2025 Laurel's Prize Tournament
A Summary of Royal Court at Laurel’s Prize Tournament
by Maitre Etienne De Saint Amaranth
It was the 8th of February, the Feast of Saint Oncho of Clonmore (Poet and pilgrim who roamed the memorials and shrines of Ireland, collecting and preserving information about and relics of the saints. He finally retired to the Clonmore monastery who inherited his collection of relics, and who enshrined Oncho as well) when the Barony of Namron hosted Laurel’s Prize Tournament. This was also, under the Julian Calendar, the anniversary of the coronation of François I (Frances I for English speakers); he who was called le Père et Restaurateur des Lettres (the 'Father and Restorer of Letters') and also known as Roi-Chevalier (the 'Knight-King'). Normally, this recorder of events relates events dated per the Gregorian Calendar we use today but it is worth the educational moment to remember Western Europe did not mostly convert to the Gregorian Calendar until 1589, very late in our period.
To this celebration of Arts and Sciences and learning, Their Royal Majesties, Jean Paul and Gilyan, brought their court and were joined by Her Royal Highness and by Their Sanguine Highnesses of Vindheim.
In morning court, Their Majesties recognized newcomers and Sable Shield recipients. The event stewards made announcements. And Magnifica Biatrichi Malatesta Canzionari di Palermo, Kingdom Minister of Arts & Sciences, spoke of the activities of the day and how the interaction process with Laurels and presenters would be conducted.
Their Majesties then announced a change to the constitution for the Award of the Lyra Aurea. The Lyra Aurea is a youth award focused on service, similar in many ways to the Award of the Sable Crane for adults. The Sable Crane was recently modified so that it can be received for categories of service, like the Sable Thistle for Arts and Sciences and the Sable Talon for martial endeavors. A recipient can only receive the Crane once for a specific form of service but can receive multiple Cranes for differing forms of service. The change announced at court was that the Lyra Aurea would be similarly modified so that youth can also receive it more than once in differing categories. The constitution change will be published in the Black Star but the change is effective now.
Their Majesties then summoned Alexandre Crane. Alexandre had previously been called as a candidate for the Order of Chivalry and Their Majesties concluded morning court by taking him out and placing him on vigil to consider his candidacy for that estate and the advice of peers and populace.
There was a fantastic number of artisans displaying and the hall maintained an almost constant state of voices as people looked and talked and Laurel’s advised and encouraged and our royal house walked among them.
As the display times drew to a close, Their Majesties and Her Royal Highness met with the Order of the Laurel and the hall was reset and prepared for court.
Evening court’s procession, in this day of artistry, had a prelude. The herald asked everyone be as quiet as possible, to close their eyes if they were comfortable doing so, and to listen. Soft sounds of instrumental music began to waft over the crowd and to set a mood of being in a different time and place. As the music reached a quieter section, just the sounds of harpsichords, the herald asked all to stand for the entrance of Their Majesties, Her Royal Highness, and Their Sanguine Highnesses; and as they entered and took their thrones, the music swelled and reached crescendo and concluded. The musical piece was an original composition by our Premier Bard, Honorable Lord Robin Carrot, and was a gift to our current Crown. He has posted to the Ansteorran Facebook page about the piece.
Their Majesties court re-opened and they again began their court session by calling for newcomers and Sable Shield recipients. The Event Stewards were called who shared a few announcements and were then surprised with thanks and tokens from the Baronesses of Namron for their work on that day’s event. Our Crown then turned court over to Their Sanguine Highnesses who gave awards and were also able to catch several people who had previously not been present for awards granted them. Many of the Vindheim catch up awards were from the tenure of Daffydd and Octavia as Prince and Princess and Their Excellencies joined Their Sanguine Highnesses to present those.
Royal court business resumed and Their Majesties first presented three awards given at prior courts but recipients were not present:
- Xavier of Wiesenfeuer – Rising Star, Dated: 2024-12-11
- Marie da Serra da Estrela – Sable Crane for Champion Scrolls, Dated: 2024-11-16
- Alhdryd ceorlstrang – Sable Sparrow, Dated: 2024-04-13
Their Majesties then called forward the Kingdom Middle Eastern Dance Champion and announced the new champion: Anastasiia Dmitrieva Sokolova – Middle Eastern Dance Champion
At this point, the Order of Chivalry was called, Alexandre was called. Following witnesses, Alexandre was inducted into the Order, and bestowed the insignia of the Order and some additional items appropriate for members of the Gendarmerie in France in his period. He swore fealty in his own words, was dubbed using both the Sword of State and the King’s Blade of Chivalry, and took his last unanswered blow. Alexandre’s letters patent were read (they are inscribed on his lance) and Sieur Alexandre then led the Order to the back of court. (There was a lot more involved in the ceremony given the French cultural and Gendarmerie connections. I encourage Sieur Alexandre to post about his ceremony separately to share so others can learn.)
Their Majesties have had a really good track record this reign of catching people at court and not adding too significantly to the collection of awarded but not received items traveling with the Crown. This event was that exception. Of four additional people called into court, only one was present. Please stay for court when possible; your Crown may be looking for you. The one present and publicly bestowed award:
- Philippa Benintendi di Palermo – Sable Thistle for Illumination
Their Majesties then summoned the Order of the Laurel. They confirmed the order was not complete. And then they summoned three candidates to the order:
Dates of elevations to be announced.
The courts were closed. Royalty processed out. And site tear down commenced.
On a personal note, if the reader will allow, this court also marked a milestone for your recording herald as well. Come this May, I will have been a Master of the Order of the Pelican for 15 years. In all that time, despite (or perhaps because of) the number of peerage processions I have heralded or written or the times I was called by the Crown to be their herald, I had never before this event been asked and spoken as a peer at someone’s elevation ceremony. I was honored to escort Countess Michelle (whose Pelican ceremony I served at as Royal Herald, my third time heralding for the Crown) into court where we spoke for Sieur Alexandre as Pelicans (thank you for asking my friend). Another, if personal, item in the history of February 8, Gregorian.
