The history of the Saracen Joust in Arezzo
Often held in Arezzo between the sixteenth century and the end of the seventeenth century (when memorable Baroque jousts were organized), the tournament played important social roles throughout the modern age within the urban community. The joust was indeed held both on the occasion of visits by great personalities (rulers, princes) and to commemorate particular civic anniversaries (carnival, weddings).
The Saracen Joust – which has been a distinctive feature of Arezzo since the early seventeenth century – declined during the eighteenth century until it disappeared completely, at least in its most “noble” version. After a lively popular revival between the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, a new disappearance after 1810, and a fleeting appearance in 1904 following the reevaluation of the Middle Ages carried out by the Romantic movement, the joust was permanently restored in 1931 as a historical reenactment set in the fourteenth century, quickly also assuming an authentic 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) and the first Sunday of September in the afternoon (September Joust). The protagonists are the four ancient districts of the city: Porta Crucifera (green and red colors), Porta del Foro (yellow and crimson colors), Porta Sant’Andrea (white and green colors), and Porta del Borgo, today Porta Santo Spirito (yellow and light blue colors).
The Saracen Joust is organized by the Municipality of Arezzo through a special Institution, but in the governing body (board of directors), chaired by the Mayor, the rectors of the Districts are also present. There is also an Advisory Commission in which, among others, other city institutions are represented (Province, Chamber of Commerce, Tourist Promotion Agency), as well as folklore associations (Musicians Group, Flag Wavers Association).
The jousting day opens 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 streets of the city; a highlight of the procession is the blessing of the armed men on the steps of the Cathedral by the Bishop of Arezzo.
Where and How the Saracen Joust Takes Place in Arezzo
The knightly tournament, held in the precious setting of Piazza Grande under the orders of the Field Master, opens with the entrance into the square, to the sound of trumpets and drums, of the historical procession, carrying the ancient banners of the city. Highlights of this phase – which is carried out based on the “script” outlined in 1961 by the director Fulvio Tului – are the entrance of the highest authorities of the Joust (Magistracy, Jury, Quarter Rectors), the performance of the Flag-wavers, the galloping entrance of the jousters, the lineup on the tilt of the knights of the houses, representing the ancient nobility of Arezzo, the reading by the Herald of the Buratto Challenge (a poetic composition in three octaves dating back to the 17th century), the salute of crossbowmen and armigers with the cry of “Arezzo,” the authorization of the Magistracy to run the joust, the performance of the Saracen Hymn – a work by the composer Giuseppe Pietri (1886-1946) – by the Musicians Group.
The actual competition then begins: the jousters of the four “gates” – the true protagonists of the event – gallop forth, lance in hand, against the Saracen, an armored automaton representing a Saracen armed with a mace (“Buratto, King of the Indies”), following the order of the runs established by a draw held the week before the joust during a costumed ceremony in Piazza del Comune. Numerous are the unforeseen events determined by the skill, courage, and luck of the eight jousters who alternate on the slightly uphill dirt track (“tilt”), which cuts diagonally across Piazza Grande. The competition is won by the pair of knights who, by hitting the shield of the Saracen (which features variable scores ranging from one to five), achieve the highest result; their Quarter is awarded the coveted golden lance. In case of a tie between two or more Quarters after the regular runs (two series, one for each jouster), one or more tiebreaker runs are used to decide the trophy. At the end, mortar shots are fired in honor of the winning Quarter.
