Research Resources: Databases, Archives, and Academic Search Engines
A regularly updated list of research resources for SCA artisans and living historians: academic search engines, databases, archives, and museum collections.
People from the Past: a Short-Form History Paper Competition
An accessible, not-intimidating research paper designed to get people excited about history – now in its second year!
A Quick and Dirty Intro to Research in the SCA
Coming into the “arts and sciences” side of the SCA without an academic or otherwise developed idea of scholarly research can be daunting. This class is an attempt to unpack the concept and provide attendees with both a framework and resources to research their own interests and unanswered questions.
SCA Persona 101 – Class Notes
The concept of a persona in the SCA – or in other living history and reenactment organizations – can be a daunting and nebulous concept to unpack. These class notes and worksheets should help you make sense of your own approach to persona.
16th Century Prints as C&I Sources
The sixteenth century – and its vast array of prints, in particular – is a fertile field of inspiration for artists, illuminators, and calligraphers looking for interesting and lesser-used sources for C&I work in the SCA.
Calontir Wall Map, 2018 Queen’s Prize
The large, multi-sheet map Calontiriæ Regnum Descriptio depicts the SCA Kingdom of Calontir in the style of sixteenth century cartographers such as Ortellius, Mercator, Speed, and de Jode. Composed of six seperate sheets, the inked-and-painted portions of the map measure a full 4ft x 3ft. It was awarded the Queen’s Prize at the 2018 tournament.
Late Sixteenth Century Dutch Persona Checklist
I will be continuing to fill out and add to this checklist to better document what I know of the life, upbringing, socio-economic standing, cultural context, and known world of my chosen persona and historical focus: a member of the rural lesser nobility in the Dutch province of Overijssel from roughly 1575-1590. When the question […]
Organizing Your Research
Diving into research, uncovering sources, and making sense of data can be tough. Keeping track of all your notes can be even worse. This class is an overview of my ongoing quest to develop a methodology that makes sense of the madness
Lilies War XXXII Map
I had the opportunity to design the official map for the 2018 Lilies War. This particular project was one of my first dreams when I returned to the Society and started researching historical cartography. Once I had the go-ahead, I knew exactly what references I wanted to use.
Moments Before Battle – Dutch Revolt Painting
I commissioned Czech digital artist Jaromir Hrivnac to create a painting set during the Dutch Revolt. He delivered in a spectacular way.
2018 Forgotten Sea Area Non-Peers Gathering
The peasants are revolting! In March 2018, I facilitated a (wholly unofficial) group discussion with area non-peers in conjunction with a peers’ retreat behind held in Kansas City the same day.
Survey of Late Sixteenth Century Men’s Clothing, 1570-1600
Clown costumes. Frilly ruffs and cuffs. Heads on plates. Excess in every way. For the acclimated, late sixteenth century men’s fashions were strange, bewildering, and off-putting. This lecture aims to familiarize attendees with the basics of men’s clothing of the time period – and point newcomers in a direction they may find more comfortable.
Hugo van Harlo’s 1580 Dutch Gentry Persona Story
Depending on the reenactor’s context and interest, a persona can exist along a spectrum from a high level, generic impression all the way to a carefully researched fictional character complete with plausible life details. As a history buff, I have found that fleshing out the details of my persona’s historical context both forces me to […]
Beligica Orientalis – 2017 Calontir Queen’s Prize Judges’ Choice
Six weeks of research, design choices, and careful work with pencil, ink, and watercolor resulted in a three-sheet map of the northeastern provinces of the early Dutch Republic. Entered into Calontir’s 2017 Queen’s Prize Tournament, the map won the Judges’ Choice award.
A Map of Forgotten Sea, 2017 Calontir Tri-Levels Judges’ Choice
My interest in cartography was born out of a childhood of Tolkien and RPG maps and only deepened by my study of the Golden Age of Cartography. My map of the Kansas City area’s SCA chapters was drawn to better understand the compositional elements of the great sixteenth century mapmakers. It was so well received that it was awarded the Judges’ Choice at the Calontir 2017 Tri-Levels arts & sciences competition.
Leather-Bound Album Amicorum, 2017 Calontir Tri-Levels Entry
Albums amicorum were yearbooks before yearbooks existed, and even could be considered to fill the same social networking outlet that we use Facebook for in our own day and age. This project was my first attempt at bookbinding, and I chose to use an interesting historic (and persona-relevant) form as one of my entries to the 2017 Tri-Levels arts and sciences competition.
Birth of the Dutch Republic, 1575-1591
The late 16th century (or “Late, Late Period” for us thoroughly SCA types) was an absolutely fascinating and remarkable period…but tragically few people know much of it beyond Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare!
An Introduction to Late 16th Century Europe, 1566-1610
The late 16th century (or “Late, Late Period” for us thoroughly SCA types) was an absolutely fascinating and remarkable period…but tragically few people know much of it beyond Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare!
Dutch Revolt and 16th Century Netherlands Bibliography
While less known to American audiences compared to the Tudor-Elizabethan period in England or French Wars of Religion, the Dutch Revolt has had a vast body of academic literature surrounding it—since nearly its very inception. When combined with works on the military equipment & tactics of the era and accompanying, burgeoning printing press, there’s a wealth of references to draw from when seeking to understand the people, culture, and events of this tumultuous era.
1566-1619: Choosing Dates for Researching the Dutch Revolt
The conflict that evolved into the Dutch struggle for independence from Spain lasted eighty years. Its roots are found many decades earlier. While periodizing history may be an arbitrary task, it can be helpful in creating a lens in which to focus research efforts. In my case, I’ve chosen 1566-1619.