José Cabrera de Castilla

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La nobleza no se conoce fronteras --Ramon Lull

Twelfth Night, 2011

Name

José Cabrera de Castilla is mundanely known as Ryan Davidson.

The name José Cabrera de Castilla is a properly researched, documented, and approved SCA name (March 2008). It is historically accurate to 16th century Spain. The name José is the equivalent of the English name "Joseph". Cabrera is a familial surname, and de Castilla is a locative byname. In combination, the compound surname represents José's origin. See the Persona History section for more information.

Having been awarded a lordship, José prefers to be styled señor or su señoría rather than lord.

My SCA name is actually an homage. I chose the name Cabrera for two reasons; primarily, it stems from when I was a teller for Oregon Community Credit Union and one of my favorite members to assist was a hispanic gentleman whose last name was Cabrera. The ironic part is in the etymology of the word "Cabrera" itself. Un cabrón is a goat, and una cabrera is a goatherd. So I find it hilarious to portray a pompous, well-dressed Spaniard whose name means "The goatherd of Castile."

Find José on Facebook.

Interests

José pursues a number of SCA-related interests.

Heavy Fighting

José acquired his first suit of armor in time to fight in the Acorn War in 2006. He attends the Three Mountains Fight Practice and the Dragon's Mist Fight Practice as he is able, and is in the process of migrating from his starter set into a matching 16th century harness. José primarily fights with a sword and buckler, in an attempt to emulate the style of the Spanish rodeleros. In war, José wields a mighty greatsword with his stalwart companions in the Iron Ring.

Millinery

José works hard to make accurately shaped bonnets, tall hats, toques, and other headwear of the 16th century in both men's and women's styles. Rather than work from completely period materials, he focuses on durability and retention of shape so that the work he creates can survive rough treatment by its owner. He's also produced a set of hats for the Wilsonville High School production of Taming of the Shrew.

Music and Dance

José attends the Dragon's Mist Friday Night Revel on occasion, and is happy to dance at any event that includes one.

José grew up learning the saxophone, and finds the recorder very similar. He and Ana own both a soprano and an alto recorder. He enjoys music and has the books necessary to learn period European music. He also intends to learn how to play the recorder part of various dances so he can accompany dancing live.

Tailoring

Tailoring is the primary skill that José practices as often as possible within the SCA.

José studies the cut and construction of mid-to-late 16th century clothing for both men and women. In men's clothing, he has learned to draft patterns for doublets, hose, trunkhose (slops, pantaloons, breeches), shirts and capes. Using final drafts of custom-fit patterns, he designed court garb for himself and his lady wife for Twelfth Night Coronation XLIII/2009.

He completed an outfit of green doublet and hose that match the lacing points of the first outfit, ensuring the interchangeability of the pieces. Subsequently, he has completed a brown outfit that is compatible with the court garb and the green outfit, granting more flexibility to the overall wardrobe. Plans are underway for bronze and white garments as well.

José is proud to have patterned and sewn two complete outfits for Nicolai Rabenis Von Tachov, patterned and assisted with outfits for Iuliana de la Sara and Helena Zancani, and been heavily involved in the project to make outfits for the entire Iron Ring in 2008. He is excited about completing an unusual (by continental standards) 16th century Irish outfit for his lordship Eoghan ÓBriain.

So, a lot of people have commented about my court garb, how the slops I am wearing don't seem like they've hit a historically accurate shape. Initially, I agreed, but then I ran across the term "roundhose", a good example of which is A Fete at Bermondsey, by Joris Hoefnagel, a dutch painter who traveled to England. At least three distinct gentlemen are wearing hose very like my court garb. The style is puffed more spherically, and the color underneath allowed to show through more.

See the Other Images section for examples of José's progressing skill.

Woodworking

In 2006, José created a set of 8 wooden benches for the Iron Ring. In the five years since then, 4 of them have suffered accidents and been destroyed. Not bad for pine, all things considered. He's concocting a plan to make a set of sedia a tenaglia for himself and his lady wife, if not for the Iron Ring and maybe the barony of Dragon's Mist. He has also tried his hand at crafting chests, making one for the barony's first rapier championship in 2012.

Wiki Editing

Although not a primary component of SCA activities, José feels strongly that this wiki has a lot of potential to be a central repository of historical and cultural information for An Tir. He spends more than a little time editing the Culturewiki.

Irons in the Fire

Sometimes I find it motivational to be held to my stated word. With that in mind, here are the things I'm working on. If you meet me, ask me what I'm working on and how it's going.

