José Cabrera de Castilla
La nobleza no se conoce fronteras --Ramon Lull
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."
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.
- Wrote The Tailor Sensible's Song for Carnevale di Venezia XLIII/2009.
- Wrote Stuck in the Kitchen With You for Carnevale di Venezia XLV/2011.
Scribal Pursuits
José has undertaken to help the barony of Dragon's Mist create scrolls and charters for its awards. He did graphic design for the Order of the Einherjar award, and digital composition on many others.
He has also been involved in publications such as the Dragon's Tongue while holding the office of Chronicler.
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 of this page 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 (folding chairs) 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.
In 2013, José began work on wooden folding chairs for the Iron Ring.
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
For myself:
- Black tall hat
- Cape
- Replacement arming doublet / padded jerkin / padded pansied slops
- White linen shirts (1 of 3 complete)
- Bronze and cream court outfit (de-prioritized... just finished my black court outfit for this season)
For others:
- Black cap for Ana
- Tellerbaret for Ana
- Florentine dress for Fae
I am also a semi-professional tailor willing to take work on commission and you can find my page at http://www.facebook.com/whitefalcontailor/
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 pattern drafting men's doublets.
- An article on fabric weaves available now that were also available in period.
- More interviews as I find people willing to be interviewed.
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 photos 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.
- A linen shirt
- New wool doublet and trunkhose! Pic to be added below soon.
- Eoghan's English outfit. Rapier legal.
- Nicolai's Henrician outfit.
- Black-on-black court garb for myself.
SCA Event History
Events 2005-2013
José Cabrera de Castilla Event History
2014
- 12th Night Coronation, January 2014. Awarded membership to the Order of the Carp, a tremendous honor and the fulfillment of many dreams.
- Carnevale di Venezia, February 2014. Yay! I didn't have to be in charge!
- Faire in the Grove, May 2014. Did service talking to the public in the weapons and armor info booth. Rain came up and I had to take my kids home.
- May Crown Tournament, May 2014. Marshaled the Crown Tourney, and fought in the Squire's Tourney with sponsorship from Sir Duncan McKinnon.
- Grand Thing VIII XLIX/2014, May 2014. Helped new fighters get authorized and got to walk around (with Velinn) sharing hospitality with the entire site once the Iron Ring came into possession of the Horn of Hospitality from Stromgard.
- Honey War XLIX/2014, June 2014. First event as captain of the White Dragons, with Alexander Scott, Gerard de Beyonne and Anrothan O'Murchadha.
Upcoming Attendance
- Boar's Head Championship Tournament
- An Tir/West War
- July Coronation
- Stormgods
- Autumn War
- September Crown
- Acorn War
- DM Yule
- 12th Night 2015
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.
Rank and Station
- Camp Master of the Iron Ring
- Former Chronicler of Dragon's Mist (April 2012-May 2014)
- Former Webminister of Dragon's Mist (April 2012- August 2014)
- Senior marshal for Heavy Armored combat
- Captain of the White Dragons (Dragon's Mist baronial war levy April 2014-present)
- Armored champion of Dragon's Mist (May 2015-present)
Achievements, Awards and Accolades
- José's work has been featured on the Realm of Venus in a garb showcase.
- José was co-autocrat and created the website of the Dragon's Mist event Carnevale di Venezia in 2009.
- José debuted a filk called The Tailor Sensible's Song at Carnevale.
- Dragon's Scale, awarded June 2009.
- Award of Arms, given July 2009 by TRM Vik and Inga.
- José's work has again been featured on the Realm of Venus in another garb showcase, this time for the twelfth night garb seen on this page. This outfit subsequently won the Silver prize in the 2009 Rose Awards.
- An article on chain-stitched button loops, published in The February/March 2010 Dragon's Tongue.
- An article interviewing Dr. Toby Capwell in the April 2009 issue of the Dragon's Tongue.
- An article interviewing Drea Leed in the May/June 2009 issue of the Dragon's Tongue.
- Event Steward of Acorn War XLV/2010
- Event Steward of Carnevale di Venezia XLV/2011
- Debuted a filk called Stuck in the Kitchen With You at Carnevale II.
- Awarded the Jambe de Lion at Boar's Head Hunt and Feast XLVI/2011.
- Co-steward of Carnevale di Venezia XLVI/2012
- First ever recipient of the Heart of the Dragon, jointly received with Iuliana de la Sara, for service to the Barony of Dragon's Mist.
- Awarded the Goutte de Sang at Boar's Head Hunt and Feast XLVII/2012.
- Taught a class, Introduction to Persona Development, at DM Revels in October 2012. Subsequently published an article in the October Dragon's Tongue newsletter on the same subject.
- Forget-Me-Not and King's Favor at An Tir Twelfth Night Coronation XLVII/2013.
- Event Steward of Carnevale di Venezia XLVII/2013
- Event Co-steward of West Coast Culinary Symposium XLVII/2013
- Admitted to the Order of the Carp at 12th Night, 2014
- Digital composition artist for most of the awards used in Dragon's Mist as of 2014. This role involved taking separate scans of art and calligraphy and merging them into finished awards, often involving alterations in the process.
Garb/Personal History
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Project History
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