The Barony of Politarchopolis is a Canberra-based reenactment group that explores the times, values, and lives of those who lived in pre-seventeenth century European history.  

It all began back in 1966 in Berkley, California when a group of university students (who grew up to be fantasy authors) ached for a time when honour, chivalry and courtesy were the foundations of society. In a rejection of modern life and capitalism, they formed their own living history group – the Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA).

The group held a tournament that same year where they crowned a queen of love and beauty, knights fought, and such a good time was had by all, they decided to do it on a regular basis. Now, the SCA has 20 kingdoms worldwide and over 20,000 registered members.

There is no strict period that all members must adhere to, it just needs to be before the year 1600 AD. SCA is now present in countries across Europe, the United Kingdom, Thailand, and Canada.

In Australia and New Zealand, they play under the banner of the Kingdom of Lochac. Almost every capital city around the country has their own Barony, Canton, Shire, or university associated group. Politarchopolis is one of the largest in the kingdom with around 150 members.

Brigid Costello doesn’t go by her civilian name when she is in game, rather, she is known by her formal title, Baroness Anne De Tournai, the elected head of the Barony of Politarchopolis.

De Tournai became involved with the SCA when she was 15 and living in Brisbane, as a nerdy teen who loved fantasy. Naturally, she jumped at the chance to attend a medieval horse-riding event with friends. She has a clear memory of the moment she was hooked; it happened in a borrowed costume upon a borrowed horse.

“There was mist coming up through the bush and then all of a sudden, from a couple of horses behind me, one of the guys started to sing,” De Tournai said.

She has been part of the Society on and off for 30 years; sometimes less active than others. However, she knew the group would always be there with open arms when she was ready to return.

Each member selects their own name; the Baroness chose hers as she related to Anne of Green Gables and wanted to be an Anne with an e, while her last name comes from a region in Burgundy and correlates with her preferred time of dress.

Most groups hold weekly training sessions in martial arts, armoured combat, archery, equestrian sports, or fencing.  However, if physical activities aren’t your thing, you can take up an art or science, which includes things like embroidery, heraldry, and cooking.

“I joke that the SCA is a hobby with 1,000 hobbies. With a lot of creative hobbies, you don’t have a place to use the hobbies you learn. Here you can use and apply your skills,” De Tournai said.

Baroness De Tournai found her passion in historical food, in particular the niche area of mustard. During preparations for the Barony’s 20th anniversary fine dining feast, they wanted to create an experience that reflected the long-gone high courts. When someone suggested she make a mustard, De Tournai discovered the recipe was 1,300 years too early. This sparked her interest in researching the sociological elements to mustard; how near identical recipes pop up in different areas in similar time periods, and how they differ throughout classes and cultures.

CW was lucky enough to experience one of the Barony’s events when we were invited to join the festivities at the Polit Pageantry Parade recently held at St John’s in Reid.

The day celebrated the heraldic activities of the group, organised by Lady Rhianna Verch y Koedwr (AKA Rhianna Blackthorn). Lady Rhianna says that in medieval times, being able to be seen in a busy space was important. The Barony’s symbol is a griffon with the colours of red and white. Everyone can also choose their own symbol, like a coat of arms, which is registered to them individually.

Throughout the event, members are invited to take part in classes, one of them being heraldry, which shows them how to choose their own names and symbols to define themselves within the Society. Census records date back to medieval times allowing members to find inspiration, not taking full names but to better understand how names were composed in those times.

“Versch y Koedwr is daughter of the woodsman in Welsch, so it is actually representing that my father was a woodsman so that was his name,” Verch y Koedwr said.

On the day, the grounds of St John’s are full of colour, reflecting the Barony with people dressed in the period of their choosing. There aren’t too many rules to be a part of the group. However, everyone must attempt a costume, whether it be as simple as a slip or elaborate as a gown or full suit of armour.

“You will have the hardcore historical enthusiast next to the person who’s thrown on a quick costume, and both are equally valid,” De Tournai said.

As the ceremonial head, Baroness De Tournai’s role is to create a sense of theatre for all those in attendance. She is dressed in an elaborate red gown with bells that ring as she approaches her throne, which is set up in front of the battle ground. In front of her is a rug for subordinates to take one knee before addressing her.

The rapier and armoured combat tournaments are an important part of the day as the fighters compete in Baronial championships. The thumping of bodies colliding in combat can be heard from across the grounds; wooden and rope games are set up to entertain the Barony’s youngest members, who are also invited to try their hand at heraldry with a cookie decorating. At the far end, a few stallholders sell wearable goods, books and soaps made from medieval recipes; beef tallow, clay and honey are some of the ingredients used.

The hall is decked with large heraldic banners displaying kings and queens past; down the middle are long tables ready for patrons to place their dinnerware (each guest brings their own, representing the period they play in) and preparations for the night’s feasts are underway. The extravagant feast will also be in the Barony’s colours, partly planned, partly by coincidence, according to the evening’s head cook Mistress Kiriel du Papillon.

“I discovered that my first course was all white and I was like ‘oh, that’s a good coincidence’, then I thought all my red meat dishes are in the second course, how about I make the second course red, and then the last course I will make that red and white, so then the menu got adjusted around that.”

One of the original members of the Barony, du Papillon has a specialty in 13th century French cookery, although she does dabble with other time periods. Catering for large parties was a bit easier in medieval times; she explained that people ate foods to match their needs, for example, someone who was always cold would try and eat warmer foods. Now, she says, it’s a balancing act trying to include all the food allergies, sensitivities and dietary preferences while providing a balanced meal, but she isn’t one to turn down a challenge.  

Not everyone at the event seems to have a set job that they must be always doing, like the baroness or the cooks. There are different roles and hierarchy within the group, with everyone’s chosen roles as respected as the others: The royalty reflects the king, queen, and royal peers; the knighthood types include the order of the chivalry and defence – combat and rapier fighters; laurels represent the arts and sciences. Those who go above and beyond their given duties can be awarded the Order of the Pelican; one of these people is Master Aymer de Mannvers.

Master de Mannvers, aka Ben Thompson in his civilian life, was drawn to the Society after seeing an armoured combat tournament while he was at university. He had always been nerdy but would have called himself a science nerd not a history nerd. It was the community that kept him interested in the group, saying it speaks to something we seem to be missing as a society now that we don’t rely on church communities to bring people together.

“I think groups like this, not just the SCA but groups of likeminded people more broadly, they’re a good answer to the crisis of meaning that we are all experiencing; it’s easy to kind of get caught up in the grind.”

He says the fact that people have been maintaining friendships over decades through the group reflects the vibrant community they have managed to create together.

If you’re interested in experiencing what SCA has to offer but aren’t ready to commit to purchasing or making your own costumes, they have loaner gear you can borrow.

 To be a part of the action, head to SCA Canberra’s Facebook page: facebook.com/SCApolit

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