The Baron and Baroness

And the winner was…

For the new Baronial Armoured Champion, Lord Kitan von Fulkenburg,
inspired by Lady Alesia de Cheval Blanc
Huzzah, huzzah, huzzah!

It was a great tourney, a round robin with everyone doing really well. Some very cool bouts and an edge-of-the-seat final between Duke Sir Cornelius von Becke and Lord Kitan von Fulkenburg - one bout each and then Kitan won the third bout decisively.

We were also pleased to name Niall of the Orkneys, who fought most valiantly and placed third in the tourney, as the Baronness’ new War Champion.

Great honour and chivalry were displayed by all in the tourney, before a large gallery of nobles watching and sharing their picnic from the shade of pavillions below fluttering pennants. As well as so many familiar faces from our Barony, it was wonderful indeed to see our fond friends from Radburne and Lady Maeve ni Iasachta who has just recently moved to Politarchopolis from Rowany. It was also a great joy to see the fine weather draw out a few familiar faces who have been long absent from Politarchopolis events.

It was a great day. Our thanks to all who made it so, most especially:
Niall of the Orkneys for great work in organising the tourney and for his set- up and pack up crew,  Lady Caera Sionnach for painting and encouraging others to paint many pennants and banners,  Lady Catherine of Glastonbury for heralding so well and encouraging others to join her in heralding the tourney,  and Lady Joanna of the Beechwoods and Her Excellency Mistress Rowan Perigrynne who provided dancing and music.

We have been reminded that we could be using this forum more often. This is true, so let us start to remedy this. Last Sunday, 1st of June, was Baronial Day and we would like to mention some of the highlights of the day, for those who were not there.

Firstly an apology to the archers - we were returning from Sydney and did not make it to Town Archery.

A whole group of children came along to Haig Park and learned to make windmill lances, boffer swords and shields. Thank you to Master Crispin and Lady Jehanne for arranging these classes and thank you to Lady Ciaera for being a pell in armour for the new boffer combatants. There was much running around and a fair bit of biff. We hope all the children will bring their new boffers and shields again in future weeks and we may be able to get a regular boffer training up and going. We understand the next class will involve painting the shields.

There was the mini-ball with quite a few people dancing, including some newcomers. Thank you to Lady Joanna, Lord Thurston and Lady Petra for their continuing support of dance in Politarchopolis. Thank you also to Master Crispin, who played music for us to dance to. We now have quite a repertoire of English Country and 15th century dances which are quite easy to do, which suits us because we have three left feet between us (we share one right foot). Even if you don’t usually get to dance practice, consider coming inside and dancing next Baronial Day - the more the merrier.

The practice tourney, with six combatants, was both entertaining and eduational. Thank you to Lady Elizabeth, who kindly prepared the lists and enjoyed it sufficiently that she may offer to become our next Mistress of the Lists. Thank you also to Lady Quataryna, who did wonderfully as herald. It turns out Quataryna has an excellent voice for heralding, and we hope to hear more of her - literally. Thank you to Duke Sir Cornelius and Lord Kitan for martialling. His Grace was able to explain some of the finer points of the tourney to the gallery. Sir Brusi was victorious, fighting on with single sword after losing his shield in the early rounds. The tourney prize, a sword gifted by Duke Cornelius, is awareded to whomever pleases us best. We intended to present it at the feast, but as the combatant concerned was not able to stay for the feast, we will announce our decision at a future Sunday practice.

Last, but certainly not least, was the pot-luck feast. The feast was attended by around two dozen people and there was a wonderful range of dishes served forth. The highlights were a Moroccan Lamb dish and an exquisite Blackberry pastry (made from home grown blackberries). These small feasts are a lovely cosy evening, with good company and fine food. Thank you to Lord Gabriel for co-ordinating them. If you have thought a feast is too much for a Sunday night, it may help to know that they begin early at 5:30pm and are generally over by around 8pm. Particularly in the winter, it is a lovely relaxed way to end the weekend.

Unto the Barony of Politarchopolis do Alessandro and Isobel, Baron and Baroness of Politarchopolis send fond greetings.

Arts & Sciences weekend

This event went extremely well, with many fine classes and enthusiastic people sharing their knowledge and skills. With three streams of topics, the main drawback being not enough time to learn and have a go at everything. In the evening the hall was transformed & so were the populace, for a splendid pot luck feast. A highlight of the evening was Mistress Ysabeau Chanteuse singing for joy, after succeeding in apprenticing her youngest daughter to Master Crispin Sexi.

Radburnes’ Tourney and Feast

This was Alessandro’s second and Isobel’s first event at Radburne. We joined our cousins, the Baron & Baroness of Rowany & were impressed by the hospitality of our neighbours in Radburne. A fine feast was served and skilled entertainments and dancing were provided. Isobel was fighting fit and so participated in the tourney the following day. To the great delight of gallery, Isobel accepted the challenge of one particularly small boy & he did face her bravely across the barrier.

