A tournament, or tourney (from Old French torneiement, tornei),[a] was a chivalrous competition or mock fight in the Middle Ages and Renaissance (12th to 16th centuries) and is one type of hastilude. Tournaments included mêlée, hand-to-hand combat, contests of strength or accuracy, and sometimes jousts. Some thought that the tournaments were a threat to public order. The shows were often held to celebrate coronations, marriages of notable figures, births, recent conquests, peace treatises, etc. They were held to welcome worthies, such as ambassadors and lords. Finally, some tournaments were held simply for pure entertainment. Certain tournaments are depicted throughout the Codex Manesse.
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