Current and Upcoming Sewing Projects

  • White linen shirts for moi.
  • Nicolai's arming clothes.
  • Utility outfits in wool and linen with simple embroidery for things like setup and breakdown. This Irish outfit of Eoghan's and Ana's new overgown are inspiring me to want to have wool clothing, especially for colder events.
  • Smock, partlet, and doublet for Morgan. The dress turned out really well and I'd love to complete the remaining elements of the outfit some time.
  • Bronze and cream court outfit for myself.
  • Voiders for my arming doublet for war fighting and to legalize the sleeves for rapier fighting (as seen here).

Other Projects and Ideas

  • Sedia a tenaglia design, planning and test models. (Hurrah for my brother, who has a wood shop and is willing to play with this idea with me until we get it right! Now all I need is money... my old nemesis...)
  • An article on techniques for making buttons.
  • An article on fabric weaves available now that were also available in period.
  • More interviews to come as time permits!
  • If we keep getting to put on Carnevale in future years, I'd love to keep making new filks every year.

Completed Projects

Images for these projects can be found at the bottom of this page

  • Green doublet and hose for myself. The doublet is all-new but the hose are a re-work of the ones featured in my first garb showcase at the Realm of Venus (link removed due to Spam filter).
  • Black and bronze doublet for Nicolai, paired with blue-paned over white "turkey leg" hose. A blue jerkin with skirting completes this outfit.
  • Brown and bronze doublet for myself, with leaf-shaped piccadils. Paired with "turkey leg" hose with decorated pockets and side-seams.
  • Arming doublet. Padded doublet to wear under my armor. Later added a placket to it with a hidden zipper. Lace-on sleeves that can be removed in case of emergency or as a fashion element.
  • A white linen shirt. Then attached my ruff and cuff set from the Renaissance Tailor to it. Now when I wear the ruff and cuffs, they will be part of a shirt like they are supposed to be and they won't gape at the wrists and neck any more.
  • Eoghan's Irish outfit. Ionar, leine, braies and hose/chausses/trews. Everything but the braies are visible in this photo and others on Eoghan's FB profile. Compare to Irish outfits in the Image of Irelande.
  • Escoffion (cap/caul/coif) for Ana. Pictures online at Ana's Facebook album. Just needs to have barretts or combs sewn into it wherever she likes.
  • Great coat for Nicolai in the style of Henry XIII and other wealthy gentlemen of the mid-16th century. Pictures are available via Facebook.
  • Cream doublet for Nicolai. Looks good with the blue hosen.
  • Dress for Morgan. Meant to be SCA garb as well as for a renaissance faire she'll be participating in as one of Queen Elizabeth's maids. Did this one in a very basic style with a corset and bodice that both backlace and a French rounded front. No trim so she can check with her Ren Faire people about how to decorate it and then hand sew some trim on.
  • A wooden chest emblazoned with the arms of Dragon's Mist to be a prize for the rapier championship at Carnevale di Venezia XLVI/2012.

SCA Event History

José in armor at Faire in the Grove, May 2011. Proud of the way the armor has come together in the last year.

2005

  • The Gathering, May 2005.
  • Gypsy Days, Seadog Nights, July 2005.
  • Acorn War, September 2005.

2006

2007

  • First Court, Barony of Three Mountains, March 2007.
  • Faire in the Grove, April 2007.
  • The Gathering, May 2007.
  • Seadog Nights, July 2007.
  • Blackthorne Revel, August 2007. Participated in the wake for Esclave de Winter, lost champion of the Iron Ring.
  • Sport of Kings, August 2007.
  • Beaverton Farmer's Market Demo, September 2007. Fought in the heavy fighting demonstration.
  • Yule Feast, Canton of Kaldor, December 2007.

2008

2009

2010

2011

  • Twelfth Night Coronation XLV/2011, January 2011. Was asked unexpectedly to judge the Costumer's Guild garb competition. Missed court :(.
  • Stromgard Founding Revel XLV/2011, February 2011.
  • Carnevale di Venezia XLV/2011, April 2011. Due to a mundane scheduling change, I assumed autocrat duties and did my best to live up to what I knew it could be.
  • Faire in the Grove, April/May 2011. Fought in the tourney on Saturday, took Anya around to ham it up for the public on Sunday.
  • May Crown Tournament XLVI/2011, May 2011. Marshalled for the Crown lists and fought hard and well in the squire's tourney. Jarl Ulfred was kind enough to sponsor me for the day.
  • Grand Thing XLVI/2011, May 2011.
  • An Tir/West War XLVI/2011, July 2011. Fought, entertained royalty, entertained the public, spoke with an accent, drank, fought, flirted, and had fun. No one got hurt. Except Bevin, and she lives to tell the tale.
  • July Coronation XLVI/2011, July 2011. Fought in the squire's tourney with Sir Hathawulf as a sponsor. Good company and good fun despite the soggy conditions.
  • Autumn War XLVI/2011, August 2011. Enjoyed the torchlight tourney greatly. In the war, Sir Gurnan called me a hero for standing alone in the breach of the BAO castle with nothing but my greatsword facing three pikes and a sword and shield for thirty seconds. Yeah, they killed me in the end, but it was AWESOME. Good to have Ana back at events again.
  • September Crown Tournament XLVI/2011, September 2011. First event as a family with Ana and Anya (in little tiny Elizabethan garb!) all season.
  • Acorn War XLVI/2011, September 2011. Daytripped. Everyone thought I was crazy for wearing doublet and hose in the heat, but honestly, I felt fine.
  • Boar's Head Hunt and Feast XLVI/2011, September 2011. Took the family, saw everyone, saw my home become a barony. Awarded a Jambe de Leon. Strutted for her Majesty, by request. Received catcalls. Good day.
  • Dragon's Mist Yule Feast XLVI/2011, December 2011.

