Angharat verch Reynulf

Persona:

Angharat verch Reynulf is a Welsh Border Marcher living in between Hay-on-Wye and Builth Castle in the 1340's. She is the Chatelaine for her brother's holdings, as well as caring for her own holdings of a hyfod and manor. She is a competent seamstress, embroiderer, cook and can read and write.

Her arms are Per chevron purpure and argent, two wolves rampant argent and a dragon displayed sable, with a badge (Fieldless) A wolf rampant barry argent and purpure.

Societal/Known World Highlights:

I first began playing in the early 1980's in Dragon's Laire, beginning as a male Welsh fighter Llewellyn with my brother Drakkus Blackrogue. From seeing Glamfolk members putting up signs for June Faire and sneaking out to check it out, enjoying the fighting as well as calligraphy - even getting my decidedly non-SCA friendly mother to pay for calligraphy lessons for the rest of the year under the guise of bettering my handwriting, and helping Owen O'Niall from time to time in his merchant booth or volunteering with constabulary in the late nights and waterbearing or heraldry during the day-I enjoyed it all.

Other persona's played with in the 1980's included Aelfreda Wulfe O'Niall, an early Norse persona, and a Byzantine persona, inspired by family history, silhouettes of clothing styles, or people who inspired me to keep trying and playing. During college and my pre-children years, I traveled to many kingdoms and played, including Ansteorra, Ansteorra, Caid, the West, Trimaris and the East. Being a military brat back then certainly helped with the ability to travel!

After a brief break due to family issues, I began to play again in 1994 with my newborn son, starting back out with a Welsh persona - Bleiddwen segued to Angharat and more research to try and learn/portray the 1340's Welsh styles and cultures, while continuing to quietly volunteer, but having moved and set down roots in Blatha an Oir.

After beginning to officially hold baronial offices in 2001 as Baronial Herald, I lost the ability to hide in the shadows and began to receive baronial and kingdom awards. In 2004, I accepted the challenge to attempt the Blatha an Oir Sergeantry Trials from three Laurels and Sergeants I respected and in 2005 became a Courtier of Blatha an Oir. This merely formalized the open volunteering, but also allowed me to give back as members did for me as a youth.

At Ursulmas 2014, Tristan de Ver, of Clan Carn, took me as an Arcuarius. I enjoy target and combat archery, although being rear-ended coming home from July Coronation 2015 has temporarily reined in my ability to pursue these interests.

In 2015, I began researching a secondary persona of a Carelian Iron Age Finn - Valborg Hyvärintytär af Ihala , who has a separate badge: (Fieldless) On a comb argent a peacock vert. The Carelian Iron Age does not necessarily mean early Viking age, but could be up to about 1323, when the Treaty of Noteborg divided Karelia between Sweden and the Novgorod Republic. I enjoy the mélange of the cultures in this small area - with Swedish, Karelian, Ingre, Estonian, Latvian and Rus influences, even if it is a challenge to try and sort out which is most appropriate. Since there isn't much for 14th Century Welsh either, I suppose it simply shows my innate stubbornness too (or an appreciation for family history).

At June Faire 2016, Master Charles de Bourbon accepted me as a student, and now the fun of learning more about various styles and fashions as well as the work of getting accustomed to talking with those whose skills and talents I admire begins!

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Interests

Just about anything. Really. One little question just seems to point me down a rabbit hole for more and more. One goal I had when I first started was that I wanted to know a little bit about all of the different cultures that were part of my family history, and for me that was clothing, accessories, food, shelter, animal husbandry, herbalism, art, weaponry, jewelry, dance, games, music, and well, I think you get the idea. At least it is a lot easier to access and store information now, my library takes up most of the walls in my home as it is! A nice side benefit of this is that when there is a themed event, it can be easier to blend in with the theme, rather than only wearing my fitted dress and surcote or my new Finnish undergown, peplos, and apron.

Awards

Award of Arms (An Tir)

By: Davin Steingrimsson, Groa Jul 21, 2001 (AS XXXVI)

Golden Blossom (Blatha An Oir)

By: Sven Red Beard Einarson, Anne of BearsHaven Aug 16, 2003 (AS XXXVIII)

Briar (Blatha An Oir)

By: Sven Red Beard Einarson, Anne of BearsHaven Nov 6, 2004 (AS XXXIX)

Order of the Goutte de Sang (An Tir)

By: Skeggi Hrafensfuri, Taisiia of Ma Elring Jun 18, 2005 (AS XL)

Courtier Sergeant (Blatha An Oir)

By: Sven Red Beard Einarson, Anne of BearsHaven Aug 27, 2005 (AS XL)

Panther's Torch (Blatha An Oir)

By: Sven Red Beard Einarson, Anne of BearsHaven Feb 4, 2006 (AS XL)

Order of the Jambe de Lion (An Tir)

By: Cedric Blackwell Rolfsson, Elizabeth Yvonne Owles May 31, 2008 (AS XLIII)

Flamme De Or (Blatha An Oir)

By: Aleksii Konstantinovich Chernoi, Elspeth Nic Grath Aug 18, 2012 (AS XLVII)

