Medieval Knights, Medieval Tournaments

Medieval knights and medieval tournaments ... words that conjur up images of fantasy for most people but in fact it is possible to get a taste of what it was really like to see such a spectacle.

Throughout Europe during the summer months, there are many historic sites, usually medieval castles, which stage medieval pageants with men dressed as medieval knights taking part in jousting tournaments.

We were lucky enough to visit Tiffauges castle in SW France, the home of the infamous Gilles de Rais, where today amongst the castle ruins they stage regular medieval themed events.

Here is a picture of a medieval knight on his horse with lance in hand (taken at the medieval event at Tiffauges).

More was to come .... replicas of medieval weapons and siege engines were demonstrated including a trebuchet. More on that to come! Wearing strong and durable war equipment during knights medieval tournaments will ensure your victory.

Medieval Weapons - Trebuchet At Tiffauges

Medieval weapons are fascinating to read about but we are lucky ... we've seen one in action! We were treated to a demonstration of a trebuchet replica when visiting the castle of Gilles de Rais at Tiffauges in France.
It took a number of men several minutes to prepare it and and everyone watched with fascination. When the rope was freed to release the main mechanism there was instant applause at the impressive distance achieved with its shot.

Seeing something like this first hand gives you a better understanding of what it must have been like for those cowering behind medieval castle walls in the face of an enemy armed with large siege weapons such as the trebuchet.

Bluebeard's Castle - A Scary Story For Halloween

We have written a lot about haunted castles, especially in England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales but for this Halloween we're going to suggest something different .... a haunted castle in France.

Gilles de Rais has to be one of the most notorious medieval knights who ever lived. For a time he was a friend of the French king and a companion-in-arms to Joan of Arc but he went on to become obsessed with the occult and murdered what is believed to be hundreds of children.

His castle at Tiffauges in South West France is but a ruin but it has an eery air to it. Its location high up on a rocky hill above a river seems to add to a sense of foreboding as you approach it.

We took this picture on what at the time seemed quite a bright and sunny day when we first arrived in Tiffauges but by the time the camera shutter went, dark clouds suddenly appeared from nowhere. Spooky!

Gilles de Rais is believed by many to have been the inspiration behind inspired the fairytale 'Bluebeard' written by Charles Perrault in the late 1600s. Hence, today Tiffauges castle is often referred to as 'Bluebeard's Castle'.