Pas d' Armes Challenge Shield Heraldry
Posted: Wed Apr 24, 2002 3:36 pm
Here is what I've found so far.
http://www.nadn.navy.mil/Users/history/abels/hh381/Chivalry.htm
From Lalang: "a white one, indicating a desire to fight w/ axe; a violet one, for swords; and a black one, for 25 passes with the lance. "
http://rockwood.unbsj.ca/~owen/courses/cs1803/scott-misc-prose-6.txt
"Their articles bound them to abide thirty days at Saint Inglebert, in the marches of Calais, there to undertake the encounter of all knights and squires, Frenchmen, or strangers, who should come hither, for the breaking of five spears, sharp, or with rockets, at their pleasure. On their lodgings they hung two shields called of peace and war, with their armorial blazons on each. The stranger desiring to just was invited to come or send, and touch which shield he would. The weapons of courtesy were to be employed if he chose the shield of peace, if that of war, the defenders were to give him the desired encounter with sharp weapons. "
I'm interested in data from the period sources describing the challenge shields for a tournament. I know that various tournament companies have come up with some, but I am not interested in 'modern interpretations'.
I am particularly interested in any primary source descriptions of the difference between a "peace" shield and a "war" shield with the knight's personal arms.
I haven't found any referencing special shields for melee or barrier combat, or ones depicting more than plain colors for weapons.
Anyone?
Juliana
http://www.nadn.navy.mil/Users/history/abels/hh381/Chivalry.htm
From Lalang: "a white one, indicating a desire to fight w/ axe; a violet one, for swords; and a black one, for 25 passes with the lance. "
http://rockwood.unbsj.ca/~owen/courses/cs1803/scott-misc-prose-6.txt
"Their articles bound them to abide thirty days at Saint Inglebert, in the marches of Calais, there to undertake the encounter of all knights and squires, Frenchmen, or strangers, who should come hither, for the breaking of five spears, sharp, or with rockets, at their pleasure. On their lodgings they hung two shields called of peace and war, with their armorial blazons on each. The stranger desiring to just was invited to come or send, and touch which shield he would. The weapons of courtesy were to be employed if he chose the shield of peace, if that of war, the defenders were to give him the desired encounter with sharp weapons. "
I'm interested in data from the period sources describing the challenge shields for a tournament. I know that various tournament companies have come up with some, but I am not interested in 'modern interpretations'.
I am particularly interested in any primary source descriptions of the difference between a "peace" shield and a "war" shield with the knight's personal arms.
I haven't found any referencing special shields for melee or barrier combat, or ones depicting more than plain colors for weapons.
Anyone?
Juliana