Talen Gustaf von Marienburg

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Photo

Northkeep wInterKingdom Collegium, 2019.
Please see notes section below for photo details.
Information
Registered Name: Talen Gustaf of Marienburg
Resides: Northkeep
Status: Active
Joined SCA: 1982
Order of Precedence
Talen Gustaf von Marienburg
Heraldry

Per pale Or and vert, three chevronels counterchanged, overall a double-bitted axe palewise sable

Centurion Talen Gustaf von Marienburg

Badge

Additional Heraldry

Registered Badge: Per saltire vert and Or, four mullets of four counterchanged.

NOTES:

Regarding the portrait (right): "The lower string of amber was a gift from Her Excellency, Sigen Fridreksdottir, Baroness Northkeep. The string of amber above that belonged to Her Excellency, Mistress Anastacia ('Stacia') Marie Travarra. The large piece of spun amber was a gift from His Grace, Sir Gunthar Jonsson after our tourney fight. My Falcon was passed to me by Her Excellency, Mistress Gunhilda Amberstar. The Centurion's Cloak was the last cloak made by Her Excellency, Mistress Dunstana Talana the Violet. It was unfinished, and Centurion Treschen von Asselen completed it prior to this event."

Offices:

  • Local Offices Held
    • Herald, Shire of Mooneschadowe
    • Hospitalar, Shire of Mooneschadowe
    • Knight Marshal, Shire of Mooneschadowe
    • Seneschal, Shire of Mooneschadowe
    • Seneschal, Incipient Shire of Luchsenberg
    • Knight Marshal, Shire of Mooneschadowe
    • Knight Marshal, Barony of Northkeep
  • Regional Offices Held
    • Northern Regional Knight Marshal

Persona History:

Herr Talen Gustaf von Marienburg is a 14th Century Bavarian Serjeant-at-Arms living in the Kingdom of Ansteorra near the Calontir border, far to the north of the Barony of Northkeep. What follows is his story.

I, Brüder Eldred Godwinsson, do aver that I was called to Schloβ Marienburg in February of the year of our Lord, 1379, being Anno Societatis LIII and 2019 in the Common Reckoning, wherein I did write these words as directed by my lord, without omitting nor adding anything unsaid.

I, Talen Gustaf von Marienburg, being called to take up the Cross against the Heathen Pruβe, and being aware of the danger to my mortal life during this time, do wish to make my testament of divers deeds so done in my life, and will for the disposition of my estate in the event of my demise.

I was born to an impoverished Gutsherr, Reichardt von Marienburg, in May of the year of our Lord 1322. My family, though of ancient lineage, still was of poor means. I was the firstborn child of my father - he eventually had two other children - Maria and Kristoff. Upon his demise in the year of our Lord 1339 in a hunting accident, my mother, Sofia, did enter into the service of God as a nun. Despite our poverty, my sister did find a husband in the south, Roberto di Mantua, and my younger brother a suitable bride in Denmark.

As for me, with little save my name, I joined a mercenary company in Burgundy, and I campaigned with the army of Odo IV in Hainault in 1340. The following spring, John III of Brittany died without an heir, and Odo joined forces with Charles de Blois, who claimed the Duchy. That autumn, I was injured when an archer pierced my helm and nearly lost my left eye. I retired to the Shire of Northkeep in the Kingdom of Ansteorra to recuperate that winter.

In May of 1342, I took service as a man-at-arms with Rafael Diego de Burgos, Lord of Casa de Morado, who was preparing to return to Brittany with his retainers. We campaigned there for two years. At the siege of Quimper in 1344, Charles de Blois massacred nearly 1500 innocents after he took the town. It was too much for Lord Rafael and myself. We immediately left the region and returned to Ansteorra, where Rafael became the local herald and taught me some skills in this craft. Ansteorra at that time was at peace, and Duke Lloyd von Eaker the Second did rule, and Casa de Morado did prosper. Though I remained a poor man-at-arms, Rafael Diego and his family did much to improve my appearance and skills, and I did gain some recognition at court.

During this time of peace, Ansteorra did relish the tournaments. Though of modest station, I was allowed to enter some of these, and in the name of Chivalry did fight the Pas d’Armes of Peace, not of War. Starting with but limited knowledge, it was most fortunate that I learned my tournament skills in Ansteorra in peacetime. I improved in the tourneys, but Peace was not to remain.

