The Tournament of Frankfurt
Some time in the decades shortly before the Time of Troubles the first Tournament of Frankfurt was held. The records of that momentous occasion were destroyed with the first taking of the city by the Poles but many of the more elder nobles of the Reich remember it happening sometime in their childhood. The earliest ones were nothing more than a general melee in a large, cleared area but many great knights and other nobles of the Reich participated for the honor of putting skill and strength to the test so close to the Imperial capital. During the Time of Troubles when the citizens of the surrounding area needed a distraction more than ever the annual tournament actually became even more popular and grew.
Now larger melees are fought in a large area including small resting areas where knights can rearm and prepare to get back in, towers to defend and fight over, and even and empty mock village. Knights from all over the Reich and beyond gather to fight for honor, and of course the ransom to be had from capturing their fellows. Elsewhere jousting lists have been erected for more ritualized but no less challenging matches, surrounded by stands, both plainer ones for the members of the middle class that can afford it and extravagant ones where noblemen and woman can cheer on their favorites or just discuss the events of the day
Although the matches themselves occur only in the summer a small market has grown up around the tourney site. There those with the money can browse the tent shops, or even have a blacksmith do last minute repairs on their armor. Of course, more than one small tavern has sprung up for patrons of the market and tournaments, and even a permanent one that caters specifically to the nobility, where any drink or dish can be had for a price, among other things if the rumors are to be believed. The nobles of the reich often find themselves meeting here after the matches.
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