• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts Logo

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

  • Animals
  • Culture
  • Firsts
  • Food
  • Geography
  • Health
  • History
  • Inventions
  • Language
  • Mythology
  • Odds
  • People
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Space
  • Universe
  • World
You are here: Home / History / How was the merry-go-round invented during the Middle Ages as a device for training knights to joust?

How was the merry-go-round invented during the Middle Ages as a device for training knights to joust?

March 4, 2020 by Karen Hill

The merry-go-round is the oldest amusement ride that still exists today and was originally created during the Middle Ages as a device for training knights to joust.

It took tragedy to popularize the ride. When Catherine de Medicis’ husband was killed during a jousting tournament in 1559, the merry-go-round began to take the place of actual knight-against knight jousting as a safer alternative.

Knights on the backs of wooden horses could spear rings or effigies of Turkish soldiers as they circled around and around. Jousting as a combat sport soon fell away entirely and the carousel’s popularity grew when spectators also wanted a turn on the painted ponies.

As homage to this early ride, some merry-go-round operators in Paris will still hang rings and offer riders a stick as they mount their rides to “joust” with, carrying on a centuries-old tradition.

Related Facts

  • Who were the 12 knights of King Arthur’s Round Table?
  • How did knights in the Middle Ages walk and mount their horses in their bulky heavy armor?
  • Why did Knights wear full plate armor for tournament jousting when it was impractical in battle in the Middle Ages?
  • What was a Vassal in The Middle Ages and how would one become a Knight?
  • Where Did the Merry-Go-Round Come From and How Did the Carousel Get its Name?
  • Which is a better weapon, a battle-axe or a guy with a joust on a horse?

Filed Under: History

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Previous Post: « How many people has Mount Vesuvius killed since the destruction of Pompeii?
Next Post: Who invented the screwdriver to bolt plates of armor together for knights in the Middle Ages? »

Footer

Follow

  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • GitHub
  • Google+
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Medium
  • Pinterest
  • StumbleUpon
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Categories

Accomplishments Animals Culture Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Mythology Odds People Religion Science Space Universe World Your Body

About

Zippy Facts empowers the world by serving educational content that is accessible to everyone.

A tribute to growing up, zippyfacts.com showcases interesting and unusual facts about the world.

Our mission is to use technology to facilitate knowledge transfer and sharing.

Copyright © 2020 Zippy Facts

  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy