The Kingdom of the East (or East Kingdom) is one of twenty "Kingdoms" or regions, of the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA), an international social club dedicated to researching and re-enacting the middle ages "as they ought to have been."[1] Comprising parts of the northeastern USA, all of Atlantic Canada, and Quebec,[2] it is made up of over 50 local groups.[3] It was the second kingdom created in the SCA, split off from the Kingdom of the West.
History
editThe kingdom was founded in 1968, as a new branch distinct from the West Kingdom.[4] At its founding, the Kingdom consisted of all lands east of the Mississippi River.[4] Since then, it has grown to over 50 individual groups, with XXXX members across eastern Pennsylvania, eastern New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Within Canada, subjects of the Kingdom hail from Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland.
Over time, the East Kingdom has ceded lands as other kingdoms have been created from it.
Local groups
editWithin the SCA, below the Kingdom level, groups are organized hierarchically into Regions, Baronies and Provinces, Cantons (in the case of Baronies), and Ridings (in the case of Provinces). Shires exist as sub-regional entities independent of baronies, and the Crown Principality of Tir Mara (covering the Canadian portions of the Kingdom of the East) counts as a Region under the Kingdom's internal laws. The Crown Province of Østgarðr (New York City) is equivalent to a Barony. Groups are classified based on membership numbers, per the governing documents of the SCA Inc.[5] The various geographical divisions of the Society may or may not follow modern-world political or geographical boundaries, although there is a proscription against groups below the level of principality crossing international or state/provincial borders without authorization from the Society Seneschal.[6]
| Branch Type | Minimum Membership |
|---|---|
| Kingdom | 400 |
| Principality | 100 |
| Barony/Province | 25 |
| Sub-Baronial | 5 |
The full listing of groups is as follows:
Crown Principality of Tir Mara
editBaronies/Provinces
- Havre des Glaces, north-eastern Quebec, established 1994 as a Shire, raised to Barony status 2000
- (Incipient) Canton d’Artigus
- Ruantallan (Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island)
- Canton of Distant Shore (Pictou and Colchester counties, Nova Scotia)
- Canton of Seashire (Halifax, Nova Scotia)
- Canton of Ynys Y Gwaun (Prince Edward Island)
- Stronghold of Ravensdale (Annapolis Valley, Nova Scotia)
Shires
- Ar n-Eilean-ne (Newfoundland and Labrador)
- Avonmore (South-eastern New Brunswick)
- Lyndhaven (Western New Brunswick)
Northern Region
editBaronies/Provinces
- Malagentia, Southern Maine
- Riding of Giggleswick (York County, Maine)
- Riding of Ravensbridge
- Stonemarche, New Hampshire
- Endewearde, Central Maine
Shires
- Coldwood, Plattsburgh, NY
- Glenn Linn, Warren, Washington and parts of Hamilton, Essex, Rensselaer, and Saratoga Counties, NY
- Mountain Freehold, Northwest Vermont
- Northern Outpost, St. Lawrence and Franklin counties, NY
- Panther Vale, Eastern Vermont
- Smithwick, Aroostook and Washington Counties, ME
- Wyndhame, Southeastern Vermont
Central Region
editBaronies/Provinces
- Bergental, Western Massachusetts
- Beyond the Mountain, North and East Connecticut
- Bridge, Rhode Island
- Carolingia, Greater Boston, MA
- Canton of Aschehyrst, western region of the barony
- Canton of the Towers. northern region
- Boroughs, which are not official SCA chapters but have representation within the Barony, exist at the various colleges and universities in the Greater Boston region
- Concordia of the Snows, all or parts of Albany, Greene, Columbia, Saratoga, Schenectady, Fulton, Schoharie, and Hamilton Counties of New York State
- Dragonship Haven, Southwestern Connecticut
- Canton of Dragon Forge South Central Fairfield County, Connecticut
- Canton of Sea Tyger's Rhyn, Central-South Connecticut
- Smoking Rocks, Southeast Massachusetts
Shires
- Anglespur, Rensselaer County NY
- Coill Tuar, Southern Ulster and Northern Orange Counties, NY
- Frosted Hills, Dutchess County NY
- Nordenhalle, Kingston, NY
- Quintavia, Metro-West & Worcester Counties, MA
Southern Region
editBaronies/Provinces
- An Dubhaigeainn, Suffolk County NY
- Canton of Hawke's Reach, Long Island NY
- Bhakail, Philadelphia, PA; Delaware and South Chester County, PA
- Canton of Black Icorndall, Media PA
- Bailiwick of Ivyeinrust, University of Pennsylvania
- Buckland Cross, Bucks County PA
- Carillion, Monmouth, Ocean, Mercer, Southern Middlesex, and Northern Burlington Counties, New Jersey
- Canton of Forestgate, Mercer County, NJ
