Lady in search of knighthood

[Sir William]

Welcome to the forums, lady. 

[Eva de Carduus Weald]

Thank you all very much for the welcome! I truly feel as though I have found a great group of people with similar interests indeed. I hope to learn a lot from all of you and can only hope that I have something of value to offer as well.

As for heavy combat for SCA and TKD, I agree for the most part. I honestly feel that if I were armored well and practiced diligently that I could do very well on the HC fields, the hard part is that I don't want to have hubby worry as much as he would worry. He might change his mind in the future, he might not. I just hope that when I get into rapier that I will be able to prove my skill and ability in the martial field and will just have to have my armor be for the pretty factor for a while, likely a long while.

I am currently in the process of getting my name and device registered. I am very excited about that actually. I sculpt custom wax seals and the first device I want to sculpt is my own. I am also marshaling thrown weapons and will likely try to become a marshal in all of the many and varied fighting arts from siege to combat.

On a side but somewhat related note to the desire to help others and protect them, I was actually in the process of becoming a police officer, however it didn't work out simply due to the multiple career side of things, however the desire has never gone away. I suppose this is another avenue to fulfill that need. Sorry if I am rambling on.

[Sir Edward]

Yeah, sometimes it takes time for loved ones to warm up to the idea of the combat arts. As with most things, fears can often be dispelled over time through exposure, so it's quite possible that after some time with the rapier combat, he might be more on board with other sword arts as well.

After Sir Brian and I have both managed to demonstrate an ability to lose thumb nails, my wife now does a fingernail check when I get home from combat demos and other events.

[Eva de Carduus Weald]

Oh I think over time it is possible but he needs the exposure. The problem is he is a scientist in the biological side and follows the medical papers as they come out on certain things like concussion, breaks, ligament strength, etc and has pretty much said he will support it if I train to the level of an elite athlete. As much as I would enjoy the fighting, I am not willing to spend that much of my life pumping iron, running, and practicing to get on that level. It is a flaw in my character I know but it is the truth. Although if I did I would probably be one hell of a fighter. As it is I am fast, though not strong.

As far as losing finger nails, ouch! I can fully understand why she would do a fingernail check! Still it sounds like you guys have fun!

[Sir James A]

Hail and welcome!

Historically there have been celebrate female warriors but no female fighting knights that I know of.

There aren't a plethora, however, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Hatchet

I love the idea of armored combat but, honestly, that isn't really what drives me. Mostly I like the shiney shineies of the armor and looking spiffy first and foremost when it comes to the *look* side of things.

Nothing at all wrong with putting on armor to look good. Renn Faires are a great place for that. I was in armor about 15 years ago for SCA, took a decade-long hiatus, and back in armor but not for SCA. At first it was for the "cool factor" so kids can see a real knight (long personal story), then participating in speeches / demonstrations at faire, and then Sir Nathan and I decided we wanted to hit each other with wooden swords in the most friendly of manners, and we've done armored combat for a couple years now.

I'm not overly competitive as I have a tendency to lose constantly, but from a scholarly perspective, the raw thrill of having a full harness on and full-speed combat is beyond words. Whether or not you fight well, or fight at all, armor is a thrill in and of itself.

[Eva de Carduus Weald]

Ohhhhh *runs off to read the Wikipedia link!*

As for armored combat, don't get me wrong I love a friendly fight and since beginning to learn the western version of sword-craft I am in love with it. I have to say though that SCA armored combat and honest to whatever you believe in true medieval fighting are night and day. Gouging the eyes, ripping open the weak parts of the armor with a stiletto, a good punch to the head with a gauntlet, all viable and more. The point was to walk away alive and leave the other guy so much meat. Honorable combat or no, at the end of the day the one who walked away wins. And the point was to win.

I enjoy a good spar though and I learn so much from each one!

[Thorsteinn]

I stabbed my mum in the belly at Coronet to win my first of 5 rounds of that tourney. Got vid of it too.

[Sir Rodney]

Well met my lady!

I stabbed my mum in the belly at Coronet to win my first of 5 rounds of that tourney. Got vid of it too.

That's hard core, taking out your mom!

[Eva de Carduus Weald]

Hey, I say if she entered the field then she signed up for it. Did she tell you well fought at the end of it?

