Return to Chivalry

I think I'm coming back, somewhat, to something I left behind a long time ago when I began to grow up. When I was more of a dreamer than was good for me, I remember myself being more the gentleman than I am now. I guess I got caught up in the thought that everyone on Earth except me believed chivalry was dead, so that the burden of reviving chivalry rested on my shoulders alone. It was arrogant of me, and now that I've been around a while longer, I can see how wrong I was. The world, and especially the SCA, is absolutely stuffed with people for whom chivalry is their entire way of life. When I discovered this, I suppose I began to relax more and have fun. Too much of that got me into relationship problems and lots of drama in my social life. Now, here I am: older, in love, and relatively drama-free. Perhaps now is the time when I can attempt to temper my informality with the gentle reverance of chivalry again.

Last night, Mike, Liza, Billy and I had an Indiana Jones marathon in anticipation of the fourth movie coming out in May. Again, we all agreed that the last one is the best one. At the end, the Grail Knight reminded me of Sir Thomas of Aylesbury. In the above photograph, taken at Uther and Kenna's Coronation ceremony last year, he is the Templar staning next to me, holding his sword. After the ceremony, many people commented on how cool he looked, but Caedmon came up to him and said "We should have asked you to go up to someone with a goblet and say 'You have chosen...poorly.' " Sir Thomas, being a man of good humor, laughed and said he would have done it, if anyone had thought of it soon enough.
The reason I bring him up is because my search for a knight to become a squire to continues, and seeing the movie brought him to mind again. It would be very cool, I think, if he, as a Templar, took me, another Templar, as a squire...but I hesitate to ask any knight to be their squire outright. Such a boldness would be rude of me, I think. Another reason I hesitate is because though I like Sir Thomas very much, I know very little of him, save for that he is a close personal friend of Uther and Kenna's. I have no idea what his fighting style is like, if he desires to take a squire at this point, or if he even fights anymore. I don't suppose it's really practical to think of becoming his squire...but still, the dream will not leave, and I don't know why.

I think Gulf Wars got to me a lot, too. Gulf Wars always does something to me. Serving on entourage for this reign really drove home how happy I get when I am serving. Mike, Liza, and Billy, God bless them eternally, taught me what it really means to be there for friends, and this was only their first or second event! I will never forget the kindness shown to me and so many others by so many people.

Now that the Grand Exhibition Tournament has passed, I'm going to be getting back into fighting more, too. I will never abandon archery. In many ways, I AM a bow. Simple enough to look at and understand, but put me under stress and I may surprise you! The longbow is my first love, one of my life's passions, and it will always be with me. But my dream, one of my life's goals since childhood, has always been to become a knight, and I can't do that with my bow.

Watching Drogo's vigil reminded me that there is more to knighthood than good combat, too. Matter of fact, of the knights whom Gleann Abhann has made, none of them had ever become king before their knighthood, and I can think of many other knights who have never won Crown List. This proves that skill alone is not what makes a man a knight.

They are warriors, leaders and servants all rolled up into one. On the tournament fields, they are brave enough to step onto it, clever enough to think on their feet, quick enough to strike at the right opportunity, and strong enough to carry it home. On the field of battle, they are inspiring enough to lead the men and women they command, obedient enough to receive the orders given to them from their Crown, and capable enough to carry them out effectively.
Off the fields, they are courteous to anyone and everyone they meet, always lending helping hands, ever kind enough to think of others before themselves.

First was Francois Duvant, who founded a dynasty of chivalry the world could never have anticipated. One of his squires was Beorn Collenferth, who squired Phelan Cathaoir-Mor, who squired Merwyyd of Effington, my household father, and Manfred von Rothenburg, who squired William Fitzhugh de Cambria, who will be the next (sixth) king of Gleann Abhann. But Francois's more famous squire was John the Bearkiller, who won Crown List on five separate occasions, and has taught and led men in combat for more than thirty years, and whose name is now recognized literally around the entire world. One of his squires was Lee Fribrand who has now become a legend, whose style is now the most copied style of fighting in the SCA, and whose name is now whispered with reverance as a man whose chivalry and kindness was, and still is, without equal. One of Lee's squires was Michael of the Mace, who has squired Caedmon of Jorvik and Katil, the lady who first got me into the SCA. Another of Lee's squires was mighty Luther von Ziemer, whose glaive is feared more than any other's in the kingdom, and who is the older brother to another of John the Bearkiller's squires, Uther von Ziemer, first knight of Gleann Abhann, and it's fifth king. I have already spoken of what I think of Uther, and I will not repeat the entire diatribe here; only that he is still everything I long to be in a knight, and the best fighter I have ever seen. To be his squire would be the pinnacle of honors, the highest I have ever received...but I think it is not to be. That also, is covered in an earlier post. Another of John's squires was Padruig dubh Cloghad, third king of Gleann Abhann, as well as Rey Ribeaument, Thomas of Aylesbury, and Andras Salamandra, who squired Lawrence of Ashana, who squired Gareth le Bruin, who famously gave up the white belt of knighthood.

There are others known around the SCA. Sir Trudy, the first female knight, and Sir Paul Bellatrix, who has sons and even grandsons by blood who have become dukes (someone who has won Crown List twice or more) were both at Gulf Wars, and Sir Trudy even wore my sword during Great Court. There are many other dynasties, too, such as that of Kane Redfeather, who squired many, such as Rashid ibn Hilal (who squired Sa'ad ibn Yusuf al Hilal and Dagan al Rashid ibn Hilal) Tar Radu, first king of Gleann Abhann, Loric Silvestris, Brian Mac Brand, and Stephan Wolfe, who squired Caillin Macleod, Elazar of Northumbria, Eric of Chester (who squired Uric Blackoak) and Aengus Mac Owein (who squired Seth of Newcastle).

These are but only a few of the men and women whose ranks I long to be counted among. They ARE chivalry. They are my dream.

They are soldiers.
They are heroes.

They are knights.