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The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an international living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century. A quip often used within the SCA describes it as a group devoted to the Middle Ages "as they ought to have been", choosing to "selectively recreate the culture, choosing elements of the culture that interest and attract us". Founded in 1966, the non-profit educational corporation has over 20,000 paid members as of 2020 with about 60,000 total participants in the society (including members and non-member participants).


History

The SCA's roots can be traced to a backyard party of a UC Berkeley medieval studies graduate, the author
Diana Paxson Diana Lucile Paxson (born February 20, 1943) is an American author, primarily in the fields of Paganism and Heathenism. Her published works include fantasy and historical fiction novels, as well as numerous short stories. More recently she has ...
, in Berkeley, California, on May Day in 1966. The party began with a "Grand Tournament" in which the participants wore helmets, fencing masks, and usually some semblance of a costume, and sparred with each other using weapons such as plywood swords, padded maces, and fencing foils. It ended with a parade down Telegraph Avenue with everyone singing " Greensleeves". The SCA still measures dates within the society from the date of that party, calling the system ''Anno Societatis'' ( Latin for "in the Year of the Society"). For example, 2009 May 1 to 2010 April 30 was A.S. XLIV (44). The name Berkeley Society for Creative Anachronism was coined by science fiction author Marion Zimmer Bradley, an early participant, when the nascent group needed an official name in order to reserve a park for a tournament. "Berkeley" was dropped as the group expanded. Three other co-founders were science fiction author Poul Anderson, his wife, writer Karen Kruse Anderson, and their daughter, Astrid. In 1968, Bradley moved to
Staten Island Staten Island ( ) is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Richmond County, in the U.S. state of New York. Located in the city's southwest portion, the borough is separated from New Jersey by the Arthur Kill and the Kill Van Kull an ...
,
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
and founded the Kingdom of the East, holding a tournament that summer to determine the first Eastern King of the SCA. That September, a tournament was held at the
26th World Science Fiction Convention The 26th World Science Fiction Convention (Worldcon), also known as Baycon, was held on 29 August–2 September 1968 at the Claremont Hotel in Berkeley, California, United States. In 1968, Worldcon, annual World Science Fiction Convention, was ...
, which was in Berkeley that year. The SCA had produced a book for the convention called ''A Handbook for the Current Middle Ages'', which was a how-to book for people wanting to start their own SCA chapters. Convention goers purchased the book and the idea spread. Soon, other local chapters began to form. In October 1968, the SCA was incorporated as a
501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...
non-profit corporation A nonprofit corporation is any legal entity which has been Incorporation (business), incorporated under the law of its jurisdiction for purposes other than making profits for its owners or shareholders. Depending on the laws of the jurisdiction, a ...
in California. By the end of 1969, the SCA's three original kingdoms had been established: West Kingdom, East, and Middle. All SCA kingdoms trace their roots to these original three. The number of SCA kingdoms has continued to grow by the expansion and division of existing kingdoms; for example, the kingdoms now called the Outlands, Artemisia, Ansteorra, Gleann Abhann, Meridies, and Trimaris all are made up of lands originally belonging to the fourth kingdom, Atenveldt, which began as a branch of the West Kingdom. In 2012, the SCA agreed to pay $1.3 million to settle a lawsuit brought on behalf of 11 victims of child sexual abuse. The abuse was committed in Pennsylvania at the private residence of Ben Schragger, who pleaded guilty to criminal charges in 2004. Schragger was a member of the SCA at the time of the abuse. His membership was suspended on his arrest and permanently revoked after his plea. The lawsuit contended that the SCA had not conducted a background check on Schragger, though at the time the organization did not perform background checks in general and there is no legal requirement to do so.