[Sir Edward]

Ohhhhh *runs off to read the Wikipedia link!*

Unfortunately, there's not a huge amount of info out there about the Order of the Hatchet. But it was an actual knightly order of women. I think most information about it indicates that it was created specifically for them, and no new members were inducted, so it died out with them. But it's a wonderful piece of history.

As for armored combat, don't get me wrong I love a friendly fight and since beginning to learn the western version of sword-craft I am in love with it. I have to say though that SCA armored combat and honest to whatever you believe in true medieval fighting are night and day. Gouging the eyes, ripping open the weak parts of the armor with a stiletto, a good punch to the head with a gauntlet, all viable and more. The point was to walk away alive and leave the other guy so much meat. Honorable combat or no, at the end of the day the one who walked away wins. And the point was to win.

What makes this even more interesting, is how it ties into Chivalric ideals as well. We had a discussion in another thread about whether it is honorable or not to give up an earned advantage (such as taking out someone's arm in SCA combat), and face the opponent on equal footing after clearly taking the lead.

Is it more honorable to fight "nice", and less honorable to fight "dirty"? In a Victorian sense of honor & chivalry, perhaps so. But the further back you go, looking into the earlier parts of the medieval period, "chivalry" is more of a warrior ethos, and it's simply considered more chivalric to win, and win decisively. Going for the eyes or throat isn't dishonorable, it's tactics.

[Eva de Carduus Weald]

Yeah I loved reading about the Order of the Hatchet and honestly I think regardless of gender a warrior is a warrior, it isn't gender specific. Granted biologically men and women have different advantages/liabilities in certain areas, men develop muscle faster and tend to be bigger, which is a decided advantage in combat however, not all men are built the same and not all women are built the same and sometimes there is crossover. That's genetics for ya. Saying that, when you have an opponent who is much bigger, much stronger, and with a greater reach, what do you do? If you manage to get an advantage do you seriously give that away? That is your one shot to walk away, it would be suicide to give that advantage up. As for the other guy, the big one, is it really dishonorable to use the advantages he has? What is he supposed to do when fighting a weaker opponent? Try and lose muscle mass, skill, and height? This is where being realistic vs following romanticized ideals by people who have never fought.

Personally, as one of those who tends to be the weaker opponent, I then get better by focusing on skill, strategy, and strength when I can. You make openings, you use the other guy's strength against him, you fight smart. If you get an opening, use it. If you get an advantage then use it. Seriously, if you are on the field and you need to win it for your king then you fight with every opportunity that comes your way. You don't have to be a jerk about it, especially as this is not the period we are re-creating and we are not trying to kill our opponents, and hopefully vice-versa. So no, in my opinion using an advantage you managed to obtain is not dishonorable. What would be dishonorable would be if you haven't started yet and you hit the guy in the head before his helmet is not even on yet. That would be the height of dishonor to me. Agreeing to fight an opponent and then complaining about how they won and thus cheated that would be dishonorable, lying about the fight or someone else, that would be dishonorable. At least to me.

[Thorsteinn]

Hey, I say if she entered the field then she signed up for it. Did she tell you well fought at the end of it?

She grumbled a bit about it. She's got ego issues and hates having me beat her. She hates having anyone who came up after her beat her. It has to do with her belief that Helm Time should be enough to win a knights belt, if you have the rest of it, regardless of how much skill, or lack there of you have. Also she blames not being Knighted on her being a woman because the Council has a prejudice against women (sometimes this is a factor, but not in her case).

It's worse when she dies to something I told her she would die to (the belly shot). And loses cause I'm the one that killed her.



In the pic I  killed her by cutting to her ribs & thrusting to her face. It was beautiful.

[Eva de Carduus Weald]

Good gracious, if you are not winning regardless of time spent fighting then the answer is train smarter. I love to win but not when I didn't actually earn the win. Still she fights pretty well. As for knighthood, isn't the whole idea behind knighthood, honor in arms. In other words, it is being honorable in and out of combat. Looks like you had fun though.

[Timothy]

Welcome to the forum M'lady.

Timothy

[Eva de Carduus Weald]

Thank you! I am afraid I was out of town last week so was not online but I am back!