First Baronial Tourney
First Baronial Tourney
On June 20, 1970, the two new baronies in the Pacific Northwest, Three Mountains and Madrone, held their first combined event together.
It was held in the Barony of Madrone in Olympia, WA on the land of Clyde Schumann, Raymond the Mild’s father, on Johnson Point Road. The same location as The First Tourney held in May.
Unfortunately, nothing further has been discovered about this event, nor have any photographs been found.
Three years later, on May 27, 1973, at the Royal Tourney of Union, the Baronies of Three Mountains and Madrone would combine to create the Principality of An Tir.
Founding Barons
According to articles about the Norwestercon ‘70 demo and tourney in the Barony of Three Mountains on May 29-31, 1970, they had decided that the winner of that tourney would be their Founding Baron and “Sir Frederick [of the West Tower], in fair battle, won the coronet of the barony.”
Further, Nicorlynn, Seneschal of Three Mountains, stated that “He was invested Baron June 20th at a tourney in Olympia.”
It is tempting to think the investiture was done at this event for Baron Frederick. And given the combined nature of the event for both new baronies, it is possible that Raymond the Mild, whose family owned the land on which the event occurred, was also invested as Founding Baron of Madrone.
However, there are no extant SCA records documenting this.
An interview by Sir Richard Fitzalan in May 2025 with Raymond the Mild, Founding Baron of Madrone and Autocrat of the event, which was held on his family property, Raymond stated that he does not recall any “investiture” or other ceremony being held, nor recalled any specific ceremony for either him nor Frederick concerning being a Founding Baron.
Raymond said that it was just assumed the founders became Barons of their Baronies. He never had a coronet nor ceremony.
The first use in an SCA publication of the title Baron for Frederick of the West Tower occurred in The Page for May 1971; and for Raymond the Mild, July 1971.
The Kingdom of the West Awards records do not show the title Baron given to either Frederick nor Raymond. An Tir’s Order of Precedence lists both Founding Barons as dating from the first events that were held in their territory: December 31, 1969 for Frederick and January 31, 1970 for Raymond, based on the documented event dates, not on any documentation of the titles.