`Will appeal to a wide audience. It is beautifully presented...the illustrations add further glory to a thorough historical analysis which is based on extensive research in Europe-wide sources... particularly useful in bringing to our attention lesser-known materials from the Iberian peninsula. The level of discussion, range and thoroughness of treatment and excellence of annotation make this a useful reference work for the academic historian too: it is hard to find any aspect of tournaments that is not covered.' HISTORYThe first serious study of tournaments throughout Europe reveals theirimportance - in the training of the medieval knight, the development ofarms and armour, as an instrument of political patronage, and as a grandpublic spectacle.