What were mock battles and what were they for?

     Mock battles were both for fun and for practice.  In these battles, knights would battle each other with fake weapons.  The knights would fight each other using wooden swords, lances and shields. These battles would sometimes take the form of a joust which would feature two heavily-armored knights riding toward each other on horseback carrying long lances.  The object would be for one knight to knock the other one off his horse.  The last knight still on their horse would be declared the winner of the mock battle.  Sometimes the loser of the battle would have to give up their armor or possibly even their horse to the winner.

     Knights would show off their skills to the crowds that would gather to watch the entertainment.  Spectators at these events would often include kings, queens, lords, and ladies.  These mock battles were mainly used to increase the knight’s skills, but the competition was often fierce when showing off for royalty.  The knight’s did not want to miss an opportunity to look good in front of the royal families.  Even though the battles were intense it would be rare to see someone get hurt during them.