All people enjoy having fun. People have invented many games over the years. Many of the entertainment ideas and inventions have been included in the game category. The ancient game of games was even popular. Many different activities and sports were popular in Renaissance times. The Renaissance saw the rise of card, board, and entertainment games.
The Renaissance was dominated by card games. Many of the games used a standard deck. Maw was a popular game, as well as One in Thirty (eHow). Maw is just one example of a card game that requires only a handful of players. It could be played with anywhere from two to ten people. Gambling was a popular pastime during the Renaissance. Gambling was fun, but it was also a great way to have fun with friends. Similar versions of chess and checkers were used in the past. Board games were popular, but not as much as other sports. Sports were extremely popular in the Renaissance. They also practiced archery and fencing. Henry VIII was a skilled archer who practiced at Ridley253. Swimming, throwing, jumping and wrestling were all popular sports. Soccer, mob football and hockey were some of the most popular team sports. Wealthy people played most sports. Lower classes were not allowed to play football. Many noblemen and kings had tennis courts and bowling alleys attached to their homes. This was the era when tennis became extremely popular. There were two types: Royal tennis (Ridley254) or lawn tennis. Henry VIII and Charles V were partners in a tennis match versus the Prince of Orange and Marquis of Brandenburg(Ridley254).
The tournament was a significant event in Tudor times. The tournament was considered the most important sport by nobles and gentlemen (Ridley247). The tournament was watched by ladies as the knights jousted. The ladies cheered on the winning knight and chose which one they preferred. Sometimes knights took additional risks for their supporters. Sometimes, a lady might give a kiss to a knight she was cheering for (Ridley247).
It was the Tudor age’s most loved tournament. (Ridley247). To reduce injury risks, the hosts gave armor to the contestants to the tournament. The lances were made weaker to prevent the knight from piercing the armor of other knights. “If a knight could make his lance splinter, they would be considered skillful”(Ridley248). They were careful about the tournaments but people still got hurt. To avoid being hit by lances and win, it took great horsemanship. Henry VIII fell off his horse, and was left unconscious for nearly two hours (Ridley248). Henry was unable to compete after sustaining an injury in a tournament.
The Renaissance saw a wide range of games become popular. Sports were more popular than board and card games. Today, sports are just as popular as they were back in those days. The tournament is the most popular game of the Renaissance. The history of games has been a significant part of human life and they have made our lives more enjoyable.