Activities

The SCA engages in a broad range of activities, including SCA armoured combat, SCA fencing,
archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
, equestrian activities,
feasting A banquet (; ) is a formal large meal where a number of people consume food together. Banquets are traditionally held to enhance the prestige of a host, or reinforce social bonds among joint contributors. Modern examples of these purposes i ...
,
medieval dance Sources for an understanding of dance in Europe in the Middle Ages are limited and fragmentary, being composed of some interesting depictions in paintings and illuminations, a few musical examples of what may be dances, and scattered allusions in ...
and recreating
medieval art The medieval art of the Western world covers a vast scope of time and place, over 1000 years of art in Europe, and at certain periods in Western Asia and Northern Africa. It includes major art movements and periods, national and regional art, gen ...
s and
sciences Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...
, including a broad range of crafts as well as
medieval music Medieval music encompasses the sacred and secular music of Western Europe during the Middle Ages, from approximately the 6th to 15th centuries. It is the first and longest major era of Western classical music and followed by the Renaissance ...
and theatre. Other activities include the study and practice of
heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...
and scribal arts (
calligraphy Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
and illumination). Members are afforded opportunities to register a medieval personal name and coat of arms (often colloquially called a "
device A device is usually a constructed tool. Device may also refer to: Technology Computing * Device, a colloquial term encompassing desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. * Device file, an interface of a device driver * Peripheral, any devi ...
" in SCA parlance). SCA
scribe A scribe is a person who serves as a professional copyist, especially one who made copies of manuscripts before the invention of automatic printing. The profession of the scribe, previously widespread across cultures, lost most of its promi ...
s produce illuminated
scroll A scroll (from the Old French ''escroe'' or ''escroue''), also known as a roll, is a roll of papyrus, parchment, or paper containing writing. Structure A scroll is usually partitioned into pages, which are sometimes separate sheets of papyrus ...
s to be given by SCA royalty as awards for various achievements. Most local groups in the SCA hold weekly fighter practices, and many also hold regular archery practices, dance practices, A&S (Arts & Science) nights and other regular gatherings. Some kingdoms and regions also have occasional war practices, where fighters practice formations and group tactics in preparation for large scale "war" events. The research and approach by members of the SCA toward the recreation of history has led to new discoveries about medieval life. The SCA does not require participants to wear historically accurate clothing or equipment. According to the newcomer's guide:


Events

The SCA holds its own events as a non-profit education organization for the benefit of SCA members and their guests. This is unlike most Renaissance fairs, which are held mainly for profit to entertain customers and open to the public. Another noticeable difference is that SCA events are historically earlier than most Renaissance fairs. Each kingdom in the SCA runs its own schedule of events, which are announced in their kingdom newsletters (and usually posted on the kingdom website), but some of the largest SCA-sanctioned events, often called "wars", attract members from many kingdoms. Pennsic War, fought annually between the East Kingdom and Middle Kingdom, is the biggest event in the SCA. Likewise, Estrella War was held for over thirty years, mainly between two large regional SCA groups: the Kingdom of
Atenveldt The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an international living history group with the aim of studying and recreating mainly Medieval European cultures and their histories before the 17th century. A quip often used within the SCA describes ...
and the Kingdom of the Outlands. Most Estrella Wars were held near Phoenix, Arizona in late February and last around 7–9 days. Several thousand people attended each year, some from as far as
Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden,The United Nations Group of Experts on Geographical Names states that the country's formal name is the Kingdom of SwedenUNGEGN World Geographical Names, Sweden./ref> is a Nordic country located on ...
, Germany, France, Italy, Greece, and
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. On July 13, 2021 it was announced that Estrella War was cancelled permanently. Other annual SCA wars include Gulf Wars in Gleann Abhann (formerly Meridies), Great Western War in Caid, War of the Lillies in Calontir and others. Other annual or semi-annual Kingdom-level events held analogously by most or all SCA kingdoms include Crown Tournament, Coronation, Kingdom Arts and Sciences competition and Queen's Prize. Additionally, most baronies in the SCA have their own traditional annual events such as Baronial Arts and Sciences competition, a championship tournament, and often a Yule or Twelfth Night feast. Various SCA groups also sometimes host collegia or symposia, where members gather for a raft of classes on various medieval arts and sciences and other SCA-related topics. The minimum standard for attendance at an SCA event is "an attempt at pre-17th century clothing", and there is a general goal of maintaining a historical atmosphere. However, SCA members will use modern elements when necessary for personal comfort, medical needs, or to promote safety (e.g. wearing prescription eye-wear, using rattan for swords or shear thickening substances for padding). Unlike some other living history groups, most SCA gatherings do not reenact a specific time or place in history, leaving members free to dress as any culture within the SCA's time period.


Publications

The SCA produces two quarterly publications, ''The Compleat Anachronist'' and ''Tournaments Illuminated'', and each kingdom publishes a monthly newsletter. ''The Compleat Anachronist'' is a quarterly
monographic series Monographic series (alternatively, monographs in series) are scholarly and scientific books released in successive volumes, each of which is structured like a separate book or scholarly monograph. Semantics In general books that are released se ...
, each issue focused on a specific topic related to the period of circa 600–1600 in history. Issues are written by SCA members and have covered a wide range of topics. ''Tournaments Illuminated'' is a quarterly magazine, each issue covering a range of topics and including several features such as news, a humor column, book reviews, war reports and various articles on SCA-related topics of interest.


