Knight's Tournaments
Coats of arms became popular during the age of tournaments. Tournaments, which were reportedly invented by Godfrey de Preuilly in 11th century France, were a training ground for knights. They showed off their skills and gained fame (or infamy) almost like the gladiators of old. A tournament itself was really a series of mounted and armored combats, fought in contest form. Many knights competed but only one could win. The one who did prevail received a prize of some sort be it the daughter of a nobleman or a hefty purse of coin. The events themselves grew in pomp and pageantry. They were the favorite sport of medieval knights and perhaps the crowds they drew in. By the 14th century,...