Feeling that I would need an education to complement my growing martial skills, I did study heraldry at the University in Mooneschadowe Towne in 1345, far to the west of Northkeep. My studies kept me busy, and I did not interact with the populace there, who were described to me as gentles to be wary of for their weirdling ways. I did continue to train and enter tourneys during this time, and in particular I enjoyed the melees, a love of which I still hold to this day.

I gained some small renown on the tourney and melee fields, and eventually I was given arms by King Hector Philip Martel in May of 1347, and with consultation of the heralds, did register Per pale Or and vert, three chevronels counterchanged, overall a double-bitted axe palewise sable. The estate was a small one, as befits a new armigerous lord, and was located in the Shire of Mooneschadowe. The Seneschal of Mooneschadowe, hearing of my good fortune, did court me as a herald, being in need of those services, but I was reluctant to leave service with Lord Rafael at that time, and war did loom upon the horizon.

Ansteorra did march upon the Kingdom of the Outlands, far to the west of our shire, disputing their claim to our far southern regions. Being dutiful subjects of our king, Rafael did take his men-at-arms to that far land, whereupon the two kingdoms did meet in battle at a place called Scorpion’s Hollow. This was in October of the year of our Lord 1347. I did good service in the war, but in the end, Ansteorra was defeated. I returned to my estate, where again the Seneschal did entreat me to serve. He seemed an honorable man, not the weirdling I had been led to believe, so I did take up the mantle of Shire Herald.

At that time, the Shire of Mooneschadowe was a small but growing collection of but a few hamlets and a University in Mooneschadowe Towne. Under the leadership of the local Seneschal, Lord Alexandros vom Einhornwald, the Shire began to prosper, and I contributed as much as I could to foster that growth, and it also brought prosperity to my estate and the region as a whole. I even found myself in a position to take on a few men-at-arms. I worked closely with the local Knight’s Marshal, Lady Gunhilda Amberstar, to help train the Militia, for bandits did threaten the region, and the sheepfarmers were often sorely pressed to combat them.

In October of 1348, war with the Outlands did break out again. Our Militia, led by Lady Gunhilda, did join the King’s army and clash with the forces of the Outlands at the second Battle of Scorpion’s Hollow. They fought well, but Ansteorra didst suffer yet another defeat, and we withdrew to the western borders of Ansteorra. Then, having secured the border, the Militia did return to the Shire of Mooneschadowe. This experience helped galvanize our Militia to train harder for the next war, and the Militia grew stronger and more skilled because of this experience.

During this time I met and fell in love with a beautiful lady, Treschen von Asselen, who hailed originally from a Rhineland region a bit northwest of my birthplace, but who was attending the University at the behest of her father, who also held a large estate in Ansteorra near the border with the Kingdom of Calontir. We decided to marry in October of 1349, holding the public ceremony in the Cathedral in Northkeep, as it was located about halfway between her father’s estate and mine. Afterward, we settled on my humble estate, and continued to work closely with the local Populace. My lady-wife also proved to be a fine warrior herself, in the traditions of her ancestors, and her skill in skirmishes and siegecraft helped us lead our small group of retainers to strengthen our manorial defenses.

As the local population in Mooneschadowe Towne and the surrounding hamlets continued to grow and prosper, and as we continued to serve our fair Shire, Their Majesties, Mikael II of Monmouthshire and Rebekka die Blonde, did award unto both of us the Sable Comet of Ansteorra for services to Mooneschadowe, done in February in the year of our Lord, 1350.

War again called us away, this time to the Lands of Pennsic, far from the borders of Ansteorra. It was August of 1352. My Lady and I answered the call of His Majesty, William Meisko, known as The Bear, to follow him and serve Ansteorra. Though the battles eventually turned against us, and our allies were defeated, Treschen and I did gain much word-fame, and His Majesty William did honor us with an Award of the Sable Falcon, the 58th and 59th of those given. We returned to our estate, tired but proud of our martial accomplishments.

