Re: Event idea (very preliminary) --comments sought

[David Kuijt <kuijt@umiacs.UMD.EDU>]

Greetings to Cheapside from Dafydd

Frithuric posted some ideas for an event.  I'll add my tuppence.


>There will be both armored and rapier melees, as well as contests for
>noncombatants.  These will include A&S and Bardic competions on
>the themes of Love and War.  Points may also be scored in horse
>races and at the gambling tables....

Why are there contests for noncombatants?  Why are there "Points"?

A melee is a fine thing.  A&S Competitions are fine, for those who
like such things (although there are a MYRIAD more interesting ways
to support the arts of the middle ages).  Bardic competitions are
known from ancient times, and a wonderful tradition.
HOWEVER, what is "points" that may be "scored" in horse races and 
at the gambling tables?  

Of course, I know the answer (or think I do)--as in many other theme
events, there is a feeling that every activity must be assigned some
sort of point value, so the sum of points at the end of the evening
will tell us something meaningful.  Balderdash, I say, Balderdash!
(I've always wanted to use that word).  If you want horse races, put
in horse races.  But why, in heaven's name, pretend that the results
of the horse races has something to do with the "success" of the
"Love to Fight" group over the "Fight for Love" group?  Neither
fighting nor loving has particularly to do with gambling; why try
to make some connection when none exists?  If you want gambling, put
in gambling.  But don't try to count the coins in the purses of every
person on each side before and after, and use that statistic as if it
is more meaningful than the number of inches of rainfall over Lake
Victoria in 1453 (if it is odd, the Turks take Constantinople; if it
is even, they don't...).  (it was obviously odd :^)


>2) Is there too much going on?

You have to aim the number of activities towards the number of 
attendees.  Large events can have lots of things going on at once.
Smaller events cannot support so many activities.  For a 150+ person
event, this has too little going on.  For 75-120, it may be OK.
For 851 people, this is way too little.


Xavier writes:
>Well I don't know about this particular division but I don't think
>fighting for love is out of period, but fighting for the concept of
>love is a different story

>From the time of Eleanor of Aquitaine on, fighting for the concept of
love was a very common element in fiction and in tournaments and masques.
_Tournament_ by Barber and Barker, has a billion descriptions of
different actual historical allegorical tournaments--perhaps if you
look in there you'll find something like what you intend.

As Alianora mentions, the Siege of the Castle of Love is a VERY common
element in the literature and decorative arts.  Masques were held at
great feasts dramatizing this allegorical story -- Frithuric, I strongly
recommend you attempt to organize one of these for your event, if it
comes off.  Winifred or Corun (on this forum) might be interested
in helping (twist their arms :^)

Note that the Siege of the Castle of Love was never between two armoured
forces--the defenders are Ladies, and they are throwing roses and flowers
(including some shot from bows and crossbows) at the assaulters, who are
fully armoured knights.  Mistress Dierdre (who may lurk on this forum)
would be able to tell you with more accuracy than I what allegorical
meanings this image held for the medieval person.


Dafydd