Historical Medieval Battles

Historical Medieval Battles (HMB) or Buhurt (from Old French béhourd: "joust", "tournament") or Armored Combat is a modern full contact fighting sport with steel blunt weapons characteristic for the Middle Ages. Armour and weapons have to follow regulations on historical authenticity and safety published on official Battle of the Nations website.

Fighters are covered in full modern produced protective armour, made from steel (or other metal alloy if permitted) made to aesthetically be close to their historical counterparts. This in contrast to Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) that uses modern protective equipment such as a modern fencing helmet, padded fencing jacket, modern padded/heavy duty fencing gloves, forearm and leg protection.

Hits and blows may be aimed at any parts of the body (with the limitations set in the regulations); both wrestling and percussive techniques are permitted, thrusts are forbidden.

Unlike staged battles, that can be seen at festivals of historical reenactment of the Middle Ages the competitions in buhurt are the full contact sporting events that are refereed by the referees called knight marshals who have special training and combat experience.