Directions

Heritage Lake Park

1 Heritage Dr, Rantoul, IL 61866

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Schedule:

	General	Blue	Red	Green	Yellow
8 am	Site Opens
9 am
10 am		Intro to Fabris	Constraint Led Approach	Intro to Offhands	Intro to C&T
11 am	Lunch Available		How to Coach
Noon		Spanish Fencing Masters		Theatrics of Fencing	Spear Craft
1 pm			Fabris Fix-It Corner	Book of the Courtier
2 pm			Coaching Corner		Saber Craft
3 pm		The Fight of George Silver
4 pm
4:30 pm
5 pm
5:15 pm	St Jude Tournament
6:00 pm
6:30 pm	Potluck Dinner: All Welcome
7 pm
8 pm	Site Closes

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Time: 10:00am - Noon
Class: Introduction to Fabris
Instructor: Warder Katerina die Herrliche
Description: An introduction to the Italian rapier treatise of Salvator Fabris - covering fencing theory on how to use sword alone, sword and dagger, sword and cloak. This class will discuss posture, the core guards, how to hold and use each weapon and defensive object, as well as their strengths and weaknesses.

Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
Class: Coaching With a Constraint Led Approach
Instructor: Warder Andries Von Voorburg
Description: Use constraints in your drilling to build skills, fix bad habits, or refine your fight.

Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
Class: Introduction to Offhands
Instructor: Armiger Magnus raudr gandr
Description: A beginner-friendly class introducing students to dagger, buckler, rigid parry, and soft parry offhands in a style-agnostic overview of how each can be used to improve your fight.

Time: 10:00am - Noon
Class: Introduction to Cut & Thrust Fencing
Instructor: Maitre Philippe de Lyon
Description: An intro to C&T using Giovanni dall'Agocchie di Bologna manual, "How To Survive a Duel in 30 Days" - This class is appropriate for all skill levels for anyone interested in trying cut and thrust fencing.

Time: 11:00am - 1:00pm
Class: How to Coach
Instructor: Master Raphael di Merisi
Description:

Time: Noon - 1:00pm
Class: Spanish Fencing Masters: An Overview
Instructor: THL Siobhán an Einigh
Description: In this class we will discuss the Diestros behind classical Spanish fencing, La Verdadera Destreza de la Espada (Destreza). Who they were, how they were situated within the culture, and what they each added to the Destreza model both philosophically and in fighting. This class will also provide an overview of Destreza terminology, and students will walk away with a bibliography/resource list that can point them to English translations of the Spanish texts for their own future study. No swords needed - just the mightier pen if you want to take notes!

Time: Noon - 1:00pm
Class: Looking Good: The Theatrics of Fencing in the SCA
Instructor: Baron John Inchingham
Description: An overview of rapier combat as a GAME within the Society for Creative Anachronism, this fast-paced class, filled with insight and perspective, has been popular at Fencing Academies and Workshops since before Rapier Combat was a legal Middle Kingdom activity. Students are asked to bring fencing equipment and weapons but NO sparring will take place

Time: Noon - 1:00pm
Class: Spear Craft
Instructor: Warder Diego Matias Vargas
Description: An adaptive breakdown on how to be successful fighting with a spear. From this disABLED Fencer to you. All inclusive, all welcome, beginner to advance. Bring what you feel comfortable wearing

Time: 1:00pm - 2:000pm
Class: Fabris Fix-It Corner
Instructor: Warder Katerina die Herrliche
Description: Drop by with any questions you have about Fabris - posture, guards, technique, structure, or whatever else you might need a hand to figure out or might need a Fabris buddy to work through!

Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Class: The Book of the Courtier, Renisance Humanism, The Great Chain of Being, and the SCA: A Picnic Chat
Instructor: Maitre Philippe de Lyon
Description: The Book of the Courtier was published in 1526 by Baadassare Castiglione and translated into English in 1561 by Thomas Hoby. The work focused on the education, behavior and Qualities of the ideal courtier. Christine de Pisan's work The Treasure of the City of Ladies published in 1420 discussed this as well but specifically regarding women. We will discuss the qualities of the courtier, how this was applied to the philosophy of the time and how it applies and can be used in the SCA. Bring your lunch.

