The History of the Kingdom of The West
Branch Histories

History: The Principality of Oertha has a stormy past, but to sum up: It started as the Shire of Eskalya (which is now the Barony of Eskalya) and Shire of Selveirgard (now also a Barony). Some time later, the Shire of Winter's Gate (now a Barony), and some time after that, the Shire of the Thousand Isles (eventually Barony of Earngyld, for awhile a March -- i.e., not a part of the Principality, now a Shire that is part of the Principality again), and new branches have started to emerge.

The Principality started coelescing as a "Region" (the North), which eventually in the process of becoming a Principality (in January of 1985) decided on the name of Oertha, and decided to be a part of the Kingdom of the West, rather than the newly forming Kingdom of An Tir (which up until that point, Oertha and its local branches were considered a part of). The decision to go with the West Kingdom when An Tir was made a Kingdom was done by a vote of the populace ... (as were the decisions for the name and the arms).

An Arts and Sciences issue of The Guardian, The Principality newsletter, which was published in January of AS XIX (1985) has a list of "firsts" in an article. These are all Oerthan "Firsts", not SCA or Kingdom of the West "Firsts":

• July XII marked the first Lord Defender of Eskalya tourney, with Sir Einrich Dwarflord Armpittsbane (now Duke Sir Einrich of Atenveldt) as victor.
• July XIII was the first Lord Defender of Eskalya tourney which saw entrants from other parts of Oertha.
• Larissa Katrina Ivanov was the first Queen of Love and Beauty of Eskalya to wear a circlet, presented at her circletting revel in July, AS XIII.
• The first Lord Defender of the North was Ulrich (second reign), with Keziah Fairhair as his Queen of Love and Beauty. The first Lord Defender of Oertha was Brendan Shimmeringstar in January XVI, with Danpira Snowsong as the one and only Queen of Love and Beauty of Oertha. One reign later, the title became Lady of the Snows with Decembre Eitel as the first holder.
• Ragnar Blackspruce was the first Knight made in Oertha, during Radnor and Esmirelda's first visit in September XV. Ulrich von Matanuska was made a Master of Arms in January XIV in Atenveldt, although he did live in Oertha at that time.
• Sharane de Kondrak was the first Oerthan Pelican; also at that very memorable Baron's Championship Tourney in Eskalya, Sharane became the first recipient of the Queen's Cypher from Oertha.
• Aryana Silknfyre was the first Oerthan Laurel, presented to her by William the Lucky on behalf of James and Verena at the War of the Names in August XVI. She was also the first Oerthan to receive admission to the Queen's Order of Grace in September A.S. XV from Her Majesty Esmirelda.
• Morgana n'ha Keridwen became the first peer in Winter's Gate when King Steingrim admitted her to the Order of the Pelican during his Yuletide visit to Winter's Gate in December XVI.
• The first Court Baron and Baroness were Ragnar Blackspruce and Marya Nordama of Blackspruce in January XVII from Their Majesties Paul and Rowena.
• The first visiting monarch to a Northern event (LS January XIII) was King Steven [MacEanruig]. Also at that event were Mistress Hilary of Serendip and Sir William the Lucky. At that event, Eskalya was made a Barony, with Hugh McGlammoraga of the North and Selenia of Silverwood as founding Baron and Baroness; Winter's Gate was made a Shire, and House Van Dag formed the Freehold of Selveirgard.
• The first gathering of soon-to-be Winter's Gaters was at a demo at the Tanana Valley Fair in August, A.S. XIII. Winter's Gate was advanced to Province status in May, A.S. XV, and then altered its status to that of a Barony in January A.S. XVIII, with Morgana n'ha Keridwen [aka Morgana yr Oerfa -- Hirsch] as its founding Baroness.
• The first "real" event in Thousand Isles was a summer solstice revel held at Lena Beach in June, A.S. XV. Thousand Isles became a shire at the July XVI Lord Defender's Tourney, after being "poofed" by King William [the Lucky]. After a name change to Earngyld, the group was advanced to baronial status in July, A.S. XIX during the visit of Their Majesties Ronald and Dierdrianna. Elaine of Rainbow's End was their choice as Founding Baroness.
• The College of St. Boniface (formerly Wizard's Keep) debuted at September Captaincy, A.S. XVI.
• Beast Valley petitioned Winter's Gate for riding status at Michaelmas, October A.S. XVII.
• The first royal visit to Winter's Gate was that of TRM William and Andrea, who graced May Captaincy XVI with their presence. Earngyld's turn came in December, A.S. XVI when HRM Steingrim visited.
• The reign of Bernadette de Fairskiie as Queen of Love and Beauty of the North saw several notable firsts: the introduction of the Janissaries [now the Princess' Escort], who traditionally guard and attend the (QLB, QLBO, LOS); and the creation of the LOS Whim Award, given as the name implies, at the whim of the Lady of the Snows. The first recipient of this award was Aeron of Martletslair.
• Anne of Bradford, when Lady of the Snows, created the Ladies of the Chamber to wait upon the LOS and advise her at need in January A.S. XVIII.