Innilgard Baronial Changeover

The weather seemed wet, though we were assured that it doesn’t rain in Innilgard. Obviously there was a change in the air, the tourney was full of fine pageantry and honourable contest (and even elves & dwarves). The final court of Drake & Bloddeywyth was poignant and the investituture & first court of Aylwen & Ingreth was both serious & splendid.

New Year & Rapier Championship

The Queens words do sum up this event well “I knew I would enjoy myself and was looking forward to an event in Politarchoplis and it was even better than I expected” There was grand fencing with an astounding eighteen fencers competing. The evening included dancing and music plus enough fabulous food for two feasts and most excellent entertainment, to both the King’s & the Queen’s taste. Sunday dawned with perfect Autumn weather and their Majesties competed in the Archery and attended the Baronial Day Par d’Arms.

Huzzah for the Heirs

After such tumultuous times and much debate and contest between Their Majesties over the issue of their heirs, we have heard reassuring news that Their Majesties have resolved the matter once and for all and have anointed Heirs. Huzzah for Their Royal Highnesses Prince Siridean & Princess Siban.

Baronial Day Pot luck Feast

The first of these in April was fabulous (our thanks to Lord Gabriel Kalothetos for reviving this style of event as many had suggested they would like to see one but he took the extra step to make it happen). We do look forward to these continuing, with the next one on the 1st of June, with plans for firewood to make it a most cosy event.

Northern War

Unfortunately we will not be able to attend this event but know that those members of Politarchopolis travelling to the War will do honour to the Barony.

College War

We would like to see the Barony help the College of St Aldhelm and join in the fun of speed arming, competitive cooking and the mayhem that is Inter-College War in the Society.

Alessandro Isobel

Valentine’s Day

The Saint Valentine’s picnic and tourney in the park was a great afternoon with fighting, singing, dancing and games as well as delicious food and lovely company. There were a few faces we haven’t seen at events for a while as well as some newcomers. Altogether it was a really nice afternoon.

Congratulations and thank you to Lord Sui and Baron Courtain for running a very nice event and to Master Cristoval and Alys Dietsch for a delicious picnic. During the afternoon we were delighted present Count Stephen and Countess Mathilde with the fealty rings they wore, in the days of the Principality of Lochac, as first Baron & Baroness of Politarchopolis. The baronies have new fealty rings and the original rings were gifts from Their Majesties.

Target Archery Weekend

For the second year, Politarchopolis has hosted a full weekend event with a focus on the fine art of target archery. The Honorable Lord Mercurio and The Honourable Lady Sabine lead participants in a range of practice sessions, coaching and discussions. Lord Owen van Acker shared knowledge and experience gained from competing in target archery world championships and other international competitions. The weekend was fascinating and a great inspiration for the keen archers of Lochac. It was lovely to see some of our friends from Torlyon at this event too.

Newcomers’ Tourney and Feast

Newcomers’ this year had tourneys and spectacle, fine feasting, dancing and songs.

Members of the populace, newcomers and onlookers were entertained by fine displays in the two tourneys. There was a great turnout, with 11 fencers and 9 armoured fighters competing for the honour of their consorts and the glory of great valour. A number of onlookers were attracted by the pageantry of the occasion and stayed to learn more. We hope to see them at future events in the Barony and ask all to make them welcome as they surely did that day.

The newcomers’ feast was beautifully presented by the College of St Aldhelm. Highlights included delicious pastries and delicate meats.

We gave thanks to Lady Mathilde Hastings for her great work as Politarchopolis Constable and seeing that role handed on smoothly to Lord Valentin der Spieler. There was a changing of the Guard, with Gabrielle, Francesco, William and Antonia becoming pensoners and stepping aside for Jonathan Lochswan, Robert Stoner, Sabine d’Antan and Kitan von Falkenburg. Finally, the College Seneschal, Elizabeth Beaumont, announced her successor, Lafquina Filia Juliane and was presented with a pouch in college colours as a new token of that office.

Festival

The weather was kind, being only mildly wet and quite warm in the verdant valleys where this year’s Rowany Festival took place. Their Majesties did take the field of war for a final test of “the issue of the issue”. Though Her Majesty’s forces had fought valiantly and well at Canterbury Faire and at Border War, this time His Majesty’s forces were the victors. Her Majesty Queen Bethan offered her submission to King Berenger’s demand for an heir. Seeing the Queen thus humbled, Her gracious defeat did melt His Majesty’s prideful heart and so he avowed any further claim to Her person or body. Thus peace and justice was achieved through might, grace and courtesy and all present rejoiced.