Organization


Corporate organization

The SCA is incorporated as a
501(c)(3) A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of the 29 types of 50 ...
non-profit corporation in California, with its current headquarters in the city of Milpitas, California. It is headed by a
board of directors A board of directors (commonly referred simply as the board) is an executive committee that jointly supervises the activities of an organization, which can be either a for-profit or a nonprofit organization such as a business, nonprofit organiz ...
, each of whom is nominated by the membership of the SCA, selected by sitting directors, and elected to serve for 3.5 years. Each director serves as an
ombudsman An ombudsman (, also ,), ombud, ombuds, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is an official who is usually appointed by the government or by parliament (usually with a significant degree of independence) to investigate complaints and at ...
for various kingdoms and society officers. The BoD, as it is called, is responsible for handling the corporate affairs of the SCA and is also in charge of certain disciplinary actions, such as revoking the membership status of participants who have broken Corpora regulations or modern law while participating in SCA activities. Because the SCA now has groups all over the world, it has also been incorporated in other countries, e.g. SCAA in Australia, SCANZ in New Zealand, SKA Nordmark in Sweden, SKA in Finland, and the UK CIC which covers both the UK and Ireland. These affiliated bodies work with the U.S. BoD with regards to Societal issues, but make all decisions affected by local law independently of the U.S. parent body. Although they agree to work in unity with the U.S. SCA board of directors, they are autonomous and are not bound by any ruling of the U.S. body.


Branches

The SCA is divided into administrative regions that it calls ''kingdoms''. Smaller branches within those kingdoms include ''Principalities'', ''Regions'', ''Baronies'', and ''Provinces''; and local chapters are known as ''Cantons'', ''Ridings'', ''Shires'', ''Colleges'', ''Strongholds'', and ''Ports''. Kingdoms, principalities, and baronies have ceremonial rulers who preside over activities and issue awards to individuals and groups. Colleges, strongholds, and ports are local chapters (like a shire) that are associated with an institution, such as a school, military base, or even a military ship at sea. All SCA branches are organized in descending order as follows: * Kingdom: Area ruled by a King and Queen ''(typically covering several U.S. states or Canadian provinces, and can be as large as countries or collections of countries)''. Minimum members required 400. ** Principality: Area within a kingdom ruled by a Prince and Princess ''(large area sometimes comprising entire states)''. Minimum members required 100. ** Region: Equivalent of principality without ceremonial representative. *** Barony: Area administered by a Baron and/or Baroness, the ceremonial representative(s) of the Crown. Minimum members required 25. **** Canton: Local branch reporting through a barony (local chapter, which may be on the way to becoming a shire). *** Province: Equivalent of barony without ceremonial representative. **** Riding: Local branch reporting through a province. *** Shire: Local branch reporting directly to a kingdom or principality. Minimum members required 5. *** College: Institutional branch based at a school, research facility, etc. (may be a part of a larger local group or report directly to a principality or kingdom). *** Stronghold: Institutional branch based at a military installation (may be a part of a larger local group or report directly to a principality or kingdom). *** Port: Institutional branch based at a military installation in situations where groups of members will be detached for long periods, as with ships at sea (may be a part of a larger local group or report directly to a principality or kingdom). Groups are active all over the United States, Canada, Europe,
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
,
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, South Africa, and New Zealand, with scattered groups elsewhere, including
China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, Israel, Panama and Thailand. At one time there was even a group on the aircraft carrier USS ''Nimitz'', known as the "Shire of Curragh Mor" (anglicized Irish for "Big Boat"), and the shire's arms played on the ''Nimitz's'' ship's badge. There is also an active chapter in South Korea, the Stronghold of Warrior's Gate, with a mix of active duty military personnel from the several services and military-connected civilians. There are also non-territorial, usually called "households", which are not part of the Society's formal organization, the largest of which is the
Mongol Empire The Mongol Empire of the 13th and 14th centuries was the largest contiguous land empire in history. Originating in present-day Mongolia in East Asia, the Mongol Empire at its height stretched from the Sea of Japan to parts of Eastern Europe, ...
-themed
Great Dark Horde The Great Dark Horde is an independent "household" (a social sub-group or quasi-fraternal organization) within the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), a historical reenactment group founded with the aim of studying and recreating pre-17th ce ...
.


