The heralds in mediaeval Poland

Chivalrous jousts had been known in Poland since the XIIIth century. They constituted one of the elements of the chivalrous culture recovered from Western European countries by the princes of the Piast dynasty. Organised by Silesian princes, the first documented tournaments took place in 1234 and 1284. Later on, they were also organised at the Royal Court of Krakow. The years 1395-1434 brought mentions of the four King's heralds, one of whom known under the official name of Polanlant. These heralds were in charge of diplomatic missions, as messengers of the King, but they also probably performed heraldic missions, during tournaments, and military ones, like the << preco >> Boguta, publishing King Ladislas II Jagellon Ist's order, after the victory over the Teutonic Knights at Grunwald (Tannenberg), on 15 July 1410.