Final answer:
The popular competition between knights was called a tournament, where knights showcased their martial skills in jousting and other chivalric events. These tournaments were tied to the ideals of chivalry and were important social and political events during the Middle Ages.
Step-by-step explanation:
The popular competition between knights during the Middle Ages was known as a tournament, which was a series of chivalric events where knights could demonstrate their combat skills in mock battles. These events included jousting, where two knights on horseback charged at each other with lances in an attempt to knock each other off their steeds. Tournaments were not just significant as a form of military practice but also played a crucial role in the social and political life of the time, as they were occasions where knights could gain honor, glory, and potentially valuable prizes or ransom for defeated opponents.
Knights were highly trained warriors who often participated in larger conflicts such as the Hundred Years' War, but the nature of warfare was changing due to new military technologies such as the longbow, which diminished the effectiveness of traditional knightly cavalry. The rise of professional armies offered more social mobility and diminished the feudal power of knights. However, the ideals of chivalry and the ethos of courtly love continued to permeate knightly culture, influencing their conduct and the expectations of their behavior in both warfare and society.