Kingdoms

The twenty SCA Kingdoms and the geographic areas they cover are (in order of founding) # ''
The West Kingdom The West Kingdom (also known as The Kingdom of the West) is the oldest kingdom (or branch) of the historical reenactment organization, the Society for Creative Anachronism. It comprises Northern California (including the San Francisco area), Neva ...
'' was created when the Society originated in 1966. It currently includes Northern California, most of Nevada, and Alaska, as well as
Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
, Korea, and the
Pacific Rim The Pacific Rim comprises the lands around the rim of the Pacific Ocean. The ''Pacific Basin'' includes the Pacific Rim and the islands in the Pacific Ocean. The Pacific Rim roughly overlaps with the geologic Pacific Ring of Fire. List of co ...
(excluding
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and New Zealand). # The ''Kingdom of the East'' was created in 1968. In the United States it covers eastern Pennsylvania, eastern
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. In Canada, it covers Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
. # The ''Middle Kingdom'' was created in 1969. Its current borders include Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, lower Michigan, and parts of Kentucky, Iowa and Ontario. # The ''Kingdom of Atenveldt'' was created in 1971. It originally encompassed all the lands between the West, East, and Middle Kingdoms, and now consists of the state of Arizona. # The ''Kingdom of Meridies'' was created in 1978 from the Kingdom of Atenveldt. Its borders currently encompass Alabama, almost all of Georgia; East and Central Tennessee; and a bit of the
panhandle A salient (also known as a panhandle or bootheel) is an elongated protrusion of a geopolitical entity, such as a subnational entity or a sovereign state. While similar to a peninsula in shape, a salient is most often not surrounded by water on ...
of Florida. # The ''Kingdom of Caid'' was created in 1978 from the Kingdom of the West. It currently encompasses Southern California, the Las Vegas metropolitan area, and Hawaii. # The ''Kingdom of Ansteorra'' was created in 1979 from the Kingdom of Atenveldt. Ansteorra covers
Oklahoma Oklahoma (; Choctaw language, Choctaw: ; chr, ᎣᎧᎳᎰᎹ, ''Okalahoma'' ) is a U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States, bordered by Texas on the south and west, Kansas on the nor ...
and most of Texas as well as the International Space Station. # The ''Kingdom of Atlantia'' was created in 1981 from the Kingdom of the East. Its borders cover Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina, as well as Augusta, Georgia and the District of Columbia. # The ''Kingdom of An Tir'' was created in 1982 from the Kingdom of the West. It encompasses the US states of Oregon, Washington, and the northern tips of Idaho, and part of the Canadian province of British Columbia. # The ''
Kingdom of Calontir The Kingdom of Calontir is one of twenty "kingdoms", or regions, of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), an international organization dedicated to researching and recreating aspects of the Middle Ages. Calontir is located in the Midweste ...
'' was created in 1984 from the Kingdom of the Middle. It covers Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, and the 727xx Zip Code area around
Fayetteville, Arkansas Fayetteville () is the second-largest city in Arkansas, the county seat of Washington County, and the biggest city in Northwest Arkansas. The city is on the outskirts of the Boston Mountains, deep within the Ozarks. Known as Washington until ...
. # The ''Kingdom of Trimaris'' was created in 1985. It was split from the Kingdom of Meridies and is composed of the majority of Florida, as well as Panama, and falsely but humorously, Antarctica (although see ''Lochac'', below). Also, as a triskele (the Trimaris symbol) was sent into space on a shuttle, Trimaris claims outer space. # The ''Kingdom of the Outlands'' was created in 1986 from the Kingdom of Atenveldt. It encompasses New Mexico and Colorado, parts of Wyoming, the Nebraska panhandle, El Paso County and the Hudspeth County in Texas. # The ''Kingdom of Drachenwald'' was created in 1993 from the Kingdom of the East. It is by far the largest kingdom in terms of land area, but not in population. It covers all of Europe (including islands), Africa, and the Middle East. # The ''Kingdom of Artemisia'' was created in 1997 from the Kingdom of Atenveldt. It currently covers Montana, southern Idaho, most of Utah, and southwestern Wyoming. # The ''Kingdom of Æthelmearc'' was created in 1997 from the Kingdom of the East. It covers northeastern/central/western Pennsylvania, central/western
New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...
, and West Virginia. # The ''Kingdom of Ealdormere'' was created in 1998 from the Kingdom of the Middle. It comprises most of the Canadian province of Ontario. # The ''
Kingdom of Lochac The Kingdom of Lochac is one of twenty "Kingdoms" or regions, of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) - an international organization dedicated to researching and recreating aspects of the Middle Ages. Comprising Australia, New Zealand and t ...
'' was created in 2002 from the West Kingdom (Australia) and the Kingdom of Caid (New Zealand). It encompasses the entirety of
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
and New Zealand, and was granted prior title by the Board of the Society to the Australian administered parts of Antarctica, in 2017, the SCA groups in China became part of Lochac from the West Kingdom, in contradiction of the later claim put forward by the Kingdom of Trimaris. # The ''Kingdom of Northshield'' was created in 2004 from the Kingdom of the Middle. It covers North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and the upper peninsula of Michigan. It also extends into Canada, encompassing Manitoba and northwestern Ontario. # The ''Kingdom of Gleann Abhann'' was created in 2005 from the Kingdom of Meridies. It covers Mississippi, Louisiana, most of Arkansas, and the western edge of Tennessee including the Memphis area. # The ''Kingdom of Avacal'' was created in 2015 from the Kingdom of An Tir. It covers Alberta, Saskatchewan, Yukon,
Northwest Territories The Northwest Territories (abbreviated ''NT'' or ''NWT''; french: Territoires du Nord-Ouest, formerly ''North-Western Territory'' and ''North-West Territories'' and namely shortened as ''Northwest Territory'') is a federal territory of Canada. ...
and part of British Columbia.


