Kingdom of the Outlands
| Outlands | |
|---|---|
| |
| Vert, a stag argent, attired and unguled, salient from between the boughs of a laurel wreath, in chief a Saxon crown, all within a bordure embattled Or. | |
| Information | |
| Founded | A.S. XXI |
| Parent Kingdom | Atenveldt |
| King | Simon |
| Queen | Aria |
| Modern location | |
| New Mexico, most of Colorado, parts of Wyoming and Nebraska, and El Paso and Hudspeth counties of Texas. | |
Overview
The Kingdom of the Outlands is one of the kingdoms within the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), a nonprofit organization dedicated to the study and recreation of pre-17th-century culture. Founded in 1986, the Outlands encompasses all of New Mexico, most of Colorado, parts of Wyoming, and El Paso, Texas. It is known for its strong martial tradition, vibrant arts and sciences, and hospitality.
History
Prior to 1974
While some sources claim that Caerthe was the second founded barony in the entire SCA, documentation seems to conflict with this account. The History of the Kingdom of the West reports Atenveldt as the first barony in A.S. IV, 1969, followed by the Barony of Three Mountains in Portland, OR later in the same year. Caerthe is first mentioned for its 12th Night Revel in January of A.S. V after the emergence of the Barony of Madrone and the Barony of Angels. The History of the Kingdom of the West is heavily reliant on event documentation for its early history, leaving room for the possibility that Caerthe was founded prior to its first mention on the site.
There are conflicting reports for the founding of al-Barran. The Outlands History blog compiled by Aelflaed of Duckford claims that al-Barran's first year of organization was in May of 1973.[1] Whether this indicates that May of 1973 marks the beginning of the first year of organization or having surpassed one year of organization is unclear. Later entries list al-Barran's first tournament as having been in August of 1973.[2] Cunnan, Lochac's wiki, reports "On November 11, A.S. X (1975), the Barony of al-Barran was established in the Kingdom of Atenveldt with Sir Raymond the Quiet as the first Baron May 29, 1976."[3]
Grand Outlandish
The first Grand Outlandish was held May 24-26 of 1974, A.S. IX, at Cedro Peak Camping Area outside Albuquerque, New Mexico.[4] It was originally referred to as Outlandish Tourney. Winners of the Tournament would originally be referred to as Lord and Lady of Outlandish and were also considered Lord and Lady of the Outlands. This was an unofficial title which recognized leadership in the "The Outlands", then thought of as any area beyond the Barony of Atenveldt. During the second "reign" of Ton the Traveler and Elizabeth Karian of the Four Winds, it was determined that 6 month reigns would be less burdensome on future royalty of the Outlands. The reign of Bren Malokai the Wanderer and Simonetta had an unusually short tenure of only three months, and points to potential disruption or inability to serve by their predecessors. Eventually, tournaments to determine nobility would be made entirely separate from Grand Outlandish, but it is currently unclear when this occurred.
| Number | Lord of Outlandish | Lady of Outlandish | Date Selected |
|---|---|---|---|
| I | Ton the Traveler | Elizabeth Karian of the Four Winds | May 26, 1974 |
| II | Ton the Traveler | Elizabeth Karian of the Four Winds | May 25, 1975 |
| III | Ulrich von Matanuska | Roxanne de Rhiannon | May 30, 1976 |
| IV | Gunwaldt Gullbjørn | Aislinn Tara O'Neal | May 29, 1977 |
| V | Wilhelm of the Bogs | Megan Adoniel of Glengalen | May 28, 1978 |
| Number | Lord of the Outlands | Lady of the Outlands | Date Selected | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Ton the Traveler | Elizabeth Karian of the Four Winds | May 26, 1974 | |
| II | Ton the Traveler | Elizabeth Karian of the Four Winds | May 25, 1975 | |
| III | Bren Malokai the Wanderer | Simonetta | February 14, 1976 | First Lord and Lady not determined by Outlandish |
| IV | Ulrich von Matanuska | Roxanne de Rhiannon | May 31, 1976 | |
| V | Stefan of the Wanderers | Penelope | November 14, 1976 | Final Lord and Lady before formation of Principality of the Outlands |
Formation of Principality
Available documentation seems to indicate that Gunwaldt won the Lord of Outlandish tournament on May 29, 1977, as he was later invested as the first Prince of the Principality of the Outlands at al-Barran MidWinter on December 17, 1977.[5] Aislinn was invested as princess, as well.
| Role | Officer |
|---|---|
| Seneschal | Ketevia Segovia |
| Mistress of Arts | Sheera MacAndrew |
| Pursuivant | Kristen vonder Handfalk |
| Knight Marshall | Theo of Mightrinwood |
| Master of Sciences | Heinrich der Jaeger |
| Events Chronicler | Kathryn of Iveragh |
| Arts and Sciences Chronicler | Raymond the Quiet |
The next tournament, called the Prince Coronet Tourney in sources, to determine the Prince of the Outlands was held on October 26-27 of 1977 in the Barony of Caerthe.[6] This tournament was won by Heinrich der Jager, who was fighting on behalf of Lorene of Lircadia.
Burro Creek Wars and the Origins of Estrella
In February of 1978, members of al-Barran and other groups that would later form the Kingdom of the Outlands traveled to the Burro Creek Campground in Arizona to take part in what became known as the first Burro Creek War. The event was organized under King Koris and Queen Leah of Atenveldt after the King learned that the Kingdom of the West was holding war maneuvers with no one to fight against, prompting Atenveldt to declare war.
