[Ansteorra] An Anniversary

[Chris Zakes]

Fair Greetings,

Thirty years ago, on a cold, wet Saturday night, history was made. 
During court at the Tournament of Chivalry in the Principality of 
Ansteorra, Her Highness Tessa of the Gardens announced that she and 
Prince Simonn of Amber Isle were creating an award to recognize 
prominent rapier fighters in the Principality. To the best of my 
knowledge, this was the first official recognition of any sort for 
rapier fighters in the SCA.

At that time, there were maybe thirty or forty rapier fighters in 
Ansteorra, and a few handfuls scattered about the rest of the Known 
World. Benign neglect was about the best we could hope for from most 
of the powers-that-be and outright hostility was a pretty common 
reaction to the presence of rapier fighters.

But Simonn and Tessa saw farther than most, and realized that rapier 
had the potential to add something to Ansteorra and to the SCA as a 
whole. Little did any of us realize just how much it would add. So 
take a moment to reflect on where you were and what you were doing on 
March 10 AS XIII, and to raise a glass to toast the folks who started 
the Order of the White Scarf.

Happy White Scarf Day, everybody!

             -Tivar Moondragon
                         Ansteorra