- Canton of Keep by the Endless Sea, coastal NJ
- Iron Bog, Camden, Gloucester, S. Burlington, NJ
- Ostgardr, Greater New York City
- Canton of Brokenbridge, Brooklyn NY
- Canton of Lions End, Nassau County, NY
- Canton of Northpass, Putman & Westchester Counties, NY
- Canton of Whyt Whey, Manhattan NY
- Settmour Swamp, New Jersey
- Canton of Gryphonwald, Middlesex County NJ
- Canton of Marwick, Union County NJ
Shires
- Barren Sands, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Salem Counties, NJ
- Blak Rose, Cumberland, Dauphin and Lebanon counties of PA
- Caer Adamant, Delaware
- Eisental, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton & Reading, PA
- Hartshorn-dale, Chester and Montgomery Counties, PA
- Montevale, Fulton,Franklin,Cumberland, PA
- Owlsherst, York County, PA
- Rusted Woodlands, Bergen, Passaic and Sussex Counties, NJ
- Silver Rylle, Lancaster and Lebanon Counties, PA
Awards
editWithin the SCA, a large number of awards are given. While they cover a wide variety of activites, they may broadly be grouped as awards for excellence in service within the society; prowess in combat; and dedication to arts and sciences. The very highest level of awards are collectively known as Peerages, and confer social ranks across the 'Known World.' These are known as 'polling orders,' and are awarded by the reigning royalty of individual kingdoms, after consultation with current members of the relevant peerage. These awards are the Order of the Pelican, for outstanding service; the Orders of Chivalry and of Defense, for heavy armoured combat and light armoured/rapier combat respectively; and the Order of the Laurel, for knowledge in the arts and sciences of the medieval period. In addition, consorts of sovereigns may be entered into the Order of the Rose upon successful completion of a reign.
Each Kingdom has its own internal awards system as well, with varying requirements for each. These may be awarded at Kingdom level by royalty, at Baronial level on behalf of royalty, or at Baronial level of their own accord. Some Cantons and Shires also institute their own awards. Kingdom- and Baronial-level awards may be polling orders, or may be awarded at royal/baronial discretion.
Society-wide awards[7]
| Badge | Award Name | Granted For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Image) | Pelican | Outstanding service to Kingdom or Society | |
| (Image) | Chivalry | Outstanding prowess in the heavy armoured combat arts, demonstration of classic knightly virtues of courtesy and grace | Those who are raised to this order as knights are expected to swear fealty to their sovereigns. Those who prefer not to do so may be raised as Master or Mistress of Arms; rank and privileges are identical otherwise |
| (Image) | Laurel | Exemplary skill and knowledge in the arts and sciences, including teaching and using their knowledge for the betterment of Kingdom and/or Society | |
| (Image) | Defense | Similar to Chivarly, for outstanding prowess in rapier and/or cut-and-thrust combat | |
| (Image) | Rose | Granted to consorts of sovereigns at the successful conclusion of a reign | Not necessarily considered a Peerage in all Kingdoms |
Orders of High Merit (Polling Orders)[8]
| Badge | Award Name | Granted For | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| (Image) | Order of the Silver Crescent (OSC) | Service to the Kingdom or large portions thereof | Est. |
| (Image) | Order of the Maunch (OM) | Surpassing excellence in one field of art or science, or high levels of competence in several | |
| (Image) | Order of the Tygers Combatant (OTC) | Armoured combat prowess at the highest level in one form, or significant competence across multiple forms | |
| (Image) | Order of the Sagittarius (OSag) | Superior prowess in combat or target archery, and/or significant contributions to teaching or crafting within archery, and/or outstanding contributions to organization of archery events | |
| (Image) | Order of the Golden Rapier (OGR) | As for order of the Sagittarius, for fencing and related activities | |
| (Image) | Order of the Golden Lance | As for archery and fencing, for equestrian arts | (Image) |
| (Image) | Order of the Golden Mantle | As for archery, fencing, and equestrian, for outstanding contributions in the fields of siege weaponry, thrown weaponry, and scouting | Originally known as the Order of Artemis, was raised to an order of high merit and renamed in 2016 |
Events
editOther events
editReferences
edit- ^ "What is the SCA?". Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. url = http://socsen.sca.org/what-is-the-sca/.
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- ^ [2]
- ^ a b [3]
- ^ [4]
- ^ [5]
- ^ [6]
- ^ [7]