2012

Upcoming Attendance

  • DMCT
  • July Cor
  • Acorn War
  • Autumn War
  • Boar's Head
  • Yule
  • 12th Night 2013

Persona

José is the son of Tomas Cabrera, a wealthy tailor, and Analucia de Castilla, a member of a minor branch of a larger noble family. He was born in Barcelona. The marriage was arranged to both bolster the fortunes of Analucia's nearly impoverished family and provide Tomas' children with a station above his own. Despite being an arranged marriage, the couple were relatively happy with each other as spouses.

José learned his father's trade of tailoring from a young age. At his mother's insistence, he was given basic training in swordfighting, reading and writing, and courtly etiquette including dancing. After his father fell ill, José took over the tailoring trade despite his mother's many protests. He continued this business for nearly two years before his father recovered sufficiently to attend his own affairs again.

Shortly thereafter, José was sent to Milan to establish interest and control over a number of guilds and trades. At this time, the Spanish Habsburgs had recently come in control of Milan, so it was an opportunity for the family to seize some power and influence. In addition to learning something of the woodworking trade while there, José became attached to a unit of rodeleros in defense of Milan against aggression from neighboring states.

Once his term of service ended, José remained enamored of his experience in war. He sought out a company with which he could continue his military training, and encountered the Iron Ring on one of its many maneuvers into Italy. After securing the loose ends of his family's growing wealth and power in the hands of other members of the family, José took up with the mercenaries and quickly gained rank, becoming a sergeant.

Despite active campaigning throughout Europe and especially An Tir, José and Iuliana have found time to begin a family, and had their first child in December of A.S. XLIV.

Un Hombre de Barcelona

I am beginning to use an actual Spanish accent at events. On and off. It's not too thick, so that people still understand me. For instance, I'm aware of the heavy lisp that gets applied to soft 'c' sounds. Like gracias is correctly pronounced closer to 'grathias' . But this is also heaviest in the central part of the country. My persona is from Barcelona, a port city, and has spent years in Italy, coloring his pronunciation somewhat. It's part of the theatricality that I enjoy bringing to the SCA and I hope everyone else enjoys it too.

Limpieza

The Spanish had an obsession with the purity of their Spanish blood; specifically, they were concerned by the 16th century with whether your bloodline was polluted with Moorish (Moriscos)or Jewish (Marranos) ancestors. Pure, noble Spanish blood was referred to as limpieza (literally "cleanliness"). It represented not only the quality of the family, but the worth of the individual. It was not unheard of for people to lie about their quality in order to appear more noble. In my case, I am investigating the mindset of someone who was this concerned with family honor and purity of blood. If, at an event, you meet me and I appear to be using a Spanish accent, do not be offended by my bluster or aloofness. It's part of the persona and I don't mean to ever give genuine offense.

Affiliation

José Cabrera de Castilla is a member of the Iron Ring, living in the Barony of Dragon's Mist.

José is married, both mundanely and in-persona, to Iuliana de la Sara.

The Iron Ring device

Rank and Station

  • Camp Master of the Iron Ring
  • Keeper of the Grete Boke for Dragon's Mist

Achievements, Awards and Accolades

Garb/Personal History

First season in the SCA, 2005
First doublet and trunkhose, 2007
Scary black armor of doom, 2007ish
"Fancypants" FitG Demo, 2008
Armor FitG Demo, 2008
Iron Ring Unit Garb, 2008
Court garb, Twelfth Night, 2009
Dragon's Scale at DMDT, 2009
Court garb at BFM Demo 2009
Brown doublet and hose, Twelfth Night, 2010
José in armor at war practice, April 2010
José in armor at Faire in the Grove, May 2011. The leg armor makes all the difference.

Project History

A cap for Ana
An outfit for Nicolai
An outfit for Eoghan
A dress for Morgan
A chest for DM's rapier tourney prize; a joint project with Ana and Nicolai
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