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The Hospital de Orbigo Joust


On the outskirts of Hospital de Orbigo is the bridge from the 13th century which has 204 arches and at 204 meters it is the longest bridge on the Camino.




This bridge comes with its own Camino story: in 1433 Don Suero, a Knight from Leon, loved a Lady who did not return his affection – to free himself from this love he, and nine other Knights (Don Sancho Rabanal, Don Diego de Bazán, Don Suero Gómez, Don Suero de Quiñones, Don Pedro de los Ríos, Don Lope de Estúñiga, Don Pedro de Nava, Don Gómez de Villacorta, Don Diego de Benavides, Don Lope de Aller) embarked on a joust to break 300 lances on the bridge over the rio Orbigo.



Knights from all over Europe came and the tournament lasted a month (from 10th July) during which 200 lances were broken and 68 men defeated (with only one being killed). Having decided that he was now free of his love Don Suero and his friends went to Santiago to give thanks to Saint James.

       
Other versions of the story say that he had to fast every Thursday during this time and that he wore a heavy iron ring around his neck and the Judges removed this ring as a sign that he was now free of his love.
        
There is a plaque on the bridge to commemorate this event which states:


 Por rescate de la prisión en que su señora le tenía
Y con codicia de fama durable
Concertó con nueve caballeros más
Defender el Paso Honroso junto a este puente
Rompiendo lanzas contra más de setenta caballeros
Que al camino de romería del Apóstol Santiago
Llegaron de Castilla, de Aragón, de Cataluña
De Valencia, de Portugal, de Bretaña
De Italia y de Alemania

Translated this says:

To be rescued from the prison in which his lady held him
And desiring long lasting fame
He set out with 9 other knights
To defend the honourable pass close to this bridge
Breaking lances with more than 70 knights
That to the pilgrim road of the Apostle St James
They came from Castilla, Aragon and Cataluña
From Valencia, Portugal and Britain
From Italy and Germany


This joust has been commemorated each year since 1997 with a Mediaeval festival (the Fiesta de las Justas del Paso Honoroso) in the first weekend of June where the whole town (of about 1200 people) plus a lot of visitors will dress up in mediaeval attire (something that research suggests would cost you 30-50 Euros to do) and there are re-enactments, a mediaeval market, archery, a painting contest, mediaeval dinners, parade, dances and, of course, the joust its self (which is part of a larger competition of the knights – spear throwing, sword skills and other lance skills such as picking up hoops from the floor as they ride past).






(Sorry but these pictures aren't from the joust at Hospital but rather from the English Heritage's 'History Live!')

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