Meridien Rapier

 History & Traditions

This Page is constantly under construction as we are always adding to our history. The Rocky Road of Rapier - A brief account of how Rapier combat came into Meridies. Traditions Noteworthy Battles, etc. Victors of Prominent Tourneys Revision of the Rules

Meridien Rapier Traditions

The Meridian Order of the Blade - King Ailgheanan & Queen Ashildr established a kingdom level high merit rapier award at Gulf War XIV (3/18/05).  The Meridian Order of the Blade is an armigerous polling order (carries an AoA) given by the Crown in recognition of Excellence in Skill, Instruction, Leadership, and Service to the sport of Rapier, the Rapier Community, and the Kingdom.  Companions of the order may wear a  garter or strap about their left upper arm (black with white edging bearing the badge of the order) and/or any other article bearing the badge of the order (a field sable, a rapier palewise or, beneathe 3 mullets argent) and are entitled to place the initials, M.O.B. after their name.  Companions of the order are: Maestro Damiano Elie Belinni & THLord Tormod dubh Gunn - 3/18/05 THLord Edmund Cavendish, Master Erik Telemark, Mistress Irene von Schmetterling, Lord Regné de Lyon, & Lord Ricart Berenguer Halcon - 3/18/05 Master Llywelyn ap Alawn & THLord Ursus Grim - 4/02/05 Lord Jean-Michel d'Aix en Provence - 3/17/06 Lord Leon Jeronimo Suarez - 9/09/06 Baroness Lorelei von Orlamounde, called Osprey - 10/07/06 Lord Corbin de la Rue & Lady Ysabel de Sainctecroix - 6/23/07 (Additional info regarding the M.O.B. may follow as traditions develop.) The Queen's Rapier Guard - The rapier community provides a ceremonial guard to every Royal Consort who wants one. This consists of 2 to 10 rapier fighters wearing matching tabbards (made by Mistress Irene von Schmetterling) who attend upon the Royal Consorts during court and other ceremonial functions. The Guard has a tradition of presenting the Royal Consorts with roses at every possible opportunity (White for the Queen; Red for the Princess). The Guard will also occasionally provide a 'sword arch' for the Royal Party to process through. One does not need any special invitation to serve on the Guard. Any authorized rapier fighter may volunteer. All are welcome. The Queen's Rapier Champion - The 1st Kingdom Championship was to be held at Gulf War VIII. Unfortunately, the tournament was canceled due to inclement weather.  The 1st actual Queen's Rapier Championship was held that spring at Coronation.  Since then most of the Champions were victors of a Championship but some have been appointed without a tourney. Meridien Queen Champion Appointed Sabine I Lord Tormod dubh Gunn Gulf Wars VIII (3/12/99) Katrina II THLord Tormod dubh Gunn Spring Coronation (4/10/99) Meaghan Lord Lloyd of Penrose Fall Coronation (9/11/99) Sabine II THLord Llywelyn ap Alawn Spring Coronation (5/6/00) Ilissa III Lord Edmund Cavendish Diamond War (9/30/00) Kathleen THLord Tormod dubh Gunn Spring Coronation (4/6/01) Broinnfhionn Lord Ivan Pietrovic Pevcov Diamond War (9/29/01) Hanna Viscount Sir Gareth MacGunter Fools' War (4/12/02) Anneis Lord Leon Jeronimo Suarez Fighters' Collegium (11/10/02) Lethrenn THLord Llywelyn ap Alawn Border Raids (6/28/03) Lailiane Tar Radu Spring Coronation (4/3/04) Ashildr Lord Ricart Berenguer Halcon (Hawk) Fighters' Collegium (11/13/04) Deirdre I Lord Corbin de la Rue Fighters' Collegium (11/13/05) Kora Lord Thomas O'Toole Pillage on the Plains (10/07/06) Deirdre II Lord Jean-Michel d'Aix en Provence Crown List (5/5/07) The duties of the Queen's Rapier Champion are to serve as a liaison for the rapier community to the crown and to run the next championship. The Queen's Champion also serves as the Captain of the Queen's Guard with former champions serving as Lieutenants. The Order of the Argent Rapier - King Richard & Queen Katrina established a kingdom level rapier award at Crown List (May 1, 1999).  The Order of the Argent Rapier is a non-armigerous award given by the Crown to fighters who have distinguished themselves in rapier combat (in war, on the tournament field, and in the training of new fighters.)  Companions of the order may wear a garter about their left upperarm or calf (black leather bearing a white crown of 3 points) and are entitled to place the initials, C.A.R. after their name.   Companions of the order are: Mistress Irene von Schmetterling  &  THLord Tormod dubh Gunn - 5/1/99 THLord Llywelyn ap Alawn - 6/26/99 THLord Damiano Elie Belinni - 8/7/99 Lord Ursus Grim - 8/28/99 Baron Shoiel ben Yisrael - 9/11/99 Lord Edmund Cavendish - 1/8/00 THLady Osprey von Orlamunde  &  Jarl Master Sir Brian MacBrand - 3/18/00 Lord Leon Jeronimo Suarez - 9/23/00 Lord Corwin Giollapadhreag - 9/30/00 Lady Tangwen - 10/27/00 Lady Giovanna di Ferrara  &  Lord Ivan Pietrovic Pevcov - 10/27/01 Mistress Alysia Gabrielle de Fougéres - 11/9/01 Master Erik of Telemark - 12/8/01 Lord Craig Robert du Pierrepont  &  Lady Eorann inghean Bhroin - 5/26/02 Jean-Michel d'Aix en Provence - 6/8/02 Lady Elizabet MacKenzie de Ross - 6/29/02 Lord Artemis Ardrossanne - 8/24/02 Lord Stefan d'Gascon - 12/7/02 Baroness Raven Blackloke - 4/3/04 THLord Elijah Cameron of Black Isle,   Lord Christoph van den Brake,  &  Lord Ricart (Hawk) Berenguer Halcon  - 7/17/04 THLord Charles de Joscelyn - 10/30/04 Lord Aethan Dunmire - 1/15/05 Lord Rúnólfr Orthlokarr Úlfsson - 1/30/05 Lord Regné de Lyon  &  Lord Frederick Alten - 2/19/05 Lord Wulfram Forester - 3/18/05 Lord Travis Bond - 8/18/05 Lord Fedor Razin - 8/27/05 Lord Corbin de la Rue  &  Lady Ysabel de Sainctecroix - 9/24/05 Lady Randalin in Kyrra, Lord Cillian MacCaldwell,  &  Lord Falcon Blackdragon - 10/07/06. Lord Sigurd Gruenwald - 11/11/06 Baron Kojin the Wanderer & Lord Francois le Souris - 4/28/07 Lady Sarona Boann - 6/2/07 The Iron Ring of Meridies - This is a saught-after bauble.  The current holder of the ring may display it as he/she wishes, but may be challenged by any other Meridien rapier fighter.  The challenge may be fought according to whatever weapons and conventions agreed to by the combattants.  The victor will secure rights to bear the ring until the next challenge.  Please inform Tormod if there are additional rules/traditions which should be included here. Current Bearer of the Iron Ring of Meridies Sarona Wearing of the Braid (To be added )