A&S Defender (Blatha An Oir) Sep 22, 2012 (AS XLVII)

Baron & Baroness's Favor (Blatha An Oir)

By: Aleksii Konstantinovich Chernoi, Elspeth Nic Grath Sep 3, 2013 (AS XLVIII)

L'Ordre Du Guant D'or (Blatha An Oir)

By Hengist Helgassone, Maricka Sigrunsdotter Jun 27, 2015 (AS L)

Bountiful Hand (An Tir)

By: Havordh Ættarbani, Mary Grace of Gatland Jan 9, 2016 (AS L)

Bountiful Hand (An Tir)

By: Eirik Daegarsson, Driffina Ulfgarsdottir Mar 5, 2016 (AS L)

Baroness' Favor (Blatha an Oir)

By Maricka Sigrunsdotter Aug 22, 2016 (AS LI)

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Things I have done

Pieces of the earliest times past (1983 – 1997, pre-house fire):

Participated in the beginning days of Dragon’s Laire – a member, baking coin of the realm, and assisting with pied piper, as well as a few stints with constabulary or town cry at events like June Faire back in Frank Raab Park.

Volunteered with waterbearing, lists, gate, feast server and kitchen help, gold key and attended demos to help out in Caid, Atenveldt and Artemisia during college (1986 – 1989)

Participated in demos or volunteered at events in Glymm Mere, Madrone, Dragon’s Laire and Blatha an Oir, including my infant son after his arrival in 1994.

Heavy fighter, preferring wars over tourney – glaive or Florentine style, then sword and shield with the shield wall for Clan Carn.

Member of House BlackRogue, Clan O’Niall, Clan Chattan, 7th Cav, Highland Korsairs, and Clan Carn,

Learned basic SCA costuming, preferring 12th – 14th century, with one Tudor gown in black and red while pregnant. Helped with costuming household members and newcomers.

Things in the more recent past:

6+ years as Bealidh Pursuivant, Blatha an Oir (step down in 2007?-need to double-check when), followed by long-term deputy herald

2009 – 2010 Chamberlain (stepped down during pregnancy for health)

Current Baronial Lists Mistress (09/2014 – )

Courtier of Blatha an Oir (August 2005), currently Sergeant-Major (10/2014)

Camp cook for Highland Korsairs, 2001-2003 (blending period/modern food and techniques at events for 20-30 people)

Assisted with baronial retinue from 2001 – present, as herald, retinue and Sergeant

Assisted in numerous event steward teams ranging in gate size from 25 to nearly 2000, primarily Blatha an Oir events – including:

Autumn War (6 years as Herald-in-Charge, 2 as a co-Autocrat, 3 as Iron Needle co-ordinator, 2 as A & S Class Co-ordinator), volunteered as teacher, at gate, water-bearer, and lists

July Coronation, BAO hosted (2003) Herald-in-Charge, constabulary

Sergeant’s Trials (BAO); 2006, 2007, 2011, (in-process 2015) – Autocrat/Event Steward

Candlemas, Celtic Bardic, Lord Defender’s (6 years with herald), 3 times helping judge Bardic or A&S Defender

Summer Hunt – Ran lists for the Karl Redstone Memorial Fighter Tourney 3 years running, added Chivalry award

June Faire – volunteered as herald (town cry and field), tailor’s shop in the living history areas for multiple years

One of the lead cooks for the 40 year Royal Feast at the Randall Site

Senior Student working towards Journeyman in the re-activated Kingdom Costumer’s Guild, participated in 2 of the tourney/event competitions – 1 Court and 1 Tourney garb-am now the Deputy to Maitresse Raffaella de Contino.

Blatha an Oir A&S Defender 2012; participated in the 2013 Kingdom A&S Championship as a full entry; placed in the Research Paper competition with the 1st and 2nd place Champion finalists.

Novice equestrienne – currently authorized for grounds crew, general riding, games and ground driving

2013 – One of the team providing the marzipan and sugar plate for the first Kingdom Feast

2014 to current – Baronial Lists Officer; Sergeant Major

Things I do and/or teach:

beginning combat archery as well as target archery

Student judged at Kindgom A&S 2014

Host/teacher; weekly sewing night (currently Mondays) 1997 – present

Basic sewing (machine or hand), applique, beginning embroidery; pattern drafting and fitting, basic garb instructions for several time periods and cultures, period bias hose, pavilions

Cultural classes – Welsh clothing, welsh food, persona development

Heraldic display, banner painting, voice heraldry, how to help fill in for Court, how to recognize the different Coronets/Peers and address them

Make leather or cloth armor, gambesons and coifs

Make 14th century styles of shoes

Various subtleties and warners (illusion foods) – including but not limited to marzipan and sugar plate

Learning about period cooking for different cultures and time periods

Learning to use a drop spindle, do more complex tablet weaving

Leather working & Tooling – made my own quiver (to look like an illuminated marginalia) and arcarius bracer

Roman Style stone and wire necklaces (new skill)

Ithra Student (1990’s – )

Teach Ithra Classes in Welsh Tourney Food, 14th Century Welsh Clothing