Many arrows were lost in the green grass but neither this, nor damp feet and hems could dampen our spirits. Festival was, as always, full of wonderful people, much singing, drinking, fencing and armoured contests and dancing and other merriment.

Our great appreciation and thanks to Lady Ragnrhildr for coordinating the campsite and feeding everyone. Lady Ragnrhildr worked incredibly hard, and she was helped by everyone who carried water, cooked or cleaned up and generally made Politarchopolis a welcoming and comfortable encampment this year.

Thank you to everyone who put together the practice tourney and potluck feast last night.  The practice tourney was a hoot, with much hilarity and some good practice for those of us who badly need it ;)  Cornelius has generously donated a sword to become a perpetual trophy for this tourney.

The feast was excellent, with some truly fabulous food and great company, singing and games.  We would like to particularly thank Thanatos for making it happen and for his delicious baked custard!

Every now and then people approach us to talk with great nostalgia about the good old days, when feasts were cosy atmospheric affairs, that didn’t cost the earth, when people felt comfortable to join in on a song or a simple dance. Well, there are two chances coming up in the next two weeks.

Tomorrow at Baronial Day there will be a small potluck feast following a practice tourney (for those of you also nostalgic for the “monthly bash”).

So come along to Haig Park Hall for the afternoon and evening this Sunday 6 April.  Bring your feasting gear including candles, maybe a bottle or two of ale or cider and a platter or pot of food to share with others (enough to feed a few friends, not an army).  Weather permitting there might even be a fire in the fireplace.

Those of you who remember the good old days with misty-eyed fondness - we hope to see you there.
Those who have only heard tell of such legendary evenings, come and see what the fuss is all about .

The second potluck will be the feast the following weekend on 12 April at the Arts and Sciences event. We fully expect to see the Barony enthused in a multitude of creative directions at the range of classes Mistress Mathilde and Mistress Rowan have arranged for your delight and pleasure on the Weekend of 12-13 April.

Last weekend we had our Saint Valentine’s picnic and tourney in the park. It was a great afternoon with fighting, singing, dancing and games as well as delicious food and lovely company. There were a few faces we haven’t seen at events for a while as well as some newcomers. Altogether it was a really nice afternoon. Congratulations and thank you to Sui and Bart for running a very nice event and to Christoval and Alison for a delicious picnic.

Greetings unto the Barony of Politarchopolis from Far East Lochac, where the King’s deer are plentiful but strangely do not hop!  Fortunately we brought members of our Baronial Huntsman, two of whom have permission to hunt the King’s deer, and so we have been able to sample some of the venison of this region.  We have sailed the beautiful fiordlands and found treasures there.  But though it is a most exotic and extraordinary land, we will not linger here long but will return home soon to fair Politarchopolis.

But first we must join with Her Majesty, Bethan, Queen of Lochac, to assert her right to rule without need to indulge His Majesties’ desire for an heir.  Her Majesty, arrayed with her supporters in Regal Red, will face His Majesty’s forces in Royal Blue on the fields beside Canterbury Faire on the morrow.  Whatever the outcome, we know that all who stand upon that field will strive with honour and valour for the love of our glorious Kingdom of Lochac.

Alessandro & Isobel

A New King and Queen

At 12^th night we bid farewell to Hugh & Terasa and saw the Coronation of our new King Berengar and Queen Bethan. Even at Their Majesty’s first court there was discord and disharmony between our noble King and his graceful Queen. For Berengar did demand of Bethan an heir and required that she provide one by March. Bethan refused her King’s demand and the King then stormed out of court, leaving both the Queen and the populace in great consternation.

The King later held court alone, but was challenged there by the Queen, arrayed most splendidly in armour with her armed guard about her. She did forcefully assert her right to reign as Queen of Lochac without need of an heir. Berengar relented for the moment, suggesting the matter be settled on the warfield at Canterbury Faire.

So we travel there now, to lend our aid to the Regal Red of our Queen Bethan, hoping that Her Majesty may prove the rightness of her convictions to His Majesty in language he will surely understand – by sword and bow.

Plotting and Scheming II

Thank you to everyone who attended or sent ideas. Your contributions have been most helpful to us and we greatly appreciate the frank and wise counsel of our populace.

Our seneschal has announced there are teams to run Valentine’s Day, Newcomers and O-Week, as well as a coordinator for Festival. Lord Owain is consulting with teams for a weekend of Arts and Sciences classes and for a season of tourneys and smaller feasts.

The Barony still needs to do all it can to help these good gentles with these events. We entreat all to consider how they might contribute to the success of the Barony’s calendar so that Politarchopolis continues to be the envy of all the other Baronies.

Yours in Service

Alessandro and Isobel