The Iron Ring of Ansteorra

History

The Iron ring was created on or around the 15th of June 2015. Connor MacGillivray, Companion of the Order of the Golden Rapier of the East and Companion of the White Scarf of Ansteorra, was the first holder of the Iron Ring of Ansteorra and set the official rules for the challenge of the Iron Ring in the lands of the Kingdom of Ansteorra.

Tournament Format

The Iron Ring is a symbol of prowess (and only prowess) in rapier fighting, there is only one, and the only way to acquire it is to challenge the current bearer. The format of the challenge is fixed and shall be strictly followed to insure this does not alter from its original intent.

The Iron Ring may only be exchanged once in any given day.

To declare the challenge the challenger declares 'I request the Challenge of the Iron Ring'. The proper responses to the challenger are 'I accept your challenge' or 'I am forbidden from accepting your challenge'.

If another challenger requests a Challenge to the new holder on the day they have won the ring from another, the holder is required to decline the Challenge.

The holder may accept up to three Challenges in a given day, assuming the holder is the victor of each preceding Challenge that day.

The challenge must be completed during a formal SCA event where rapier fighting is allowed.

The holder of the Iron Ring is required to accept the first Challenge in a day. The second and third Challenges are optional, and the holder should only accept those if they feel that they can show sufficient prowess and stamina after the exertions of the first Challenge.

Once the challenge is issued, it should be taken up as soon as is reasonable for both fighters to do so. A challenger for the Iron Ring may only issue a single challenge per day.

The fight for the Iron Ring shall always be best 3 out of 5 fights.

The fight for possession of the Iron Ring can only be made while both participants are fully in rapier armor and there is still opportunity to fight that day.

Choice of weapons is left to be negotiated between the combatants, but in all cases must include a rapier wielded in an offensive manner as the Iron Ring is a token of rapier prowess.

The Challenge must meet the Kingdom of Ansteorra’s rules for tournament combat in rapier.

The Iron Ring may not reside outside of Ansteorra’s borders. If the holder moves their residence beyond the borders of Ansteorra or the holder of the Iron Ring becomes inactive, the Iron Ring will revert to the previous holder.

The Iron Ring shall be worn prominently while in period armor so potential challengers may know who the current holder is.

The holder of the Iron Ring must follow and adhere to these rules.