The Burro Creek War pitted the armies of Atenveldt against those of the West. Fighters from al-Barran fought alongside Atenveldt forces in a series of melees and skirmishes that became a defining moment for the region’s martial culture. Attendance exceeded 450 people, making it the largest event held in Atenveldt at that time. Notably, the first knighting on the field in armor took place during this war.
Over the next several years, additional Burro Creek Wars were held with growing attendance and participation from Outlands groups. The events featured experiments with large-scale battle scenarios, siege engines, and archery, as well as the development of organized war structure. By the fifth Burro Creek War, the site was no longer large enough, and the event was moved closer to Phoenix, where it became known as the Great Desert War. These early wars laid the foundation for what would become Estrella War, a major interkingdom event in which the Outlands continued to play a significant role.[7][8]
First Warlord Tournament
The first Warlord Tournament was held in Shadowskeep (Española, New Mexico) on April 22–23, A.S. XII (1978). Participants from across the Outlands, including members of al-Barran, traveled to attend the event, which featured both martial and artistic competitions. Challenge matches were held throughout the first day, with Thorad son of Bjorg distinguishing himself in several bouts against prominent fighters of the Principality. That evening, attendees celebrated with a feast, a bardic circle, and a drama competition in honor of Shakespeare’s birthday.
The actual tournament took place the following day, with 45 matches testing fighters’ skill across different weapons forms. Master Sir Theo of Mightrinwood emerged victorious, becoming the first Outlandish Warlord. The event concluded with court, during which several awards were given, including the presentation of the new Warlord Banner to Sir Theo.[9]
Founding of Kingdom
At Coronation on the 21st of July, 1979, Duke Siegfried-a member of the board of directors-declared that the Laurel Queen of Arms would permit the Principality to be called the Outlands. Previously, concerns over registrability led to the development of the alternative Utanwayard.
Following the Fall Crown Tournament of 1985, discussions arose around petitioning for kingdom status. Aelflaed of Duckford writes that Freana Geardson being beat by a fighter from the Barony of Atenveldt sparked conversation amongst officers in the Outlands of the need to become a separate kingdom. Then a principality officer, she received a phone call from three Kingdom of Atenveldt officers as well as a Baron and Baroness also discussing the matter on September 17. The following weekend, at al-Barran Baron's Champion Tournament, meetings were held on both Saturday and Sunday to discuss the logistics of the matter.
Organizers began sending mailers on September 25. Mistress Rodema created 14 options for a device after consultation with Saerlaith, Mark Lasie and Keridwen. Of these, four were included to be voted upon in a ballot sent out in November. In the ballot, members were given a list of arguments in favor of becoming a kingdom, considerations that would need to be made if so, a space to indicate their preferred device, and a simple "Yes" or "No" checkbox for becoming a kingdom.
Early Days of Kingdom
On June 14, 1986, A.S. XXI, the first Crown Tournament was officially held in Caerthe and won by Gunwaldt who fought on behalf of Aelflaed.
Geography
The Kingdom of the Outlands includes:
- The entire state of New Mexico
- Most of Colorado
- Parts of Wyoming (including Casper, Cheyenne, and surrounding areas)
- El Paso, Texas
Events
The Kingdom of the Outlands hosts several major annual events, including:
- Grand Outlandish – The oldest event of The Outlands, held in the high desert of New Mexico
- Battlemoor – A week-long camping war event featuring combat, arts, bardic, and more
- Crown Tournament – The armored combat tournament to determine the next King and Queen
- Coronation – The formal transition of the Crown
- Kingdom-level Arts & Sciences and Bardic Championships
Local groups also host regular events, including tournaments, revels, collegiums, and feasts.
Kingdom Structure
Like all SCA kingdoms, the Outlands is governed by a monarch (King and Queen, or equivalent), who reign for six-month terms determined by armored combat tournament. The kingdom’s administrative functions are overseen by the Greater and Lesser Officers of state.
Local Groups
The kingdom is made up of several baronies and shires, including:
- Barony of al-Barran
- Barony of Caerthe
- Barony of Dragonsspine
- Barony of Unser Hafen
- Barony of Caer Galen
- Barony of Citadel of the Southern Pass
- Shire of Fontaine dans Sable
- Shire of Windkeep
- Shire of Plattefordham
- Shire of Drygestan
- Shire of Nahrun Kabirun
- Shire of Draca Mor
Awards and Honors
The Outlands has its own set of kingdom awards and orders, recognizing excellence in service, combat, the arts, youth involvement, and more. These include:
- Order of the Stag
- Order of the Silver Tyne
- Order of the Iron Hart
- Order of the Flower
- Order of the Queen’s Grace
- Full List of Awards on the Kingdom Website
Recommendations for awards can be submitted by anyone through the Award Recommendation Portal.
Publications
- The Outlandish Herald – The official kingdom newsletter, published monthly
- Kingdom Law – The governing rules of the realm (available on the kingdom website)
External Links
- Official Kingdom of the Outlands Website
- Society for Creative Anachronism
- Kingdom Award Recommendation Portal
- ↑ https://outlandshistory.blogspot.com/2008/01/may-1973.html
- ↑ https://outlandshistory.blogspot.com/2008/01/august-1973.html
- ↑ https://cunnan.lochac.sca.org/index.php/Barony_of_al-Barran
- ↑ https://outlandshistory.blogspot.com/2008/01/may-1974.html
- ↑ https://outlandshistory.blogspot.com/2008/01/december-1977.html
- ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20080516032157/http://www.sff.net/people/kitsune/sca/coronet2.htm
- ↑ https://www.lochsalannhistory.com/the-shire-years/burro-creek-war-i-feb-1978/
- ↑ https://sandradodd.com/guestfest/estrella
- ↑ https://www.lochsalannhistory.com/the-shire-years/first-outlandish-warlord-april-1978/