Squire's Revolt

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An event in the Barony of the Northwoods

History of the Event

In the year of AS XIII, in the Barony of the Northwoods, an event of the arts and sciences had been planned. Yet secretly, a grip of Northwoods squires met and made plans for a fell and strange thing. Even if these squires were themselves sworn in fealty to many of the great knights of that age, including such great beknighted men (all of the Northwoods) as Duke Fuyuzuru Tadashi (then known as Thaid), Sir Aldric of the Northmark, Duke Merowald de Sylveaston, Baron Thorvald inn Grimmi, and Elestron an Tor Howlsedhas, they carried in their hearts a certain independence and joyous nature which some said (at the time) could indeed lead them astray.

It was in the dark hallways of the Union Building in the very heart of the Northwoods, during one of the many weekly meetings of the barony when, somehow escaping the watchful and intelligent eye of Jeremy de Merstone, then seneschal of the group, a few of the squires gathered together and thought of revolt. The 1st Revolt was plotted and autocratted by Randall D'artennuel, Roxanne, and Johannes, also known as Jonhobbit, Squire of Earl Bearengaer. Among those involved were some of the leading squires of the Kingdom, some of whom would later become knights or go into great glory. A few of the names are to be recalled, including two of Merold's own squires -- Randall d'Artinual and Fernanda de la Foret -- and two of Tadashi's squires -- Tancred Hermite de Carcassonne and Jean Charles d' Avignon and Garrahan. As well, a few of the other squires of Northwoods were involved in those secret whispered words of revolution, including Edric.

On the appointed day of the arts and sciences events (with the lists set for a small tournament upon the ROTC green), the fields were populated with men in every color, bearing shields and tabards of many of the great houses. There, much to the surprise of the assembled knightly masses, the squires declared their rebellion.

Soon the field was split with knights upon one side, numbering perhaps a dozen, and squires upon the other side, with over 24 present. Many knights took the rebellion to heart, thinking that they must win or that somehow the very fabric of the Society would be torn asunder. Few understood that the squires willed little more than to prove their prowess and worth as a few of their number were as excellent in fighting as any upon the field.

As the battle lines were drawn, Jean Charles cried out to all who would hear, "Squires of the Worlde Unite! You have nothing to lose but your lives!!"

From the other side of the field came other words in a pun that properly set the mood -- that the squires were revolting.

Then with the cry, "Lay On!", the fight was joined. The lines drew close in good order but then, as if by a silent call from the heavens (a bolt of sunlight lit the fields at the exact instant), the squires surged forward as one and the knights shouted and leapt into the mass on the advance. They met in a great clash and soon many were fallen.

Indeed, the squires did prove their worth and prowess, though they lost the day to the knights. Even with the greatest skill, great men as the knights of the Midrealm are not easily conquered, even if those knights took more punishment than they expected. With the matter resolved and the misunderstandings corrected, the day devolved into a set of list tourneys including a Grand Melee -- this great fight was won by the narrowest of margins and by great skill by a squire called Caelwulf Longstrider, who hailed from the land that would later be known as Ealdormere. Hoobah!

From that date forward, the Greate Revolte of the Squires is commemorated and held with every year.

This I, Jean Charles d' Avignon, have written from my memory, now long faded with the Ages. Your corrections and addendums are always welcome.


An alphabetical list of the squires who fought in the First Squire's Revolte of AS XIII follows (additions are welcome as this is an incomplete list):

The squires revolt of AS eleven:

The first event sometimes called 'A Squires Revolt', although in fact no revolt or violation of oaths actually occurred, took place in November of AS XI (1977) during the reign of Merowald de Sylveaston and Kirsten von de Walde. His Majesty Merowald had heard rumors of the possibility of “overly vigorous negotiations” between certain elements of the Midrealm Squires and and members of the chivalry. He told the autocrat of the event, his squire Brusten de Bearsul and the other squires of his household who would be present, Kenneqrae Gilcrest, Randall d'Artinual, Fern de la Floret, Mrethton the Rotund, and Michel de Belgique that he was concerned about the possibility of a breach of the peace at the event, and instructed them to be on their guard and render the kings justice upon anyone, regardless of station, who so breached the peace by word or deed. Their Majesties were not able to attend the event, despite it's being held in their home group, at the “Turf Arena” as they had to travel out of kingdom for reasons of state that weekend. The event started peacefully enough, with a single elimination tournament won by Duke Dagan, with the Northwoods Madrigals practicing in the corner for a performance at feast that evening. As the event progressed, certain squires, (who shall remain unnamed because your author rashly promised Roxanne he would not reveal her part in the proceeding reported on here) found themselves in dispute with certain of the knights present (who also will remain unnamed for if Roxanne is not named, neither should be Elestron). The Squires armored up, intending to release the pent up stress by meleeing amongst themselves. The Chivalry present, seeing large numbers of squires donning armor decided to armor up as well and take the field, to prevent the squires from doing any mischief. At this point the kings squires also armoured up and took the field between the two groups, intending to tell both groups of the kings wish that no fighting occur between them that might be considered as breaching the King's Peace. Despite much enthusiastic and vigorous investigation, it has never been clearly determined exactly what happened next, except someone said 'lay on', and the Chivalry did. Roughly half the knights and masters at arms present proceeded to attack the members of House Sylveaston who defended themselves and their mission from the king most nobly, if ultimately fatally for all kings squires and several of the knights. The remainder of the knights present engaged with the remaining squires, defeating them with small loses. When the surviving chivalry remained alone upon the field, and they realized that there had been a grievous error, and that no revolt had been intended then called upon a higher power to rectify the damage done that day. Duchess Caellyn then appeared, ordered everyone on the field, living or dead, to behave themselves as appropriate to their rank and station, and live, for she had not prepared such a feast just to have so many of the attendees die before eating it. No one could or would remain dead upon the field, for to do so might have incurred the wrath of the Duchess, and no one was willing to risk that. The event was remembered with such fondness, both for the quality of the fighting on the field and the feast afterwards, that an annual event was created in AS XIII to harken back to the glories and give the squires a chance to test their skill against the chivaly.

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