 

Special moments from noteworthy battles, etc.
(To be added as they happen)

Meridien Rapier Fighters had a very good day at Border Raids XXVIII.  After the morning tourney to determine Unit commanders (Lord Edmund and THLord Tormod), we prepared for the Warpoint melees.  It was painfully obvious that Meridies did outnumber the MidRealm by more than 2:1.  (It was certainly 'painful' for the MidRealmers.)    To give the MidRealm a sporting chance, Meridies did limit Her field strength to that which the Middle could muster.   Yet, the Meridien militia were still victorious, securing the Rapier Warpoint for the Kingdom.  (On a side note, I believe that Meridies ended up winning every single warpoint this year.)  Hazzah! Several Meridien Rapier Fighters made the trek to Pennsic in '99 Meridies cohosted a melee with the MidRealm which set a new record - Largest Schlager Battle in Pennsic History!  Hazzah! Irene and Tormod fought well for Meridies in the Champion's Tourney. The 1st Annual 'Meridies Novice Open' was well attended.  Cynwrig ap Rhys, of Atlantia, won. And we mustn't forget "The Meridiots", our energetic team in the Atlantian Melee tourney (consisting of Osprey, Tormod, Tangwen, Borgar, & Christoph).

 

Victors of Prominent Tourneys

Queen's Sleeve Tourneys     Lord Thomas O'Toole         Legends VIII - 6/907	Queen's Prize Tourneys      Christoph van den Brake           Red Tower - 9/18/99      THL Llywelyn ap Alawn           Black Axe - 6/5/99      THL Osprey von Orlamunde           Kingdom Arts & Sciences Faire - 5/30/99      Maurice von Rijn           Lusty Month of May - 5/8/99      Duc Master Sir Orlando Cavalcanti           Meridien 25th Year - 4/5/03      Duc Master Sir Orlando Cavalcanti           Fools' War - 4/26/03   Royal Princess' Prize Tourneys      Georg von Staufenberg          Gulf Wars IX - 3/17/00      THL Llywelyn ap Alawn          Glaedenfeld's Twelfth Night - 1/8/00       Don Brendon (Ansteorra)           Gulf War VIII - 3/11/99       Lord Ursus Grim           Glaedenfeld's Twelfth Night - 1/9/99       THL Corwin Giollapadhreag           Magna Faire - 12/12/98 Steller Princess' Prize Touneys       THL Damiano Elie Bellini, C.A.R.            Diamond Wars - 9/25/99       Master Erik of Telemark            Winter Investiture - 2/6/99
Princess' Champion    Master Erik of Telemark         Fall Crown List - 10/14/00
Principality Championship (Gleann Abhann)      THLord Damiano Elie Bellini, C.A.R.           Winter Investiture - 2/5/00      THLord Corwin Giollapadhreag           Summer Investiture - 8/7/99      Maestro Damiano Elie Bellini, C.A.R.           Lugh - 7/10/04
Border Tourney      THL Llywelyn ap Alawn, C.A.R.          Border Raids - 6/26/99 Meridies Novice Open      Francois le Sourisse (Meridies)          Gulf War XI - 3/13/02      Andreas de Gascon (Meridies)         Pennsic XXX - 8/17/01      Baptiste 'Burford' le Clerc (Meridies)         Gulf War X - 3/14/01      Father Thomas (Trimaris)          Gulf War IX - 3/17/00      Cynwrig ap Rhys (Atlantia)          Pennsic XXVII - 8/21/99

The Meridien Rapier Rules were rewritten, May 1, 1999. These rules welcomed in the new era of Meridien Rapier as an established activity.   They presented a more streamlined system which was much easier to work with than the experimental ones had been.  They also put Meridies in compliance with a proposed set of new Society Rules which went to the BoD later that year.  These are the rules which are currently in use.  If you are curious about the previous sets of rules, just ask Tormod.   The older rules are available; they are not posted here purely to avoid any confusion. These rules have had two subsequent revisions. October 15, 2003 - The list of approved blades were broadened to admit several new designs that had entered the market. January 25, 2004 - Protective gear requirements were changed to reduce the shoulder and armpit minimums.

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This webpage was created and maintained by Martin A Russell

(THLord Tormod dubh Gunn, MOB, PQRC, PAR)

Please direct all complaints, suggestions, and thrown fruit to thltormod@bellsouth.net.

DISCLAIMER - Although this website is operated by a Meridien Rapier Marshal and with the permission of the Kingdom Rapier Marshal of Meridies, it is not an official publication of the Kingdom of Meridies, or of the Society for Creative Anachronism and does not delineate SCA policies. It is intended only as a tool to inform rapier enthusiasts of current activities and trends.

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