See the Roll of Arms for the Princes and Princesses of Oertha.

Location: The State of Alaska.

From The Page (January, 1984):

ANNALS OF OERTHA

The Year in Oertha -- 1983

January Lord Defender's Tournament, Eskalya
     Outgoing Lord Defender - Sir Kylson Skyfire
     Outgoing Lady of the Snows - Decembre Eitel
     New Lord Defender - Eric Bearsbane
     New Lady of the Snows - Marthe Aardvarkkeeper

February - Winter's Gate Captaincy Tournament
     New Captain - Shapur Abdul Abalhassan Hussain
     New Heart of Winter's Gate - Mistress Morgana n'ha Keridwen

May - Winter's Gate Captaincy Tournament
     New Captain - Lady Alician de MOntfort of Sprucewood (first lady in Oertha to win a title by right of arms)
     New Heart of Winter's Gate - Ivan Nikolai Voryag

June - Earngyld Pilot's Tourney
     New Pilot - Bjorn Emerfing
     New Seamaden - Natalie Twiname

July 4th Weekend - Duke Paul Fighting Workshop and Warlord Tournament - Beast Valley
     Lord Donnan of Shimmeringstar -- Warlord
     Tara de Franbois - Shieldmaiden
War was declared on Beast Valley by the College of St. Boniface for serving sheep that looked suspiciously related to sheep owned by the College.

July - Lord Defender's Tournament, Earngyld
     New Lord Defender - Lord Sean of Eaglerest
     New Lady of the Snows - Lady Raonaild Ruard
     Guests: Duke Paul of Bellatrix, Countess Rowena d'Anjou, Lady Kat von Falkensfen, Lady Christia Barrett (Lochac Minister of Sciences), and His Royal Majesty, Radnor
     Oerthan offices that changed hands at this event:
     Seneschal - (acting position given to Adam Elfchaser). Exchequer, to Wolf Federweiss. Chronicler to Rhea Louveciennes.

August - Warlord Tournament in Selveirgard
     Prize Tournament, with a handcrafted axe, won by Lord Avaloc the Young.

September - Baroness' Champion Tourney, Earngyld
     First Baroness' Champion - Bjorn Emerfing

September - Baron's Tourney, Eskalya
     Baron's Champion - Avaloc the Young

October - Winter's Gate Captaincy Tournament
     New Captain - Lord Irone of the Blue Star
     New Heart of Winter's Gate - Mistress Danpira Snowsong of Skyhaven
     Visitors - Lady Antadina Exeter du Nordlac and Lord Edmund de Montfort

November - Beast Valley Warlord Tournament and Sheep War between the College of St. Boniface and Beast Valley
     New Warlord - Todd the Foxx
     New Shieldmaiden - Branwen Ravenwing
The war was won by several HUNGRY college students, led by Sir Kylson Skyfire. There are rumors of Beast Valley declaring war on the College in order to reattain the new grazing lands of the sheep, Lyubov Tower (the residence of the Seneschale and family of Beast Valley).

December - College of St. Boniface Heraldry Workshop

[I am indebted to Rhea Louvciennes, the Chronicler of Oertha, for collecting the above information for me.]

Description of the history of this branch is a summary from the small amount of information available, by Hirsch von Henford. Location information is from the back of The Page.

The West Kingdom History Website was created by and is maintained by Hirsch von Henford (mka Ken Mayer).