Officers

The Society as a whole, each kingdom, and each local group within a kingdom, all have a standard group of officers with titles loosely based on medieval equivalents. * ''
Seneschal The word ''seneschal'' () can have several different meanings, all of which reflect certain types of supervising or administering in a historic context. Most commonly, a seneschal was a senior position filled by a court appointment within a royal, ...
'': The seneschal acts as the administrative head, or president of the group. Every local group is required to have a local seneschal who reports to the kingdom's seneschal. * ''Chancellor of the Exchequer'' or
Reeve Reeve may refer to: Titles *Reeve (Canada), an elected chief executive of some counties, townships, and equivalents *Reeve (England), an official elected annually by the serfs to supervise lands for a lord *High-reeve, a title taken by some Englis ...
: The treasurer, who handles the financial matters of the group. Every local group is required to have one. The Society Chancellor of the Exchequer, who administrates the kingdom and local reeves, reports to the Society Treasurer who handles the corporate finances. In most kingdoms the Exchequer (kingdom or local) are some of the only officers to have a financial warrant to collect gate fees and handle money for the society. * '' Knight Marshal'': The combat supervisor, the knight marshal administrates all combat activities for the branch, including armored combat, rapier combat, archery and equestrian. A local group is required to have one in order to host combat activities. * ''
Minister Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of government w ...
of Arts and Sciences'': Sometimes split into two offices, one for arts and one for sciences, this office coordinates arts and sciences activities for the group, arranging both monthly classes and demonstrations as well as a larger yearly collegium (a two- to three-day workshop with multiple classes), and leading participants to others who work in fields of their interest. * '' Herald'': This officer is in charge of heraldic activities, such as the creation and registration of names and
arms Arms or ARMS may refer to: *Arm or arms, the upper limbs of the body Arm, Arms, or ARMS may also refer to: People * Ida A. T. Arms (1856–1931), American missionary-educator, temperance leader Coat of arms or weapons *Armaments or weapons **Fi ...
. Each kingdom has a College of Heralds which prepares submissions to go to the Society College of Arms, headed by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms. *''
Chatelaine Chatelaine may refer to: * Chatelaine (chain), a set of short chains on a belt worn by women and men for carrying keys, thimble and/or sewing kit, etc. *Chatelaine (horse), a racehorse * ''Chatelaine'' (magazine), an English-language Canadian wom ...
'' or ''Hospitaller or Gold Key'' : In charge of welcoming and facilitating new participants into the SCA including recruiting, onboarding, and transitioning members from other branches. They are also responsible for Gold Key, which provides loaner garb, and occasionally feast gear and introductory literature, for new members. * ''Marshal'': Supervises a specific combat-related activity, insuring safety of participants and refereeing where applicable. A marshal must be certified for the type of activity they oversee; as such there are armored combat marshals, rapier marshals, target archery marshals, equestrian marshals, etc. A marshal of a given certification must be present for that particular activity to take place at an event. * ''
Constable A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in criminal law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions. A constable is commonly the rank of an officer within the police. Other peop ...
'': In all kingdoms they handle public safety and security, and may collect gate fees depending on the policy of the kingdom the event is in. * Kingdom Waiver Secretary: In charge of maintaining and tracking liability waivers for events. * ''Chronicler'': Produces and edits the group's newsletter. The Society Chronicler monitors each of the kingdom and local group's chroniclers, while the SCA's two organization-wide publications, '' Tournaments Illuminated'' and '' The Compleat Anachronist'', each have their own editor-in-chief. * ''Minister of Children, Minister of Youth or Youth Activities Officer'': Arranging and officiating children's activities. * '' Historian'': Recording the history of the group, from the local to the Society level. * ''Webminister'': Derived from webmaster, this officer is in charge of maintaining the Internet presence of the group. * ''Social Media'': Responsible for use of social media on a variety of platforms and to serve as the "official voice" of the branch groups of the SCA. * ''Chirurgeon'': In charge of safety and modern first aid. First formed in 1983, the office was dissolved on August 10, 2015 amid concerns of legal liability.


