & I of Kingdom of Scotland and Kingdom of England, England, and Infante, Infanta Maria Anna of Spain, the daughter of Philip III of ...

. News from Spain was brought to the English court at

by Richard Graham, Master of Horse. After his

Royal Entry The ceremonies and festivities accompanying a formal entry by a ruler or their representative into a city in the Middle Ages and early modern period in Europe were known as the royal entry, triumphal entry, or Joyous Entry. The entry centred on ...

to Madrid, Charles and the

Marquess of Buckingham Marquess of Buckingham was a title that has been created two times in the peerages of England and Great Britain. The first creation of the marquessate was in 1618 for George Villiers, a favourite of James I of England. He had previously been ...

were invited to view the course from a high window with

Philip III of Spain Philip III (; 14 April 1578 – 31 March 1621) was King of Spain and King of Portugal, Portugal (where he is known as Philip II of Portugal) during the Iberian Union. His reign lasted from 1598 until his death in 1621. He held dominion over the S ...

and his sister. When they went down to take part themselves, Charles saw the Infanta

Maria Anna of Spain Maria Anna of Spain (18 August 160613 May 1646)Arthur Wilson, includes a brief version of the same story.

American tradition

The American adoption of the ring tournament is not well documented. One of the few known instances of colonial-era jousting was organized by

John André Major John André (May 2, 1750 – October 2, 1780) was a British Army officer who served as the head of Britain's intelligence operations during the American War for Independence. In September 1780, he negotiated with Continental Army offic ...

as part of the 1778

Mischianza The Mischianza (; Italian for "medley" or "mixture"), or Meschianza, was an elaborate fête given in honor of British General Sir William Howe in Philadelphia on May 18, 1778. Howe, the commander-in-chief of the British forces in America during t ...

held in Philadelphia to honor the British Commander-in-Chief William Howe. By the mid-19th century, however, jousting was well known in the South with ''New York Tribune'' editor

Horace Greeley Horace Greeley (February 3, 1811 – November 29, 1872) was an American newspaper editor and publisher who was the founder and newspaper editor, editor of the ''New-York Tribune''. Long active in politics, he served briefly as a congres ...

quipping in 1870 that, "the tournament is a natural institution of the South as much as base-ball is of the North or cricket of England". This popularity of jousting in the South is sometimes connected to the popularity of

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

's novel ''

Ivanhoe ''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' ( ) by Walter Scott is a historical novel published in three volumes, in December 1819, as one of the Waverley novels. It marked a shift away from Scott's prior practice of setting stories in Scotland and in the more ...

'', which was widely read in the American South. The first recorded tournament in American happened in 1840, 20 years after ''Ivanhoe'' publication, at the Fauquier White Sulphur Springs resort. The inspiration for this tournament, which advertised tilting at the rings as part of the year's new entertainment, was the 1839

Eglinton Tournament The Eglinton Tournament of 1839 was a reenactment of a medieval joust and revel held in North Ayrshire, Scotland between 28 and 30 August. It was funded and organized by Archibald, Earl of Eglinton, and took place at Eglinton Castle in Ayrshir ...

, which in turn was inspired by ''Ivanhoe''. The Fauquier tournament was held annually until 1860 and similar jousts spread across the South during that time. The enthusiasm has been described as a "mania for spearing rings" which "spread rapidly across the antebellum South".

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

wrote of a "Sir Walter disease". After the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...

, ring tournaments continued to find favour, including among

freedmen A freedman or freedwoman is a person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their owners), emancipation (granted freedom as part of a larger group), or self- ...

References

External links

Lauren S. Hanson & Carmen Harris, 'Tilting Toward Freedom: African American Ring Tournaments in a Postbellum South Postbellum South', ''USCUSRJ'', 14 (2021), pp. 9-20
{{Authority control Jousting Material culture of royal courts Court of Mary, Queen of Scots Court of James VI and I