Early pieces of information about the Courtly
Joust in Sulmona, which took place in Major
Square twice a year, date back to 1484,
the year when Queen Giovanna of Aragon told
the people from Sulmona not to waste money
on such competitions; however the joust
had a long tradition: perhaps it dates back
to the Swabian Age, when Sulmona was the
capital city and one of the most important
cities of the Reign thanks both to its startegic
location and to its economic role. In early
times local and foreign knights took part
in that tournament, which was financed by
two laical-religious institutions of the
city: the Holy Annunziata Casa Santa, which
financed the tournament on March 25, and
the Church of St Maria della Tomba which
organized it on August 15. Afterwards, it
was the University to take care of the tournament's
organization, providing the necessary money:
40 ducats, 20 for the joust in spring and
18 for the joust in summer.
It was Cornelio Sardi to write down and
publish the tournament's rules in 1583:
44 articles about the event and the behaviour
of the knights taking part in the joust.
The competition, directed by the "Mastro
Giurato" of the city, consisted in
a clash with the spear between knights and
the so-called "mantenitore". The
last one was very brave since he waited
for the knight's assault staying on his
horse, armed and protected by his armour.
The knights, equipped with long spear, whose
point was treated with paint,so that the
hit part was well visible, rode towards
the "mantenitore", trying to hit
him.
Two judges, both nobles and at least one
chosen among the nobles from Sulmona, gave
the score according to the hit target: three
points for a hit on the head or on the hand,
one point for a hit on the chest, etc. .
The points were doubled if the spear broke
during the assault on the "mantenitore",
since it meant the hit had been very strong,
or if the hit caused bleeding wounds to
the "mantenitore".
The "punteria", that is the hit
in the middle of the "mantenitore"'s
forehead (whose face was protected by a
visor), gave the victory to a knight.
The knight who got the highest score was
the winner and his prize was a valuable
satin cloth.
In the XVII century the tournament was suspended
because of the lack of knights. Today it
still takes place even though it is a little
different from the past: the route and the
"mantenitore"'s function have
been changed; there are neither assaults
nor bleeding wounds. The knights try to
spike different sized rings as quickly as
possible. The horsemen take part in the
competition as representants of "Borhgi"
and "Sestieri".
The tournament takes place in Major Square,
today dedicated to Garibaldi, the suitable
place for such an historic commemoration.
E. Mattiocco.