Culture of the group

Members of the SCA study and take part in a variety of activities, including combat and
chivalry Chivalry, or the chivalric code, is an informal and varying code of conduct developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It was associated with the medieval Christianity, Christian institution of knighthood; knights' and gentlemen's behaviours we ...
,
archery Archery is the sport, practice, or skill of using a bow to shoot arrows.Paterson ''Encyclopaedia of Archery'' p. 17 The word comes from the Latin ''arcus'', meaning bow. Historically, archery has been used for hunting and combat. In m ...
,
heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...
, equestrian activities, costuming,
cooking Cooking, cookery, or culinary arts is the art, science and craft of using heat to Outline of food preparation, prepare food for consumption. Cooking techniques and ingredients vary widely, from grilling food over an open fire to using electric ...
, metalworking, woodworking, leather crafting, music,
dance Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
,
calligraphy Calligraphy (from el, link=y, καλλιγραφία) is a visual art related to writing. It is the design and execution of lettering with a pen, ink brush, or other writing instrument. Contemporary calligraphic practice can be defined as "t ...
, fiber arts, and others as practiced during the member's time period.


Personae

To aid historical recreation, participants in the SCA create historically plausible characters known individually as ''personae''. To new members, a persona can simply be a costume and a name used for weekend events, while other members may study and create an elaborate personal history. The goal of a well-crafted persona is a historically accurate person who might have lived in a particular historical time and place. The SCA has onomastic students who assist members in creating an appropriate persona name. The SCA rules state that: "We allow elements and patterns for personal names from beyond Europe, but we require them to be from cultures that were known to medieval and Renaissance Europeans or whose members might reasonably have traveled to Europe". So, while less common, there are members with Saracen, Chinese, Japanese or Native American personae. In addition, claiming to be a specific historical individual, especially a familiar one (e.g.
Genghis Khan ''Chinggis Khaan'' ͡ʃʰiŋɡɪs xaːŋbr />Mongol script: ''Chinggis Qa(gh)an/ Chinggis Khagan'' , birth_name = Temüjin , successor = Tolui (as regent)Ögedei Khan , spouse = , issue = , house = Borjigin , ...
,
Julius Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar (; ; 12 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC), was a Roman general and statesman. A member of the First Triumvirate, Caesar led the Roman armies in the Gallic Wars before defeating his political rival Pompey in a civil war, and ...
,
Henry Plantagenet Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189), also known as Henry Curtmantle (french: link=no, Court-manteau), Henry FitzEmpress, or Henry Plantagenet, was King of England from 1154 until his death in 1189, and as such, was the first Angevin king ...
, Queen Elizabeth I), is not permitted. Likewise, one is not allowed to claim the ''persona'' of a fellow SCA member, alive or dead. Nor is one allowed to take on the persona of a sufficiently familiar fictional character (e.g. Robin of Locksley/ Robin Hood).


Heraldry

A major dimension to the SCA is its internal system of
Heraldry Heraldry is a discipline relating to the design, display and study of armorial bearings (known as armory), as well as related disciplines, such as vexillology, together with the study of ceremony, rank and pedigree. Armory, the best-known branch ...
. Any member of the society may apply to register a name and
device A device is usually a constructed tool. Device may also refer to: Technology Computing * Device, a colloquial term encompassing desktops, laptops, tablets, smartphones, etc. * Device file, an interface of a device driver * Peripheral, any devi ...
for their persona, which are checked by the heralds for uniqueness and period authenticity, before being blazoned and recorded in the society's Armorial. The system has evolved since the formation of the society; and now has three Sovereigns of Arms, with ''Principal Heralds'' for each Kingdom, who oversee deputy officers for matters such as heraldic education and processing registrations, and local officers (generally one for each local chapter) who assist the local participants. In addition to design of arms, heralds in the Society also provide services such as voice heraldry (similar to a master of ceremonies) at tournaments and official functions, and organizing tournament brackets or "lists."