War continued to plague our kingdom as skirmishes broke out with a new foe, the Kingdom of Trimaris. Finally, our summons to muster was given in March of 1356, and we marched to war, engaging the Trimaran Army in the heart of the Kingdom of Meridies at a place known locally as King’s Arrow Ranch. Our Militia fought bravely and gained many accolades, but our numbers were too few and we eventually had to retreat. For my part, King Galen and Queen Rebekah did grant me membership in the Order of the Centurions of the Sable Star of Ansteorra, the 11th Centurion so made.

As troops returned to their villages and baronies, the cry from the populace of Ansteorra to regain our honor was strong, and armies were trained and lessons learned were incorporated into that training. We drilled the Militia to move quickly and stand firmly in the shield wall. Ancient treatises were studied and tactics adopted. Our local troops had learned much and adapted well to a mobile form of fighting that allowed us to quell most of the banditry within the Shire’s borders and secured the local sheepfarmers livelihood. Under the leadership of a new Seneschal, Herr Alaric von Thorne, our Shire blossomed and grew, and I was appointed to be the Captain of the Mooneschadowe Militia. We rivaled local Baronies in our arts, the sciences, and our martial spirit. Our local Militia was in de facto a Guard, and we rechristened them as such, calling them now The Liondragon Guard of Mooneschadowe in the fall of 1356. I was their first Captain.

In the spring of 1357, the forces of Ansteorra and her allies did again clash with the armies of Trimaris. Leading the Liondragon Guard to war, we mustered now by Lances and everywhere we clashed with the enemy, we held our ground. Even our enemies complimented our bravery, and the fame of the Liondragon Guard grew. I was again recognized for my service, being awarded a Sable Crane by His Majesty Abd al-Mahdi. Though the war ended inconclusively, we returned home filled with pride at what we had accomplished.

That May, I was appointed the Northern Regional Warlord by His Majesty, Abd al-Mahdi Jamal ibn Hakim. Soon after, I won renown at the Norðsteorra Warlord Tournament, my first tourney victory. I resigned as the Guard Captain and was succeeded by right-of-arms by my lady-wife, Treschen. Working with the Kingdom Warlord, Ritter Dieterich, we organized the regions of Ansteorra for the inevitable conflict to come. Weapons and armour were made, soldiers drilled and tested, and tactics developed so we could fight alongside our allies in Northkeep and Eldern Hills.

In March of the following year, being 1358, we did again meet the Trimaran army. The Northern Region held firm and distinguished ourselves greatly upon the battlefield. Mooneschadowe and Northkeep shared the King’s Battle Ribbon, the first ever given.

Over time, a truce eventually was brokered, and the Kingdoms of Trimaris, Meridies and Ansteorra did agree to compete in the future for glory and honor instead of blood and sorrow, which they still do to this day in Tournaments and Melees known as Gulf Wars.

While we were away at war, my estate of Marienburg was razed by bandits, and Treschen and I were granted a part of her father’s lands in the northernmost reaches of the kingdom, where we reside to this day.

As I look now to go on a crusade, I wish it to be known that should I perish in this endeavour, I leave all of my worldly possessions to my lady-wife, Centurion Treschen von Asselen, to use as she sees fit to provide for a dowry to our lovely daughters, Ingidóra Talenssdóttir and Caitlin MacGregor.

Done and sworn this day, the 2nd of February in the year of our Lord, 1379, being the 53rd year of the Society and the 40th year of the Kingdom, known in the common reckoning as 2019.

Interests:

Armored Combat
Melees and Wars
Archery
Knife, Axe, Spear Throwing
Combat Archery
Woodworking
Leatherworking
Calligraphy
Medieval Games

Timeline of Activity:

Joined the SCA in May 1982 in the Shire of Northkeep.
Joined the Shire of Mooneschadowe in October 1987
Joined the Barony of Northkeep in August 2014

Populace Provided Information:


Trivia

Affectionately nicknamed "Captain Pompous" by Anastacia Marie Travarra.

Notable Contributions or Accomplishments:

  • Captain of the Mooneschadowe Militia, 1995
  • First Captain of the Liondragon Guard, 1996
  • First Northern Regional Warlord, 1997
  • 11th Centurion of the Sable Star of Ansteorra
  • 58th Sable Falcon of Ansteorra


Affiliations:


Mundane Information:


Bearer of the Sable Shield of Ansteorra