Estrella War is upon us! The Estrella War Main Event Stewards are asking a boon of all attending the Estrella War XXIX, and that is to volunteer for a scant two hours. For the Artisans from every kingdom we have a special request for your volunteer hours, and that it to share the passion and expertise you have for your arts with your cousins from without the Known World.

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Manly high heels date back centuries, worn by horsemen as well as powerful rulers.

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Lady Sabina Luttrell, Deputy Minister of Lists, is looking for a qualified person to take over the maintenance of the MOL website. The website is in need of an upgrade and a warranted webminister.

If you or someone that you know would like to volunteer for this position, please contact Lady Sabina or the East Kingdom Webminister’s Office.  Interest and qualifications are the most important aspects at this point. Warranting will be worked on through the Kingdom Webminister’s office if needed.

Filed under: Official Notices

There will be a Q&A session for the web polling’s and recommendation’s page this weekend at The Modern Word Collides with the SCA! event.  For more information about the event, see this article about the classes or the event announcement.

Please come and ask Lady Raffaella Mascolo any questions that you have about the set up, process, security and such.

Filed under: Events

THL Evain Macrae has created an album of photos from Fontaine's Twelfth Night 2013, which took place recently in the Kingdom of the Outlands. The photos are available to view on her public Facebook page.

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Ever tried to read Beowulf in the original language? Now you can, thanks to the British Library.

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In the forty-seventh year of the Society, upon 9 February, in the Barony of l’Ile du Dragon Dormant, Edward the King and Thyra the Queen did enact and cause to be enacted the following:

Item. Their Majesties accepted the fealty of Angus and Tadea, Baron and Baroness of L’Ile du Dragon Dormant.

Item. Their Majesties caused those good gentles new to our Society to be brought before the Tyger Thrones, and did gift each with tokens of the day.

Item. Their Majesties summoned the children of the East Kingdom and shared with them toys donated by la Chambre des Dames d’Alisay.

Item. Their Majesties called before the Tyger Throne their fair subject Tadea Isabetta di Bruno, and, in acknowledgement of her many labors, including as Baroness of l’Isle du Dragon Dormant, summoned the Order of the Pelican and thereupon inducted the said Tadea in the Order aforenamed and conveyed upon her Arms by Letters Patent. This deed was memorialized in a document calligraphed by Alisay de Falaise and illuminated by Ursion de Gui.

Item. Their Majesties summoned the good lady Borujin Acilaldai before the Court and inducted her into the Order of the Silver Rapier, the which deed was memorialized in a document prepared by Lada Monguligin.

Item. The Order aforenamed being yet incomplete, Their Majesties called Mikulaj von Meissen before the Court and created him a member of the Order of the Silver Rapier, the which deed was memorialized in a document authored by Lorita de Siena and created by Isabel Chamberlaine.

Item. The Order of the Silver Rapier remaining incomplete, Their Majesties called upon Jonathan Rankin O’Rose and caused his name to be writ upon the lists thereof, the which deed was memorialized in a document calligraphed by Constance de St. Denis and illuminated by Sarra the Lymner.

Item. The subject of the art of the rapier being much on Their Majesties’ mind and the practice thereof being greatly to their pleasure, Their Majesties convened this day a great and mighty rapier tournament; the victor of the day was declared in open Court to be Nathaniel Wyatt, who was thereupon awarded the title of King’s Rapier Champion and gifted in memory thereof with a document created by Catarina Giaocchini.

Item. Her Majesty then summoned Davius Saint Jacques before the Tyger Thrones and declared him to be her chosen Queen’s Rapier Champion according to the most ancient traditions of the Realm, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Catarina Giaocchini.

Item. Their Majesties requested the presence of Samantha McShane before their Court, and the said lady appearing, did induct her into the Order of the Tyger’s Cub, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Borujin Acilaldai.

Item. Their Majesties requested the presence before the Court of Olan of l’Ile du Dragon Dormant and awarded him Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Brangwyne of Wentworth.