Royalty

The SCA has ceremonial rulers chosen by winning tournaments (Kings/Queens, Princes/Princesses) in SCA armoured combat. Barons and Baronesses are appointed by Royalty, although some baronies hold elections or competitions to choose their preferred Baron and/or Baroness. One of the primary functions of state for reigning monarchs is to recognize participant achievement through awards. Most awards denote excellence in a specific pursuit such as local service, arts and sciences, and combat. Some awards change the precedence and title of the recipient, giving him or her the privilege of being known as "Lord"/"Lady", "Baron", "Duchess", "Master", and so forth. High level awards are often given with the consultation of the other people who have received the award, such as peerages and consulting orders. The Crown has some authority over other matters relating to leadership, but the extent of this varies from kingdom to kingdom.


Rule by right of arms

Each SCA kingdom is "ruled" by a king and queen chosen by winning a Crown Tournament in armored combat. Corpora require this to be held as a "properly constituted armored combat" tournament. The winner of the Crown Tournament and his/her consort are styled "Crown Prince and Princess" and serve an advisory period (three to six months, depending upon the scheduling of the Crown Tournament) under the current king and queen prior to acceding to the throne and ruling in their turn. This selection method is not based on how actual medieval monarchs were chosen, as there is no record of one being selected by tournament combat in this manner. There are, however, literary and historical bases for the custom, most famously the tournament in Sir Walter Scott's ''
Ivanhoe ''Ivanhoe: A Romance'' () by Walter Scott is a historical novel published in three volumes, in 1819, as one of the Waverley novels. Set in England in the Middle Ages, this novel marked a shift away from Scott’s prior practice of setting st ...
''. In the Middle Ages, there were a number of different "mock king" games, some of which involved some form of combat, such as King of the Mountain or the King of Archers. In the 17th century the Cotswold Games were developed, the winner of which was declared to be "king". Also, the medieval
saga is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...
s contain accounts of uniting petty kingdoms under a single king through ''actual'' combat. The SCA's first event did not choose a "king". Fighters vied for the right to declare their ladies (only men fought at the first event) "fairest", later called the "Queen of Love and Beauty".


Peerage orders

The highest ranking titles in the SCA belong to the royalty, followed by the former royalty. Former kings and queens become counts and countesses (dukes and duchesses if they have reigned more than once), and former princes and princesses of principalities become viscounts and viscountesses. This system is not historically based, but was developed out of practical necessity early in the Society's history. Directly beneath this "landed" nobility (current and former royalty) rank the highest awards, the peerages. The SCA has four orders of peerage with one split into two parts: the Order of the Chivalry, awarded for skill at arms in armored combat, split into the knights and the masters of arms; the Order of the Laurel, awarded for skill in the arts and sciences; the Order of the Pelican, awarded for outstanding service to the Society; and the Order of the Masters of Defense, awarded for skill at arms in rapier combat. In several kingdoms the Order of the Rose, made up of former consorts, is considered a peerage equal to the other four.


Elevation to peerage

Peerages are bestowed by the Crown (the sovereign and consort) of a kingdom. In most cases, this is done with the consent of the members of a given peerage, often at their suggestion. The Society's Bylaws state that "the Crown may elevate subjects to the peerage by granting membership in one of the orders conferring a Patent of Arms, after consultation with the members of the Order within the kingdom, and in accordance with the laws and customs of the kingdom. Restriction: to advance a candidate to the Order of the Chivalry, a knight of the Society (usually the king) must bestow the
accolade The accolade (also known as dubbing or adoubement) ( la, benedictio militis) was the central act in the rite of passage ceremonies conferring knighthood in the Middle Ages. From about 1852, the term ''accolade'' was used much more generally to ...
".


