[MR] BBC: Scottish Jousting

[Garth Groff via Atlantia]

Noble Friends, Especially Fellow Scots:

Today the BBC is offering a photo essay on a jousting re-enactment at 
Caerlaverock Castle in Scotland. Great costumes and armor: 
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-40774978 .

This points to something many people don't realize about Scotland. We 
usually think of Scotland as being a country filled with big guys in 
kilts waving very long swords. That's the Highlands, and the kilt isn't 
even mentioned in history until 1594. No Mel got it very, very wrong. In 
many ways Scotland was (or was trying to be) as sophisticated a country 
as most others in contemporary Europe, at least among its royals, 
nobility, and most of the Lowlanders. Arms and armor, and lowland dress, 
were little different from that of the English. A jousting tournament 
like the one depicted here, would not have been out of place at all. In 
fact, there was a state-of-the-art jousting field just outside Stirling 
Castle, and the Stewart kings were very keen on tournaments.

Enjoy the photos.

Yours Aye,


Lord Mungo Napier, That Crazy Scot