Middle Kingdom Rapier History
From MiddleWiki
History of Rapier Combat in the Middle Kingdom
Contents |
1979
SCA Board of Directors formally recognizes rapier combat as an ancillary activity of the SCA (AS XIV).
1990
The Rapier Rats were formed in the Middle Kingdom.
1993
The Order of the Cavendish Knot is created. The first recipients are Master John Inchingham, Hoskuld Thorleiksson, Duke Palymar of the Two Baronies, Baron AElfred of Chester, Eyrny Ormarsdottir, Baron Daibhid Ruadh MacLachlan, Grimkirk ap Greymoor (May).
1994
Middle Kingdom hosts first Known World Academy of the Rapier, in Chicago (April)
Rapier combat (AKA Fencing) legalized in the MidRealm (Yes, the Cavendish Knot, the award for rapier combat, existed before rapier combat was legalized. Documented evidence that the heralds worked faster than the marshallate. ::wink::) (May)
Baron Aelfred of Chester becomes the first MidRealm Kingdom Rapier Marshal (1994-1997 – known as Kingdom Marshal of Fence, KMOF, at that time). (May)
Warder Audrey Fletcher wins the very first kingdom rapier champion's tourney and becomes Their Majesties Finn & Garlanda rapier champion (May).
Their Majesties Brannos & Rebekah choose William the Green as Their rapier champion. (October)
1995
Their Majesties Tarquin & Aibhilin choose Warder Audrey Fletcher as Their rapier champion. (October)
1996
Their Majesties Edmund & Kateryn choose Tristan von Eisinsee as Their rapier champion. (May)
1997
Warder Jeanne Anne la Bonnetière, called Nan, becomes the second Kingdom Rapier Marshal (1997-1999).
Their Majesties Edmund & Kateryn choose Thorfinn of the Glens as Their rapier champion. (March)
King Edmund bans epees from use in the Middle Kingdom.
The East Kingdom wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney.
Their Majesties Palymar & Aislinn choose Dorian of the Blue Moon as Their rapier champion. (September)
1998
Her Majesty Kenna, by the hand of Jafar, chooses Wulfgar Hlotharius von Aachen al-Safa Moon Her rapier champion. (April)
The East Kingdom wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney
Their Majesties Dag & Elayna choose Baron Vincent Furnier as Their rapier champion. (September)
The Kingdom of Ealdormere secedes from the MidRealm (October)
1999
Master John Inchingham becomes the third Kingdom Rapier Marshal (1999-2001).
Major rewrite of all MidRealm marshallate rules into a standardized format across all marshallate activities.
KRM (Kingdom Rapier Marshal) coined for the first time.
The Order of the Bronze Ring is created. Sarah of the Erie Seas, Garth Brandon and Andrew Blackwood MacBain the Purple become the first members of the order at Ragnvalder & Arabella's Coronation (April)
Their Majesties Ragnvalder & Arabella choose Lord Yoshua ben Ysrael as Their rapier champion. (April)
The East Kingdom wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney
Their Majesties Finn & Tamara choose Lord Ramiro Nunez as Their rapier champion. (September)
2000
Their Majesties Dag & Elayna choose Don Kristoff Fugger von Augsburg as Their rapier champion. (April)
The East Kingdom wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney
Their Majesties Edmund & Kateryn choose Don Elijah Cameron as Their rapier champion. (September)
January AS38 – Rapier Rules version 2.5
KEM Myles Blackheath get approval from Curia to create a youth combat program that includes rules for youth rapier. Sir Ixtilixochitl is the first kingdom youth marshal with Lord Guillermo Alcazar del Halcon the first rapier deputy for youth.
2001
Their Majesties Bardolph & Brigh choose Warder Cecil du Pont as Their rapier champion. (April)
The first Pennsic youth rapier tourney.
The first Pennsic rapier woods melee.
The first "Storming of La Rochelle".
MidRealm wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney.
At Pennsic MidRealm court, the Warders "Boomerang" Gorget is presented for the first time to all of the members of the Order of the Bronze Ring in attendance.
Warder Maximilian der Zauberer becomes the fourth Kingdom Rapier Marshal (2001-2004), at the Middle Kingdom Academy of Defense event (September).
