Armoured knights clash at Turku Castle tournament
Friday 10th July 2026 on 19:45 in
Finland
Armoured knights will compete in Turku Castle park this weekend in a tournament drawing 14 participants from Finland, Sweden, Portugal, Scotland, and Canada, half of them seasoned knights.
The event, organised by Rohan Tallit, features lance jousting, Skill at Arms, long-sword fencing, and buhurt—a full-contact combat style with swords, axes, and shields originating from the Russia-Ukraine region. Lance jousting remains the highlight, with riders and horses reaching speeds of 80 km/h.
Safety is paramount, according to head judge Marika Niittunen of Rohan Tallit. “You have 500–600 kilos of horse and armoured rider coming at you. Even with full protection, a misplaced lance can cause trouble,” she said. Judges monitor weapon control, horse movement, and equipment integrity, halting matches if gear is damaged.
Henry Eklöf, co-owner of Rohan Tallit, acknowledges the inherent danger of historical combat sports. “These are dangerous by nature. That’s why we do it—but it must be done sensibly.” Eklöf, who developed the tournament’s scoring system over a decade ago, now oversees the entire event.
Custom-made armour, often commissioned abroad, allows mobility but turns into a “compact sauna” in summer heat, with internal temperatures reaching 80°C. Eklöf notes that Ukrainian armourers were once prominent, but practitioners now seek skilled smiths in countries like Poland.
The horses, trained for years, are unfazed by the chaos of battle. “Some take to it so much they charge at each other like they’re on a real battlefield,” Niittunen said.
Rohan Tallit, known for medieval events across Finland, took on new leadership last autumn when Eklöf and Niittunen acquired the stables from founders Jaakko and Anu Nuotio, who sold their assets to sail the world with their three cats, currently in the Caribbean. The stables’ programme includes displays and equestrian theatre; this summer’s production, Soturikuningatar, set in 1453 during the fall of Constantinople, is based on historical events and figures.