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The Sartiglia

Medieval Europe of crusades was the cradle to equestrian knightly tournaments and games of military practice on horseback. 
During the 15th and 16th century, such events newly flourished in the form of great shows offered to the population. 
In the way it has been known in our days, the Sartiglia of Oristano may be considered as a public spectacle organized with the aim to entertain and amuse its spectators. 

During the 16th century, the Old Continent was particularly keen on equestrian shows, with a special reference to ring jousts. Sovereigns, viceroys, big landowners and trade corporations offered such entertainments to their audience on the occasion of new nominations of kings or bishops, births of heirs to the throne, or special festivities of the liturgical calendar. Such events were meant for the noble class only, assigning the population the mere rank of spectator. 

The historical show of Oristano, too, falls within the broader frame of ring jousts. 
Still today, in Italy, a number of skill tournaments are run by riders who may tempt their good luck trying to spear a ring. Other jousts have horsemen attempting to hit a target, represented by a cut-out reproducing the rival knight to be challenged, featuring ancient duels, such as the ‘quintain’ of Foligno or the ‘Saracen’s Joust’ in Arezzo.

The most ancient documents concerning the history of the Sartiglia in Oristano, kept in the Historical Archive of the town, refer to the purchase of some wooden spears for the joust, ordered by a town authority of the time at a carpenter’s shop. This detail suggests that probably, in the Spanish age, the tournament was first organized by the municipal institution and then entrusted to the Guilds – trade corporations operating in the Royal Cities from the 16th century – that have handed down the ceremonial rites till our days.

At present, no papers are known to confirm the existence of the joust in the Middle Ages. Yet, the frequent relationships between local sovereigns and Italian squires during the period of Communes, in the 13th and 14th century, as well as local Kings’ long stays in big Spanish cities of the medieval period may imply that the sovereigns of the Kingdom of Arborea certainly had a fair knowledge about games related to military practice and, hence, that Oristano, like the great European cities of the time, was accustomed to see noblemen and knights challenging themselves in skill and horse-training contests with sword and spear.