Their Majesties Ragnvalder & Arabella choose Warder Andrew Blackwood MacBain the Purple as Their rapier champion. (September)
Tree-Girt-Sea hosts KWAR, the Known World Academy of Rapier. (October)
The MidRealm joins the Sidesword experiment. Master Christian Fournier becomes the first MidRealm Deputy KRM for Sidesword Combat. (October)
Steel rapier helms are no longer considered experimental. (December)
2002
Epees are made legal for practice and for Out-of-Kingdom use only. (January)
Their Majesties Valharic & Alys choose Duke Ragnvaldr Jonsson as Their rapier champion. (April)
Significant rules changes: Blade grasping and knee walking are no longer prohibited. Maximum blade length and buckler size is deleted. (June)
King Valharic rips the beloved/despised preface out of the MidRealm rapier rules. "All Rapier Activities in the Middle Kingdom are conducted under the philosophy that we fencers are members of the nobility practicing the courtly Art of Defense. We are NOT dueling, street fighting or brawling. We are NOT recreating blood being spilt, people being run-through with four feet of cold steel, or any other such unpleasant circumstance. We are COURTIERS showing our skill before the Crown, or their representatives, in a variety of GAMES" (June)
The Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney is 1/3 of a war point.
The East Kingdom wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney (fought in a Heroic Style format for the first time).
Their Majesties Tarrach & Fina choose Lord Gevehard von Baden as Their Rapier Champion. (November)
2003
Rubber band guns (RBGs) are legalized for rapier melee combat. (June)
Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney becomes one full war point.
The MidRealm wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney.
2004
Warder Martyn Baxter (age 19 at the time) becomes Their Majesty’s Felix & Madeleina’s rapier champion by defeating a field of 33 opponents in a double elimination style tourney. (May)
Pennsic Standard Rapier Rules established.
Rapier gets 2 melee war points added to Pennsic for the first time.
The East Kingdom wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney
East Kingdom wins 2 out of 3 Pennsic Rapier War Points.
Warder Moira MacGillavry becomes the fifth Kingdom Rapier Marshal (2004 – 2007) at Pennsic MidRealm Court.
The Sidesword Combat experiment is terminated by the Society Earl Marshal (October).
The Kingdom of Northshield secedes from the MidRealm (October).
2005
MidRealm Rapier Melee Manual published (April)
The MidRealm wins all 3 Pennsic Rapier War Points which impilies that the MidRealm wins Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney
2006
New Society Rapier Rules released. Sidesword returns as Cut & Thrust Combat. C&T is integrated into the Society rules as another form of combat equivalent to heavy rapier and light rapier (February)
The infamous Pennsic Town Battle manifests itself.
Midrealm wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions tourney.
MidRealm wins 2 out of 3 Pennsic Rapier War Points.
MidRealm Rapier Rules version 3.0 released (September)
2007
Warder Martyn Baxter becomes Their Majesty’s Dag & AnneMarie’s champion by defeating all other regional champions at an invitation only, round robin tournament (June)
The East Kingdom wins the Pennsic Rapier Champions Tourney
MidRealm wins 2 out of 3 Pennsic Rapier War Points.
The Prima Spada tournament premiers at Pennsic.
Warder Uadahlrich von Sassmannshausen becomes the sixth Kingdom Rapier Marshal at the Pennsic MidRealm Court.
Their Majesties Palymar & Aislinn choose Lady Sibyl Sevenoake as Their rapier champion. (September).
2015
Creation of the Order of Defense as the fourth peerage in the Society, to reognize excellence in rapier combat.
The premier members of the Order of Defense were elevated by King Cadogan and Queen Anne Marie. The premiers of the order are: Anton Du Maris, Colin MacNish, Peter Grau Von Bremen.
External Links
The original link is no longer available, information needs to be copied if still needed. Website: [[1]|A History of Rapier Combat in the SCA}
A missive on title usage
When writing this history, I chose to use an individual’s title at the time of writing. Although this creates the appearance that someone had an award years before they actually did, it makes it much easier for someone reading this page today, to know who’s being discussed.
Example the first. I have always known Baron AElfred as Baron AElfred and am not comfortable referring to him as simply AElfred (Who’s also a Pelican).
Example the second. When Warder Martyn Baxter became Felix & Madeleina’s rapier champion in 2004, he was neither a Warder nor Martyn Baxter. To document him as Lord Martin of Hawksworth would be confusing.
Example the third. Christian Fournier did not become a Master of the Laurel until Jan 2008, but I state that in 2001 Master Christian Fournier was the first Deputy for Sidesword Combat. So even though many of us will have difficulty remembering to use his new title initially, within no time, rapier combatants will come to know him as Master Christian and will know exactly who is being discussed when reading this history.
Example the last. It would also be exceedingly cumbersome to write “Master (1994), Baron (1982), Warder (1999) AElfred†or “Warder (2007) Martyn Baxter (formerly “of Hawksworthâ€)†or “Master (2008) Warder (2001) Christian Fournier.†This too, I will not do.
As people earn titles, I may or may not go back and update them. We’ll see.
Signed,
The Honorable (Dragon Heart, 2008) Lord (AoA, 1996 Drachenwald) Warder (2004) Maximilian der Zauberer (formerly – and still - Max the Magi). Written this 4th day of March, 2008.
