World's finest knights attend Serbia's first chivalry festival

The first International Knights' Festival "Just Out" kicked off Tuesday in the Serbian town of Despotovac, some 130 km southeast of the capital Belgrade, with the aim to promote medieval heritages.

Besides host Serbia, 11 countries have sent their finest knights to demonstrate their chivalry skills, including China, Russia, Ukraine, France, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The international event, held in the Manasija Monastery, has drawn an audience of several thousand.

In his opening speech, Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said the festival is dedicated to paying homage to the value of knighthood.

"In modern times, it is more important than ever to maintain the values of knighthood," said the president, adding that the festivities are in honor of knight despot Stefan Lazarevic, and virtues of knighthood.

Lazarevic (1377-1427), a Serbian ruler in the medieval ages, was regarded as one of the finest knights and military leaders in Europe. He introduced knightly tournaments, modern battle tactics and firearms to the southeastern European country.

Lazarevic was also the founder of the 15th Century Orthodox monastery, where the event is being held. He was buried nearby.

Commending the participating countries, Nikolic said Serbia, a region plagued by one-century-old conflicts, showed signals of peace and cooperation through this festival.

A Serbian knight displayed precision in hitting various targets with a bow and arrows, as well as spears. Other knight groups wearing medieval armors engaged in stage combats using long swords. They also performed with fire and other special effects.

Chinese Shaolin monks galvanized the mood when they staged a thrilling Kungfu performance.

Among the guests were Chinese ambassador to Serbia Li Manchang and Russia's ambassador Alexander Chepurin.

Besides the knight combats, the festival included various kinds of cultural performances, such as medieval music and dance shows, short theater plays, and an exhibition of medieval tools and weapons inside the monastery stone walls.

The three-day festival also marks the start of a series of activities commemorating the 600th anniversary of the founding of the Manasija Monastery.