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Sir Reginald is mounted on his trusty steed, tensely facing his opponent. Each has a long and heavy lance in one hand and a shield in the other. They will soon be jousting, measuring their skill and courage against one another.

This is a tournament designed for the entertainment of royalty and that’s why it is full of pageantry. The horses are draped with luxurious fabrics and adorned with jeweled harnesses. The saddles are ornately tooled. All the events are announced with grand fanfare and Sir Reginald knows that if he wins he will be honored with riches and glory.

Silently waiting for the sign to begin the joust, Sir Reginald tries to remember how all these contests came to be. His father’s stories come back to him. The idea for these games was born in the Middle East. There, the Crusaders watched the young Arab men play games on horseback called “carosella” or “little wars”. Inspired by the horsemanship and skill that these games required, the Crusaders carried them back to their European homes. “And now in the 16th century”, Sir Reginald thought, “this collection of contests has evolved into regal tournaments just like the one I’m in”. He knew that across the sea, in France, the most popular game required a rider to gallop at full speed and spear a golden ring with his lance. That game was called “Carousel”.

Sir Reginald and his fellow knights would practice on wooden horses that were supported by a central pole suspended from a beam. With the help of the knights’ strong squires, the horses could be moved up and down on the pole, simulating a real ride. The knights could improve their agility without tiring their horses.

Is there anything familiar in Sir Reginald’s story? Extravagantly dressed and decorated horses, wooden replicas moving up and down? Terms like “carosella”? The only thing missing is music and maybe some cotton candy! If you guessed that we’re talking about Carousels or Merry-Go-Rounds, you are exactly right! Sir Reginald didn’t know that soon his test of courage would become a favorite form of amusement all around the world.

Not many years after Sir Reginald completed the tournament (and won), wood carvers began to create ever more beautiful and intricately carved horses. They created small carousels that were actually made to turn by real horses tethered to the carousel and walking in a circle around it. You didn’t have to be a chivalrous knight to brave the carousel anymore. Anyone could take a spin!

Carousels arrived at Coney Island, New York, in 1876. By now they were steam powered and an overhead crank recreated the up and down motion that the early squires strained to provide. Carvers began to arrive in the United States from Germany, Denmark, Russia and Italy. They created dramatically leaping horses with cascading golden manes and jeweled trappings. Becoming ever more fanciful, they added a whole menagerie of animals including goats, zebras and sea dragons. Soon lions, tigers, giraffes and ostriches joined the merrily spinning crowd.

By the very late 1800s, carousels were powered by electricity and were popular everywhere in the country. Unfortunately, with the advent of World War II they fell into decline. The carvers, operators and the materials used for making carousels were needed for the war effort. Today there are very few carousels left. They are like a rare treasure, hard to find and precious.

Next time you get to ride a merry-go-round or carousel you’ll know that you’re part of a history that dates back to the Crusades, full of pageantry and beauty. You’ll be riding in the illustrious company of chivalrous knights like Sir Reginald and the masterful wood carvers who created this splendid way to have fun.