Item. Their Majesties summoned before them Mireille of l’Ile du Dragon Dormant and awarded her Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document illuminated by Magdalena Lantfarerin and calligraphed by Elsa de Lyon.

Item. Their Majesties awarded Arms to Ildiko of l’Ile du Dragon Dormant, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Mayuki Yuri.

Item. Their Majesties awarded Arms to Abiageal Muirgen Mhic an Mhadaigh, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Aleksei Dmitriev.

Item. His Majesty gave tokens of the King’s Esteem of Merit to Shadiyah al-Zhara and Arthur de Beaumont.

Item. Their Majesties caused the name of Katherine Ashwode to be writ upon the list of the Order of the Manche, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Sunniva Ormstung.

Item. Their Majesties called Daffyd of l’Ile du Dragon Dormant into their presence and awarded him Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Catarina Giaocchini.

Item. Their Majesties brought Bradwyn of l’Ile du Dragon Dormant before the Court and awarded him Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document illuminated by Isa of Ruantallan and calligraphed by Eleana O’ Sirideain.

Item. Their Majesties summoned Erick the Ferocious into their presence and thereupon awarded him Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Robin dit Dessant.

Item. Their Majesties summoned Frasier MacLeod before the Tyger Thrones and, acknowledging his long labors, created him a member of the Order of the Silver Crescent, the which deed was memorialized in a document written in his native tongue by Alys Mackyntoich and created by Roberta MacMorland.

Item. The Order of the Silver Crescent being not as yet complete, Their Majesties then summoned the good man Guthfrith Yrlingsson and created him likewise a member of the Order aforenamed, the which need was memorialized in a document authored by Díarmaid Ó Bríain and created by Sarra Graeham of Birnham.

Item. Their Majesties called before the Tyger Thrones Noa the Archer and awarded him Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Danuta Czarowna.

Item. Their Majesties summoned Guyuk Sakighci into the Court and awarded him Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Margaret Twygge.

Item. Their Majesties called before them, and awarded Arms to, Kirsa Ajinai, the which deed was memorialized in a document illuminated by Mayuki Yuri and calligraphed by Borujin Acilaldai.

Item. The Majesties called into the Court their subject Ursion de Gui and, in recognition of his deeds, created him a Baron of the Court and granted him Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document created by Alisay de Falaise and Kayleigh McWhyte.
Item. Their Majesties called Cosmano Piero Micheletto da Roma before the Tyger Thrones and thereupon created him a Baron of the Court and granted him Arms, the which deed was memorialized in a document authored by Borujin Acilaldai, calligraphed by Robin dit Dessant, illuminated by Melina al Andalusiyya.

All these things were enacted upon Saint Apollonia’s Day, in the presence of witnesses, including Conogan mab Rioc, John Radburne and Godfroy de Falaise. Mistress Alys Mackyntoich, Their Majesties’ Herald, wrote this, based upon information provided by Master Ryan McWhyte, Brigantia Herald.

Filed under: Court, Fencing Tagged: Kings and Queens Champions, rapier

February 9, 2013, marked the 900th birthday of the founding of the Knights of Malta, a Roman Catholic religious order noted for its charitable works. The group celebrated its birthday with a parade around St. Peter's Square and a visit with Pope Benedict XVI, who is himself a member of the Knights.

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On the East Kingdom Gazette website, Leonette reports on the SCA Board of Director's meeting which took place January 26, 2013 in Tucson, Arizona.

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Carolyn Fraser, Secretary SCA Ltd, reports that two new members have been appointed to the Board of Directors of SCA Ltd (Australia).

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The ladies Brita and Cateline la broderesse report that they have created albums of photos from Birka 2013, which took place recently in the Kingdom of the East. The photos are available on Shutterfly and Google.

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From Cracked.com....

When you think of the Middle Ages, chances are you picture gallant knights sitting astride brilliant destriers galloping through a sea of plagues, ignorance, and filth. And you can hardly be blamed for that, when everything from the movies you watch to your high school history teacher (who was mainly the football coach) has told you that ...

