NAVIGATION

Cockfighting was popular in ancient Greece, Rome and Persia, but probably originated from India. In Renaissance England it was a Royal sport and a cockpit was built in Whitehall Palace by Henry VIII. Royal patronage continued into the 17th century until it was banned by Cromwell. The sport was revived at the Restoration by King Charles II, but was finally prohibited by law in 1849. It is still legal in Louisiana, Mexico and Latin America, the Philippines, South east Asia and the Middle East, where it is usually accompanied by frenzied gambling.
Cockfighting jousts take place in a small circular pit into which the specially bred fighting gamecocks are placed beak to beak by their handlers and then released. A combatant wins when its opponent is unable or unwilling to fight or is killed. Metal spurs attached to the birds natural spurs make the action deadlier.