Time: 2:00pm - 4:00pm
Class: Coaching Corner
Instructor: Master Raphael di Merisi
Description:

Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm
Class: Saber Craft
Instructor: Warder Diego Matias Vargas
Description: Come live your best false edge life. A look at utilizing saber in both C&T (cut and thrust) and Rapier. From this disABLED Fencer to you. All inclusive, all welcome, beginner to advance. Bring what you feel comfortable wearing

Time: 3:00pm - 4:30pm
Class: The Fight of George Silver
Instructor: Master AElfred of Chester
Description: George Silver was an English gentleman who was born about 1555. He is probably best known for his rant against Italian rapier instructors who came to London at the end of end of the 16th C. Silver wrote and published his rant, “Paradoxes of Defence” against the English learning to use and carry a rapier in 1599. Silver argued instead that the English should train and carry what he called a short sword as one of his arguments against a rapier was that they were too long. After writing his book Paradoxes of Defence Silver went on to write “Brief Instructions Upon My Paradoxes of Defence.” However, this book was not printed while Silver was still alive and a hand written draft was found in the British Museum in the late 19th Century. In this class we will be working from Silver’s “Instructions” and “English Swordsmanship” by Stephen Hand a modern text on using Silver’s works. We will concentrate on the use of the single sword. If at all possible please bring a sword and gear for C&T combat to the class.

Tournament of St. Jude

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The Company of Saint Jude invites all who practice the Art of Defense to present themselves to the tournament list for a display of their scholarship, prowess and knowledge for the Company and attending populace.

Start Time: 5:15pm

Fencers will gain points for the following:

• Attempting to emulate a period style or treatise during a bout
• Maintaining their declared style throughout the bout
• Killing blows

Tournament format will be chosen based upon the number of participants.

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Thorbjorn's Favor

At the next Midlands Academy of Defense (September 6th, 2025) hosted by the Shire of Caer Gwyn, fencers will be asked to elect a new bearer of Thorbjorn's Favor. The current bearer is Master Roland de Sullane.

Thorbjorn's Favor is a traveling honor, created in remembrance of Master Thorbjorn the Greysides, awarded once a year to an attendee of the Midlands Academy of Defense. Citizens of the Middle Kingdom and of the kingdoms of Northshield, Ealdormere and Calontir are eligible. Those gentles who have already borne the favor (see list below) are not eligible to bear it again. The bearer is chosen each year by a vote of those fencers in attendance. Tie votes are decided by the previous bearer. The new bearer is asked to wear the favor until the next MAD, and to have their name added to the favor before passing it on to the new bearer.

BEARERS OF THORBJORN'S FAVOR:

1. Master John Inchingham the Fool, OL, OP;
2. Master Fritz von Bare, OL;
3. Sir Guillaume LaFort, KSCA;
4. Master Adam Comyn, MOD;
5. Master Alexander de Seton, OP;
6. Master Christian de Fournier, OL, MOD;
7. Master Mateo Montero de Madrid, MOD;
8. Warder Gallien le Cavalier de L'lle;
9. Master Philippe de Leon, OL, OP;
10. Mistress Moira MacGillavrey, OP;
11. Master Anton du Marais, MOD, OP;
12. Master Terrance of Tynedale, MOD, OL;
13. Master Kai Tseng, MOD;
14. Master Adhamh MacAoidh, MOD;
15. The Honorable Lord Liam Martini;
16. Defender Cecil DuPont, MOD;
17. Master Peter Grau von Bremen, MOD;
18. Defender Adam CarMychel, MOD;
19. Maestra Anna Reimer von Wolfenbuttel, MOD;
20. Mistress Azriel le Fey, MOD;
21. Sir Lucas Otto Gustav Oswald Stephan von Schnecke (called "Logos"), KSCA, OP, MOD, OL;
22. Master Gerard Montague, MOD;
23. Master Gwynneth verch Ieuan, MOD;
24. Master Raphael di Merisi, MOD;
25. The Honorable Lord Lucius Antonius Ursus;
26. Magister Roland de Sullane, MOD

Lunch

A lunch option is available on-site from 11am-2pm.

Cost: Free (Donation optional)

Menu

• Ham, Turkey, or peanut butter sandwiches
• Selection of chips
• Fruit
• Cookies
• Water and lemonade

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Dinner

There will be a potluck picnic dinner starting at 6:30 pm

Pickup lists remain open as mouths get filled - and friends laugh together as the evening draws on. It truly is a magical part of the event, and we invite you all to join us for it.

Disposable plates, forks, and cups will be provided. If you'd like to bring a dish, feel free to sign up HERE