Charles Fleming

Photo
Lord Charles (the) Fleming of House Corvus
Information
Resides: Middlegate, Barony of Sacred Stone, Atlantia Status: Active Awards: Order of Precedence Entry
Heraldry
Registered Arms

Introduction

Lord Charles (the) Fleming of House Corvus
Protege to Maistreas Aine O Grienan
Husband to Odile de Strasbourg
I first met the SCA in Ansteorra in 1976. Swashbuckling was pretty much invented in my college quad—rattan daggers and all—and a couple of guys who would later win some of the first White Scarves invited me to a weekend demo at the Texas Renaissance Faire. Back then it was all about wine, women, and song. I grew my first mustache to look manly in a wig.

I think my first armor was made of scrap carpet, with a borrowed helmet made from a Freon can. Later I upgraded to white plastic pipe salvaged from oilfield drilling mud samples.
I got married and settled down. Decades passed. Many years later, as a dad, I was looking for a way to get outdoors, go dancing, enjoy a sport, and give our home school a boost. The SCA met all the requirements, but I have to say my wife was suspicious given my earlier experience in the club. We found the Barony of Windmasters' Hill at the local Festival for the Eno and have been active since the turn of the century.
These days I’ve retired from fighting. Cooking is my big interest, especially making period food delicious and accessible. With my family and friends, I have cooked in the SCA every few months for years. Kitchen people are the best. I love English Country dance, working with children, improv comedy with the i Firenzi troupe, and creative camp furnishings. Lately I have also tried my hand at songwriting.

My house is on the border between Sacred Stone and Windmasters' Hill. I attend events in both directions. In 2019 I threw a party for all the armored fighting clubs in the area, including the Knights of Fiat Lux, HEMA, and the Triangle Sword Conservatory. I hope to make that a regular thing. As far as I'm concerned, if you strap on harness and trade licks you're a comrade in arms. It matters little whether you spar with rattan or bokken or rebated steel. They all have their pros and cons.

Persona

Date of Birth: 1310
Place of Origin: Ghent, Flanders

The seat of the Counts of Flanders and the largest town in western Europe during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, Ghent was at the heart of the Flemish cloth trade. By 1350, the city boasted a population of 50,000, of whom no less than 5000 were directly involved in the industry.
Occupation: Soldier of the Weavers Guild, ally of the English at the Battle of Crecy, 1346

Edward III of England went to Ghent to be crowned king of France. His son John, duke of Lancaster, was called John (of) Gaunt because he was born there.
Flanders began the 14th Century by defeating the French and their local vassals in the Battle of the Golden Spurs. In the turbulent years that followed, Ghent was essentially ruled by guilds of tradesmen and their representatives. The guilds even maintained their own armies, of which I was a member.

Heraldry

Argent, a lion rampant sable, and on a chief vert three Latin crosses argent
Supported by a Spike and a Kittyhawk wearing a commedia mask

Awards and Achievements

Honorary Citizen of Windmasters' Hill, Barony of Windmaster's Hill (Girard and Guenievre) - Academie of the Rapier - 5/9/2009 Companion of the St. Nicholas, Barony of Windmaster's Hill (Callistus and Adriana) - Buckston's Big Beautiful Boombastic Bucolic Birthday Battle Balooza and Bodacious Bevy-o-Bardic - 11/15/2014 Award of the Silver Nautilus, Kingdom of Atlantia (Michael X and Seonaid VIII) - Kingdom Arts and Sciences Festival - 3/7/2015 Award of the Notus, Barony of Windmaster's Hill (Callistus and Adriana) - Buckston Birthday Bash - 11/14/2015 Award of the Eurus, Barony of Windmaster's Hill (Daemon and Typhaine) - Buckston Birthday Bash - 11/18/2017 PREMIERE Companion of the Golden Ladle, Barony of Windmaster's Hill (Daemon and Typhaine) - Buckston Birthday Bash - 11/18/2017 Award of Arms, Kingdom of Atlantia (Ragnarr V and Lynette II) - 12th Night: A 1001 Atlantian Nights - 1/12/2019 Augmentation of Arms, Barony of a commedia mask proper (Christoph II and Adelhait ) - Journey Through the Nine Realms - 6/8/2019

Classes Taught in the Society

Campaign Furniture on a Beer Budget (U of A 2002)
Secrets of Redaction Revealed! (Windmasters’ Hill Cooks & Performers Symposium 2015)
Heretic! (Gulf Wars 2012, Gulf Wars 2017, U of A 2018)
Potjiekos - Techniques for 3-legged iron cauldron (Known World Agriculture & Forestry Symposium 2019)
New and Old World Foods (Known World Agriculture & Forestry Symposium 2019)

Households

House Corvus - Inducted 2019
Maison du Poulet Sable - Founding member 2017

Offices Held in the Society

Head Chef:
12-Nov-2016 Buckston’s Birthday
29-Jun-2019 Another Foolish Event

Commedia Roles

Drunken Sailor - Ymir 2016
Dottore - Atlantian 12th Night 2018
Feste - Ymir 2018
Ymir the Frost Giant - Journey Through The Nine Realms 2019
Nick Bottom - Atlantian 12th Night 2020
Nick Bottom - Kingdom Arts & Sciences Festival 2020