Blade of Merit
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 Sable, on a pale gules fimbriated, a rapier inverted Or. | ||||||||
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Overview
The Order of the Blade of Merit of Ansteorra is a Grant Level award given in the Kingdom of Ansteorra for exceptional skill and abilities on the duello field of combat.
Precedence
Holders of the Blade of Merit shall take precedence after all nobility and peerage and before simple Grants of Rank. The Star of Merit, Iris of Merit, Centurions of the Sable Star, Arc d'Or of Ansteorra, Golden Lance of Ansteorra and Blade of Merit are held to be of equal precedence.
History
The order was created on October 13, 2018, by Jason Drysdale II & Margherita de Mantua II, during their step-down court.
Announcement
These are the words of Their Stellar Majesties, Jason Drysdale II & Margherita de Mantua II:
"The Order of the White Scarf holds a special place in the heart of Ansteorra. It has long held high standards as the pinnacle of the Rapier community. It not only recognizes prowess, courtly graces, and other qualities, but also has a special relationship with the Queen. With the introduction of the Masters of Defense, it is no longer the pinnacle of rapier combat, yet neither Their Majesties, nor the Order wish to see the standards for the order changed.
"In searching for a solution, Their Majesties have looked to other orders of high prestige. Both the Orders of the Rose and the Lions of Ansteorra are non-armigerous orders, whose prestige far outshines the simple precedence shown by their place in the Order of Precedence.
After long consultation with the Order, Their Majesties have decided to make the Order of the White Scarf non-armigerous as well. In all other aspects it will remain the same. It will keep its high standards, polling status, and special place in the heart and history of Ansteorra. Those who received it previously will keep their Grant level precedence.
"This however, creates an opportunity for something new. An order for those who have excelled in rapier or cut and thrust combat. Those who have surpassed the Sable Talon and are progressing towards the White Scarf and / or the Masters of Defense. It will be equal in precedence with the other Grant level orders. It is not a polling order, but will be awarded by the Crown through recommendations, similar to the Iris of Merit and Star of Merit. The name of this order shall be the Blade of Merit of Ansteorra, with a badge of “Sable, on a pale gules fimbriated, a rapier inverted Or”. The members of the order shall also be entitled to wear a ribbon paly, sable, Or, and gules.
At this time, their Majesties call forth the premiers of this order…
Cornelius Merilainen
Gabriel of Maccuswell
Marie de Girau
Insignia
Insignia: A ribbon of five equal-width stripes of sable, Or, gules, Or, and sable, worn above the left elbow or below the right knee.
The Blade of Merit Cloak Project
Elina Ulfsdottir writes: "When I first started playing in the SCA in 2018, I found myself drawn to learning more about the different types of fighting styles and the different awards for each. I was particularly drawn to the beauty of the Centurion fighters cloaks as they walked around evens and fought alongside one another on the field. The colors, the flow, the connection, the oneness of an Order of fighters who hold a common position within the Kingdom. I wondered why rapier fighters did not have a similar Order. I quickly learned that they did, but that the Order of the Blade of Merit did not have the same type of representation on the field. BOMs were discretely represented by a simple ribbon or band on the arm (or leg), making it difficult to quickly determine who belonged to this fairly new but equally prestigious Order of fighters. After speaking to several members of the Order of the Blade of Merit, I learned that many held a strong desire to be more publicly recognizable and truly desired the same level of oneness displayed so proudly on the field by other Grant level fighters.
What could I do to help? Members of the Order of the Blade of Merit wanted to feel "seen" by the populace and the populace needed a way to "see" them. I decided to design a cloak, a special cloak worn only by the BOMs. A cloak that could bring together an entire Order as one, with all the colors, flow and connection felt by a group of individuals who are honored to be part of something greater than themselves... a oneness held by being a member of the Order of the Blade of Merit.
After many hours of research and learning how to use a sewing machine, the first BOM cloak was born on September 15, 2022. It was given to my husband, Ulrich von Tolstat, who wore it proudly at Raven's Fort's 35th Defender of the Fort in Livingston, Texas, on September 17, 2022.
It was with this first cloak that the BOM Cloak Project began. I have since made five additional BOM cloaks, most of which were given out on November 19, 2022, at Bordermarch's War of the Rams IX in Colmesneil, TX. Each hand-numbered cloak is made entirely of linen material and sewn with cotton thread. The cloaks very by the type of sword appliqued on the front, fofering fighters a choice of an arming sword, a long sword, or a rapier. At this time (2022), I am currently working on creating several more cloaks to be given out in the near future. It is my goal to ensure that all those who are current and future members of the Order of the Blade of Merit receive a cloak. I was (and still am) mesmerized by the way that a collective Order of fighters look when connected by a heraldic badge of honor. I feel that the BOM Cloak Project will help make the Order of the Blade of Merit more visible to others, while also helping create a sense of camaraderie and community in our beloved Kingdom."
The First Five Cloaks
Gallery:
- Blade of Merit Cloaks
