Caterina da Savona
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 Caterina da Savona | ||||||||
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 Or, a triangle inverted gules within in annulo five roundels sable 
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Persona Background
Born into a successful merchant family in Savona, Caterina was a young child when the Black Death first swept through northwestern Italy. Unlike many people, she survived, along with her father and one of her brothers. As was common for merchant girl-children in 14th century Italy, Caterina learned enough arithmetic, reading, and writing to help her family with bookkeeping.
She married a young man from a neighboring family, also in the shipping business. They had two children who survived to adulthood, even though her husband died relatively young. He was wounded in one of the many small maritime conflicts between Savona and Genoa (we won't call it piracy, ahem) and he succumbed to infection.
However, Caterina's wealth and connections to her family's shipping fleet helped her secure a second marriage to Hugues de Bertencourt, a minor French noble. She has moved to his manor-house near Rethel, where the couple engages in trade.
Caterina's registered arms are inspired by medieval Italian merchant family marks, which may have been used to label boxes and crates, as well as for correspondence, etc.
SCA Interests
I always had friends who were involved in the SCA, but I didn't jump in and try it myself until 2019 -- then we attended only three in-person events before COVID hit! The wide variety of on-line classes have really inspired me to engage with the Arts & Sciences portions of the SCA.
I already had a background in sewing, pattern-making and tailoring, wirework, and leatherworking. I enjoy learning how these intersect with medieval history, technology, and culture. I have begun to dabble in narrow-ware weaving, as well.
I showed our 14th century outerwear at the Dragon's Laire Candlemas event in February 2020 and was shocked to receive such a welcoming and positive response. I enjoyed the low-stress "show and tell" format, so I joined the online Athenaeum events in 2020 and 2021. I'm looking forward to in-person events in the year to come.
Costuming
Since my primary goal so far has been to get some garb for events, and my main background is in sewing and textiles, this is where I have chosen to begin my SCA journey!
Athenaeum 2020 exhibit: The Rise of Fashion: Italian and French Garb for 1385
Athenaeum 2021 exhibit: Early Medieval Slavic Garb: A Beginner’s Journey into Embellishment
Fermented Foods & Beverages
I've been making fermented foods for many years, but it never occurred to me this piece of my mundane life would find a home in the SCA. We frequently make bread, various sourdough items, yogurt, sauerkraut, soda pop, country wines (anything but grape!), and meads. I have dabbled in cheeses but find them a bit spendy (1 lb of cheese from 1 gal milk, OUCH).
Guilds and Group Memberships
An Tir Gardening (informal Facebook group)
Dragon's Laire Culinary Guild