13th Crown

12th_Crown

Seamus of the Cats and Karlanna of Applecross Woods

14th_Crown

This is a photo from their 2nd reign, as the 17th Crown of Ansteorra.

Crown Info:

*King: Seamus I (Seamus of the Cats) (OP)

*Queen: Karlanna I (Karlanna of Applecross Woods) (OP)

*Crown Tourney: May 11, 1985

*Coronation: July 27, 1985

*Stepped down: February 15, 1986

*Predecessors: Charles Inman MacMoore and Arrowyn of Emerald Moor

*Heirs: Dinaris the Wanderer and Marguerite de la Croix

*Crowns of Ansteorra

Overview:

An overview of their reign.

Lion: Inman MacMoore (OP)

Queen's Champion: Riccardo di Pisa (OP)

King's Gauntlet

• Arthur of the Fen (OP)

Queen's Glove

• Eleyne de Clermont (OP)

Peers:

Hildebrand von Tiel (OP)	1985-09-14	KSCA
Aeruin ni hEarain o Chonnemara (OP)	1986-01-04	Laurel
Inman MacMoore (OP)	1986-01-04	Laurel - Resigned
Jonathan DeLaufyson Macebearer (OP)	1986-01-04	Pelican
Hrothgar of Farley (OP)	1986-02-15	Laurel
Ian MacBaird (OP)	1986-02-15	KSCA
Mari ferch Rathtyen (OP)	1986-02-15	Laurel

The Words of the Populace</3>

Seamus and the Shield Wall

By Robin of Gilwell

‘Twas in the reign of a famous king, and Seamus was his name.
A leader of war, and a leader of state; great was his glory and fame.
He sat in his hall as he ruled over all from the Ansteorran throne,
‘Til a challenge came to test his fame, so great had his glory grown.
A passage of arms with the Outlands king, in the land of the argent stag,
“If you would dare an army to bring”, or so the message bragged.
Well, the Black Star’s king dares anything. Seamus assembled his host,
And led his band to the borderland, to meet this Outlandish boast.
King Artan was crafty; he chose his ground well, protected by steep river banks,
On a bridge did he lay down his great shield wall, wasting no force on his flanks.
The Outlanders were ready; they fought strong and steady, with shield men defending each spear,
And to add to their might, they had brought to this fight noble allies from Calontir.
Sutan gave his all in attacking that wall. He led the first charge of the day,
But the shield-wall held, Lord Sutan was felled, and so he was knocked out of the fray.
The wall moved no more, neither backward nor fore. Like a great stone embankment it stood.
Many times did we try to force our way by; we attacked it as hard as we could,
But no dent could we make, nor the tiniest break in that great wall of Outlander shields.
It started to look like the Outlanders took an invincible battlefield.
Seamus the king saw everything, and he said, “That wall must break.
We’ll force our way into the fray, for Ansteorra’s sake.
For us to see a victory, we must force that line to fall,
So follow your king, and I will bring you through the shield wall.”
With one great push he led the rush into the Outlands line,
With a powerful shock that none could block, he snapped that wall like twine.
And in his wrath he forced a path, with all his awesome might,
Great carnage made with his strong blade, attacking left and right.
Past the shield-men, into the spears, and still he pushed and fought.
Seamus burst free, and turned to see the carnage he had wrought.
This king a hundred men had faced, without a twinge of fright,
But his heart quailed, and face grew pale at the scene that met his sight.
For only a few had dared follow him through. He was trapped with but four other men.
No one else had dared come; his great deed was undone, for the wall was grown solid again.
And all his valor came to naught. There was nothing left to do,
The golden moment forever lost, for no army had followed him through.
Although he fought right doughtily, at last the king did fall,
For all his force and chivalry were trapped behind the wall.
The Black Star’s force fought on, of course. They fought both long and well.
And with great heart they played their part, before they finally fell.
They continued to stand to the very last man. They showed great courage that day.
But what would have been seen if they’d followed their king as he leaped into the fray.
That battle was lost to the Outland host, not from cowardice, weakness or fear,
And so many were dead for they would not be led, when the victory seemed so near.
When we fail to serve our king, it’s not a man we bring down,
But a kingdom, a people, each other, ourselves, for that is what makes him the crown. The highest throne has no strength of its own. A golden Crown is still hollow. And the sword of a king is a powerless thing unless others are ready to follow.
Working together, helping each other, we can do anything.
We’ll rally around our stellar crown! Ansteorra, follow your king!
And give your king all the advice that you can; help him to see when he’s wrong,
For he’ll make mistakes just like many a man, for a king’s road is lonely, and long.
Counsel him often; your words never soften. He needs to know just where you stand.
He’ll think about all that he knows and he’s heard -- only then will he give his command.
And sometimes he’s right, and sometimes he’s wrong, and sometimes you’ll never know.
But if you’d have a king who is noble and strong, then you follow him even so.
So after you’ve given your advice, and counseling is done,
The battle plans have been laid down, the melee is begun,
For the sake of the kingdom, heed my words, you Ansteorrans all:
Remember Seamus, and follow your king through the breach in the shield wall!