When I joined the SCA back in 1990, I was in college, living in the university apartments. Our first event was at the Rock Rings, where people from all over the area came to fight in the tournament. It was here that I first met Amanda Kendal. She and Gerhard were Baron & Baroness of Lions Gate (two words, no punctuation) and she was also the Chancellor of the University of Ithra. Less than a year later, I was taking classes at Ithra, starting me on the path of learning and loving history in a hands-on manner, and eventually becoming the Chancellor of my own campus.
When I was in the SCA for about four years, I received my Award of Arms. The first person I got a hug from was Amanda Kendal. She *ran* over (well, a sort of jog) to be the first one to congratulate me.
My early SCA experience involved Gerhard and Amanda. They were the nearest Royals to our shire, so we saw them frequently. They provided the pomp & circumstance that is elemental to SCA culture. They ruled with grace and dignity and were beloved as rulers of Lions Gate for over 25 years. They were the first baronial pair for the area, so the change to a new pair was both exciting and heart-wrenching at the same time.
They taught me to dance. To letter calligraphy. The social mores of banquets and courts. Heraldry. Castles & Fortifications. Lechery. Tavern Games. Medieval Life & Customs. Fighting & Marshal Appreciation. Medieval Homes. Medieval Architecture. Tourney Kitchens. And so much more. Including how to run an Ithra and how to be a chancellor, a skill that I will be able to pass on to others when the time grows near.
But most of all, she taught me how to be a lady; gentle, courteous, patient, and graceful.
I will miss you terribly, as will hundreds...or thousands...of others.
(Photo by...E. Selwode)
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