Barony of Three Rivers ~ May 22-25, 2009

Memorial Day Weekend - May 22-25, A.S. XLIV (2009)
The Barony of Three Rivers (St. Louis, MO) presents:

The Barony of Three Rivers invites one and all to a late 12th Century Tournament, from the times made famous in part by the exploits of William the Marshal.

The tournaments of the this time were a place where noble lords would take to the field with their mesnie (warrior companies) to vie for renown and of course for wealth in the form of ransoms. These tournaments were a training ground for all the martial skills necessary for a medieval knight in warfare, but they also engendered a sense of common values, customs, and practices that these men would display in both war and tournament. In their society, where honor and reputation were as important as wealth and position, the tournament created ties of chivalry between both companions and opponents.

The weekend's activities will be centered around the 12th Century – from classes on that century's topics (shoes, music, history, William Marshal, etc), to appropriate archery shoots, children's activities, and even equestrian competitions. The fighting will be based around the companies of noble lords (or in our case the Chivalry), and will involve captures, rescues, and ransoms, as would the tournaments William Marshal himself competed in so often.

On the column to the left are links offering information about the activities at Marshal – Flower of Chivalry, as well as an introduction to Angevin England, William Marshal, and the tournaments of his day. We've also included a series of articles to aid any who wish to take extra steps to make their clothing or equipment more appropriate for the 12th century atmosphere.

A compendium of much of the information on the site is also available for download in PDF format to the right.

From the Chief Steward

Though Marshal – Flower of Chivalry is focused on the 12th Century, we intended for it to be an event with all the pomp and style we've learned to appreciate in some of the later period Pas de Armes. This will be what some might call a “High Persona” event.

To help us build a special atmosphere, we encourage those who can to dress and armor themselves in a fashion appropriate for the 12th Century tournament culture of England and France. The articles on this web site may help you in this endeavor, and perhaps add to your understanding of the Marshal and his time.

That said, we would far rather have you attend in the clothing or harness of a different time or culture, than not attend. Regardless of your dress, you are most welcome!

We hope that you will join us, and make Marshal – Flower of Chivalry an event we'll all talk about for years to come.

In Service,

Conde Fernando Rodriguez de Falcon, Chief Steward

PS: Question: WWWMD? (What Would William Marshal Do?)

      Answer: He'd make sure he was at the biggest tourney of the year!

We'll see you in May!

Marshal – Flower of Chivalry   •   Coming to Three Rivers Memorial Day Weekend 2009