The History of the Saracen Joust in Arezzo
Often held in Arezzo between the 1500s and the late 1600s (when memorable Baroque jousts were organized), the tournament played important social roles throughout the modern era within the urban community. The joust was held both to honor visits from great personalities (rulers, princes) and to celebrate particular civic occasions (carnival, weddings).
The Saracen Joust – which has been a unique feature of Arezzo since the early 1600s – declined during the 18th century until it disappeared altogether, at least in its more “noble” form. After a lively popular revival between the 18th and 19th centuries, another disappearance after 1810, and a brief reappearance in 1904 inspired by the Romantic movement’s renewed interest in the Middle Ages, the joust was permanently reinstated in 1931 as a historical reenactment set in the 14th century, quickly also gaining a genuine competitive character.
When the Saracen Joust Takes Place in Arezzo
The event takes place every year in Arezzo on the penultimate Saturday of June at night (Joust of San Donato, the city’s patron saint) and on the first Sunday of September in the afternoon (September Joust). The participants are the four ancient city districts: Porta Crucifera (green and red), Porta del Foro (yellow and crimson), Porta Sant’Andrea (white and green), and Porta del Borgo, now Porta Santo Spirito (yellow and light blue).
The Saracen Joust is organized by the Municipality of Arezzo through a dedicated institution, but its governing body (board of directors), chaired by the Mayor, also includes the rectors of the districts. There is also an Advisory Commission where, among others, other city institutions are represented (Province, Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Promotion Agency), as well as folkloric associations (Musicians Group, Flag-wavers Association).
The jousting day begins in the morning with the reading of the proclamation by the Herald and continues with a colorful historical parade that lines up 350 participants in 14th-century costumes and 27 horses through the city streets; a high point of the parade is the blessing of the armed participants on the Duomo’s steps by the Bishop of Arezzo.
Where and How the Saracen Joust Takes Place in Arezzo
The chivalric tournament, held in the precious setting of Piazza Grande under the command of the Master of the Field, opens with the entrance into the square to the sound of trumpets and drums of the historical parade carrying the city’s ancient banners. Key moments of this phase – which follows the “script” outlined in 1961 by director Fulvio Tului – include the arrival of the highest Joust authorities (Magistracy, Jury, District Rectors), the performance of the Flag-wavers, the riders’ galloping entrance, the lineup of the knights on the jousting track representing the ancient Arezzo nobility, the reading by the Herald of the Dispute of Buratto (a poetic composition in three octaves from the 17th century), the greeting cry “Arezzo” by the crossbowmen and men-at-arms, the Magistracy’s authorization to start the joust, and the rendition of the Saracen Hymn – composed by Giuseppe Pietri (1886-1946) – performed by the Musicians Group.
Then the real competition begins: the jousters of the four “porta” – the true protagonists of the event – gallop forward, lance in hand, towards the Saracen, an armored automaton representing a Saracen warrior armed with a mace (“Buratto, King of the Indies”), according to the order of jousts determined by a draw held the week before the event during a costumed ceremony in Piazza del Comune. Many unexpected events arise from the skill, courage, and luck of the eight jousters alternating on the slightly uphill dirt track (“lizza”), which runs diagonally across Piazza Grande. The winning team is the pair of knights who score the highest total by striking the Saracen’s shield (whose points range from one to five); their district wins the coveted golden lance. In the event of a tie among two or more districts after the regular jousts (two series, one per jouster), one or more tiebreaker jousts decide the trophy. At the end, mortar shots are fired in honor of the winning district.