1. Scientific Progress was Dead

2. Everyone Smelled like Complete Shit

3. Knights were Honourable, Chivalrous Warriors

4. Everyone was a Prude

5. Women were Treated as Cattle

6. Life was Horrible and Everyone Died Young

Check out this funny post from Cracked.com


See also 5 Artifacts That Will Shatter Your Image of the Middle Ages

Construction work to replace a train station in Northampton, England has unearthed "an ironstone wall, fragments of pottery and a Saxon brooch." (photo)

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Beginning today, we will be changing how the Medieval News blog is presented. We hope to bring you a new post every day or two, which will cover what medieval and history news stories are out there, and some interesting things that were also found online. We hope you enjoy the links and videos!

Can the Pope Resign? Pope Benedict XVI announced today that he will be resigning as the Pontiff effective February 28, 2013. Also known as Joseph Ratzinger, the 85-year old Pope has been suffering from poor health. Still, this is a very surprising announcement, with the last Pope to resign being Gregory XII in 1415. A few months ago, we posted about The Pope who Quit, by Jon M. Sweeney, which details the papal intrigues surrounding the resignation of Celestine V in 1294.

Lines of beauty: British Library’s medieval manuscripts go digital The Financial Times has profiled the British Library's efforts at digitizing its 25,000 medieval manuscripts, and profiles six of these items. Claire Breay, head of medieval and earlier manuscripts at the British Library, explains “Anybody can enjoy them whether they are the leading academic on some aspect of that manuscript … or a schoolchild doing a project." Some beautiful images here.

How I mapped the “lost” forests of Huntingdonshire  Jason Peters has been examining records related to royal forests in Huntingdonshire during the Middle Ages. Using local archives and geographic computer programs, he was able to locate various royal and private forests in the county. In fact, nearly all of the county was legally considered a forest.

Peters explains, “A Norman-Medieval forest was, in effect, a legally defined conservation area where no matter who was the landowner construction, resource exploitation, habitat degradation and hunting of game could not be undertaken without Crown approval. The Forest of County Huntingdon was an evolving, dynamic, socio-political phenomenon, not limited to woodland habitat but extending across pastures, Fenlands, arable, meadows and rivers.

“There is 800 years of history that hasn’t been understood. People could be living somewhere that was a forest. By mapping areas that we now know were woods, we can understand the ecology of the area, which could be very important when considering any future development.”

You can check out Jason Peters' website, Posthumous Plans: Mapping Lost Landscapes, which officially launches later this week.

Richard III: Exhibition draws in the crowds at Leicester's Guildhall   The City of Leicester is already showcasing the story of Richard III, and has a temporary exhibition about the discovery of the English King. Here is a video of how it looks:




Richard III Memes

Some pretty funny work being done with Richard III this week...






Top Tips for Visiting Medieval Cairo



Finally, I want to point you to a podcast I heard the other day: Elizabeth Eva Leach, Professor of Music at the University of Oxford, spoke as part of the Engage: Social Media Talks series, about Blogging and Tweeting. Professor Leach is a medievalist who has developed a very good website about her work, and also tweets from @eeleach. For those interested in using social media as part of their academic career, this is well worth a listen too!

The correspondants of the East Kingdom Gazette report that the Board of Directors of the SCA have approved the advancement of the Shire of Endewearde to baronial status. The announcement took place at the January 26, 2013 BoD meeting.

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Lord Gaelen O'Gradaigh has announced that he will be co-editing an SCA-wide archery newsletter.

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Triangle-Targ-art (5K) 9/23/12 "The Triangle or Fitz-Rauf Target" by Sir Jon Fitz-Rauf, R.C.A., R.C.Y.

Switzerland-msg (4K) 9/17/12 Medieval Switzerland. Resources.

silk-banners-msg (3K) 9/18/12 Silk banners in period and the SCA.

heraldry-msg (74K) 9/24/12 Heraldry in history and the SCA.