Chivalry V - - The Thirty.

This is coolbert: Chivalry V.

Here is an instance of battlefield chivalry as understood in medieval times.

Combat of the Thirty.

Chivalric battlefield heroics that left a lasting impression upon folks of the time.

"it was considered the finest expression of chivalry by contemporaries."

A force of thirty Bretons against the same number of Englishmen, Germans, and Bretons.

"The Combat of the Thirty (March 27, 1351), was an episode in the struggle for the succession to the duchy of Brittany. It was fought between thirty champions, knights and squires on either side, in a challenge issued by Jean de Beaumanoir, a captain of Charles of Blois supported by the king of France, to Robert Bramborough, a captain of Jean de Montfort supported by the king of England."

Men-at-arms versus men-at-arms. A combat of honor to settle grievances between the two groups. Victory in this case went to the Bretons.

This must have been a spectacle rarely seen or repeated. Remember that those men-at-arms had studied and trained with weaponry and prepared themselves for battle for years. Just to achieve an accepted level of performance was difficult enough. Constant training and improvement was also a necessity. Skilled combatants versus skilled combatants.

Many nobles and knights of the era were related to one another either through blood or by marriage. On familiar terms with one another. Once the "contest", began, it all became impersonal. Indeed, this sort of thing was probably SAVORED by the combatants.

[I cannot think of a modern equivalent of such an "event". Challenges issued and answered are just not done. Probably not even legal! If you were able to find two groups of martial artists of varying hand-to-hand styles, all the contestants black belts at least, facing off and fighting until only one combatant is left standing, this would be similar. BUT not to the death!! That is only in the movies??!!]

Read about the episode in verse.

coolbert.