Tournament of the Courtier

Tournament of the Courtier XXVI

(A friendly five-part competition for gentlemen and gentlewomen, based upon The Book of the Courtier by Baldessar Castiglione)


Host: The Shire of Baile na Scolairi

Event: The Awakening (Armored Egg Hunt)

Date: April 27, 2019

Rapier Marshal-in-Charge: THL Catalin Zoldzem

Courtiers Tournament Marshal: Baron John of Illiton (Master John Inchingham the fool)

Schedule

  • List opens
  • Sign-up for Courtiers Tournament
  • Meeting of Courtiers Candidates
  • Courtiers Rapier Tournament/Easter Egg Hunt (Open to all fencers)
  • Judging of Fencing Garb (Courtiers Candidates only)
  • Lunch Break
  • Dice Chess Tournament (Open to all who wish to play)
  • Bardic Competition (Open to all performers)
  • Extemporaneous Speaking Competition (Courtiers Candidates only)
  • Winners announced and prizes awarded.

Part I: "To play well at fense upon all kinds of weapons."

Candidates will be required to show their fencing skill in a list run by THL Catalin. Points will be awarded reflecting each candidate's standing at the end of the day's fighting.

Note--fencers who do not wish to be Courtier candidates may still compete in this part of the tournament.

Part II: "To be handesome and clenly in his (or her) apparaile."

The fencing garb of each candidate will be judged on the basis of comeliness and appropriateness.

Part III: "To be meanly seene in the play at Chestes (chess), and not over cunninge. To play for his pastime at Dice [and] not . . . fume and chafe in his losse.”

Candidates will play matches of DICE chess. Participants need only know how various chess pieces move and capture in order to play.

Part IV: "To be brought to showe his (or her) feates and qualities at the desire and request of others."

Each candidate shall be asked to demonstrate skill at some mode of entertainment of the candidate's choosing (dance, sing, recite a poem, play an instrument, tell a tale, etc.). A candidate who has created an original work, may ask any gentle besides John Inchingham to perform it.

Part V: "To be well spoken and faire languaged" and "To be no envious or malitious person."

Each candidate will be asked to briefly speak extemporaneously upon the virtues of one of the other candidates (to be drawn at random).

Prizes

Chess Queen Trophy (awarded to Courtier's Tournament Winner)--donated by Their Excellencies, Master Wilhelm Michallik and Mistress Alzbeta Michalik.

Orange Cloak (second place traveling trophy)--donated by Lady Sophia the Orange.

Buckler (awarded to top fencer)--constructed and donated by Warder Damian Nihthauk.

Other Prizes TBA.