Cultural impact

In May 1999, '' The Onion'' ran a front-page article headlined "Society for Creative Anachronism Seizes Control of Russia" featuring photos of actual SCA participants from the Barony of Jaravellir ( Madison, Wisconsin). In ''
Number of the Beast The number of the beast ( grc-koi, Ἀριθμὸς τοῦ θηρίου, ) is associated with the Beast of Revelation in chapter 13, verse 18 of the Book of Revelation. In most manuscripts of the New Testament and in English translations of ...
'' (1980), Robert A. Heinlein portrayed an SCA tournament where live weapons were used and the battles actually fought to the "death". The defeated combatants were either transported to an alternate reality where medical technology was advanced enough that they could be revived from any wound or transported to the alternate reality that was Valhalla. The contestants' desires were placed in sealed envelopes prior to the tournament, which were destroyed if the competitor won and obeyed if a competitor lost. In ''Ariel'' (1983), a post-apocalyptic fantasy by
Steven R. Boyett Steven R. Boyett, also known as DJ Steve Boyett, is a writer and disc jockey based in Northern California. Early work Boyett sold his first novel, ''Ariel'', at the age of 21, and went on to publish ''The Architect of Sleep'', ''The Gnole'' (wit ...
, technology suddenly stops working and sorcery and sword fight take over. Several characters who are former SCA members attribute their survival to their SCA experience. The 1986 fantasy novel '' The Folk of the Air'' by
Peter S. Beagle Peter Soyer Beagle (born April 20, 1939) is an American novelist and screenwriter, especially of fantasy fiction. His best-known work is ''The Last Unicorn'' (1968), a fantasy novel he wrote in his twenties, which ''Locus'' subscribers voted the ...
was written after the author attended a few early SCA events ''circa'' 1968; but he has repeatedly stated that he then studiously avoided any contact with the SCA itself for almost two decades, so that his description of a fictitious "League for Archaic Pleasures" would not be "contaminated" by contact with the actual real-life organization. Members of the SCA are given pivotal roles in S. M. Stirling's Emberverse series, where their skills in pre-industrial technology and warfare become invaluable in helping humanity adapt when all modern technology (including firearms) ceases working. The novel ''Murder at the War'' (''Knightfall'' in paperback edition) by
Mary Monica Pulver Margaret Frazer, born Gail Lynn Brown (November 26, 1946 – February 4, 2013), was an American historical novelist, best known for more than twenty historical mystery novels and a variety of short stories. The pen name was originally shared by F ...
is a
murder mystery Crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery, mystery novel, and police novel are terms used to describe narratives that centre on criminal acts and especially on the investigation, either by an amateur or a professional detective, of a crime, ...
set entirely at the SCA's largest annual event, Pennsic War. In David Weber's 1996 science fiction novel ''
Honor Among Enemies ''Honor Among Enemies'' is a 1996 science fiction novel by American writer David Weber. It is the sixth book in the Honor Harrington series. In the book, Honor returns to active duty from her political exile on Grayson to command a Q-ship and fi ...
'', main character Honor Harrington mentions that her uncle is a member of the SCA and that he taught her to shoot from the hip (the time the SCA covers having been moved up to the 19th century in the future era in which the novel is set, to include
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and
Civil War reenactors American Civil War reenactment is an effort to recreate the appearance of a particular battle or other event associated with the American Civil War by hobbyists known (in the United States) as Civil War reenactors, or living historians. Althou ...
). In his conclusion to the '' Space Odyssey'' series, '' 3001: The Final Odyssey'' (1997),
Arthur C. Clarke Sir Arthur Charles Clarke (16 December 191719 March 2008) was an English science-fiction writer, science writer, futurist, inventor, undersea explorer, and television series host. He co-wrote the screenplay for the 1968 film '' 2001: A Spac ...
portrays the SCA as still being active in the year
3001 3001 may refer to: * 3001, the post code of Melbourne Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Austra ...
. In Christopher Stasheff's "Warlock" series, the inhabitants of the planet Gramarye are revealed to be descended from SCA participants. A prequel, ''Escape Velocity'', describes how the SCAdians first came to Gramarye, and how lands were assigned to the royal peers. In John Ringo's ''
The Council Wars The Council Wars is an in-progress book series by John Ringo, published by Baen. It is a combination of science fiction, military science fiction, and high fantasy. The Council Wars series explores the chaos that ensues after a high tech civil ...
'' science fiction series, characters with SCA or SCA-like experience help their society recover from a catastrophic loss of technology.


References


Further reading

* * * *Burns, C. (Director) and Cardinale, T. (Director). (2001). ''In Service to the Dream'' otion Picture Burbank, CA: Mythos Productions LLC. *Geist, B. (Interviewer). (2000, May 7). Weekend Warriors. ''CBS Sunday Morning'' elevision Program New York, NY: CBS Television. * *


External links

* *
The Origins of the SCA

"Gather Ye Olde Suburban Knights"
– slideshow by NPR {{DEFAULTSORT:Society For Creative Anachronism 1966 establishments in California 1966 in California Charities based in California Culture of Berkeley, California Historical reenactment groups History of Berkeley, California Medieval reenactment Non-profit organizations based in the San Francisco Bay Area