Become a Knight or Monk within the SCA

Friar Erasmus of Notingham to The Knowne World
Greetings and Salutations,

Though you may be thinking "Medieval Society? Where do I sign up!?" let's first take a look at what the Society for Creative Anachronism is exactly.

The SCA is one of the world's largest medieval societies, spanning multiple countries, with over 29,000 paid and documented members and literally hundreds of thousands of non-paying members involved in the Society. To join, you have one of two options: You may officially join, which requires that you pay dues annually, and can include filling out heraldic forms describing and showing your heraldry or coat of arms, gaining your Award of Arms and other Awards, and being actively involved in a local house. Another option is to simply show up. Most members of the Society are not active paying members of the SCA. This means that they have signed waiver forms, to release the SCA from liability in case of injury, but do not pay any dues. Members receive discounted rates for events, have the opportunity to advance in the ranks toward becoming a duke, a knight, a prince, and have the chance at earning a position as king of their own kingdom. Members also have the sole right to bear their coat of arms anywhere within the kingdom, and no other member may have their exact name in the Society.

So how do people get involved? Most people do not seek out the Society, it seeks them. SCA members and those simply involved in the Society tend to have an almost evangelic attitude about getting "mundanes" to join. In my case, an active member whom I had met at the local tech school noticed my interest in swordplay and fencing. He told me of the Society, and asked if I would like to take a look.

After my first visit, I was hooked. Here was a group of people who had a passion about a subject. There were those who knew how to fashion leather boots that would last for years with nothing more than some leather, glue, and a little wax. If you ever wanted a custom made helm, a hauberk, or a coat of chain, there are blacksmiths in almost every Shire and Principality.

After spending a few meetings with these folks, I decided that I might have the opportunity to bring Christ into the mix, and try to affect change and salvation among the Royals. A Prince or King whose heart was focused on Christ could influence much change in a Principality or Kingdom that would affect generations to come.

One of the best things about the Society is that not one member of the society is a commoner. Anyone who joins the SCA begins simply as a Lord or Lady, yet may choose to become more.

The society believes in recreating the best that the period had to offer - royalty, knights, dukes, lords, ladies, and a number of offices such as Seneschal or Minster of Arts and Sciences. A small group has of members, like myself, have chosen to join under the position of Friar or Monk. This group does not try for position like the Lords and Ladies do. Instead, the Monks and Friars focus on bringing the beauty of the Christian arts from that time into the Society.

There is another group, also not part of the fighting society, and these are the Merchants. Merchants sell every type of medieval weapon, armour, clothing item, dishes, and cutlery imaginable. No one appoints you to your beginning role, but to become a Duke, Knight, Prince, or King requires much in the way of fighting skills. A dash of good luck on the field of honor can help too.

As Friar Erasmus of Notingham, I have made it my duty to bring the Gospel of Christ to the Medieval Society, and have forsaken the path to the Throne.

Within the Society, there are two different Hierarchies: That of the path to the Throne, and that of the Offices of the Principality or Kingdom. If you desire the crown, you would start as Lord or Lady, and can move through Duke, Knight, and end at Prince (for a Principality) or King (for a Kingdom). If you feel you are up to it, you can skip the rest, and jump to the Crown, since the Crown is awarded at the Kingdom's Crown Tourney, or the Principality's Coronet, to the best and most valiant fighter who fights to the last man, and wins, in the Heavy Weapons category.

The Great Offices of State for a Kingdom or Principality must include, but are not limited to Seneschal, Exchequer, Chronicler, Earl Marshal, Principal Herald, Chirurgeon, and Minister of the Arts and Sciences. These offices may have Lesser Officers of State, often as deputies to assist a Great Office of State, but it is not required. All of these offices are subject to the King or Prince in lordship over them.

If you find that you are interested in the Society, venture to http://www.sca.org and take a look around. There are numerous Kingdoms, made up of Principalities, which are peopled by their many Shires. Here is a list of the 18 Kingdoms of the Society, and their corresponding connection to the Known World:

  • The Kingdom of Lochac
    Australia and New Zealand


  • The Kingdom of An Tir
    USA: Oregon, Washington, the northern tip of Idaho
    Canada: British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, the Yukon, and the Northwest Territories


  • The West Kingdom
    USA: Northern California and Nevada, Alaska
    Japan, Korea and Pacific Rim


  • The Kingdom of Caid
    USA: Southern California, Greater Las Vegas Area, and Hawaii


  • The Kingdom of Artemisia
    : Montana, southern Idaho, most of Utah, and western Colorado and Wyoming


  • The Kingdom of Atenveldt
    USA: Arizona


  • The Kingdom of the Outlands
    USA: New Mexico, most of Colorado, parts of Wyoming and Nebraska, and the El Paso and Hudspeth counties of Texas


  • The Kingdom of Northshield
    USA: North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan
    Canada: Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario


  • The Kingdom of Calontir
    USA: Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Nebraska, Northern Arkansas


  • The Kingdom of Ansteorra
    USA: Oklahoma, most of Texas


  • The Kingdom of Ealdormere
    Canada: Ontario


  • The Middle Kingdom
    USA: Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, parts of Michigan, Illinois, a nip of Iowa


  • The Kingdom of Meridies
    USA: Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, most of Arkansas, Tennessee, almost all of Georgia, a bit of the panhandle of Florida, and small portions of both Kentucky and Virginia


  • The Kingdom of Trimaris
    USA: Majority of Florida, Panama, and Antarctica


  • The Kingdom of Æthelmearc
    USA: central/western Pennsylvania, western New York, and West Virginia


  • The Kingdom of Atlantia
    USA: Maryland, most of Virginia, North and South Carolina, a bit of Georgia


  • The Kingdom of the East
    USA: eastern Pennsylvania, eastern New York, Delaware, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine
    Canada: Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland


  • The Kingdom of Drachenwald
    Europe, Africa, Middle East

An interactive map with the Kingdom's shield can be found at: http://www.angelfire.com/ak/Oertha/Map/KnowneWorldMappe.html

Friar Erasmus of Notingham
Of the Shire of Korsvaag of Kingdom Northshield
May the Lord of Hosts Bless You and Keep You Safe.

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