RenaissanceFestival.com Forums

Faire Garb => Garbing => Topic started by: Poof Bird on July 23, 2008, 09:48:10 PM

Title: Female Knight?
Post by: Poof Bird on July 23, 2008, 09:48:10 PM
I've got the itch to make myself some knight garb.  Surcoat, maille, sword, all that jazz.

My question...do you all think that people would take offense of some sort to a gal dressed as a knight?  Faire is, at least to me, an escape from reality, and a bit of a fantasy.  So, do you all think I could pull it off?

Just testing the waters  :)

- Poofie!
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Tim T on July 23, 2008, 09:50:58 PM
Joan of Arc.

'nuff said.
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: gypsylakat on July 23, 2008, 09:53:18 PM
... *shrugs* there's always someone willing to point out what's wrong with what you're doing...

Personally I'd do some research to figure out if there was a chance of a female knight....oersonally I cannot say without a doubt there were no female knights.... but personally the same would go of many who would critisize...

I like the idea... As long as you're comfortable enough to defend your choice you should do it!
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: gypsylakat on July 23, 2008, 09:54:02 PM
Quote from: Tim T on July 23, 2008, 09:50:58 PM
Joan of Arc.

'nuff said.

lol. true 'nuff for me
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Poof Bird on July 23, 2008, 10:00:16 PM
Quote from: Tim T on July 23, 2008, 09:50:58 PM
Joan of Arc.

'nuff said.

Ahhh yes! Completely forgot about her  XD
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: knarlyknot on July 23, 2008, 10:08:36 PM
4 Winds Faire here in Texas has a female knight, she's amazing.  I say go for it!
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Lady Christina de Pond on July 23, 2008, 10:37:48 PM
go for it. I wear a gown no hoop mind you and a sword and a bag and this year i added a cavaliers hat I want vampbraces. I'm looking for a dagger so yeah if you can dream it go for it. I am a female knight without the armor
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: CatAshtrophy on July 23, 2008, 11:16:53 PM
I think it's a great idea. You might get a few people who say mean things, but you're going to get alot more little girls (and grown ones too!) who think that you are the coolest ever for being a female knight. Even if they don't say anything to you directly, they will remember it fondly and you'll be part of the positive faire experience for them.

Go for it and have a blast. Then post pictures!
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: renren on July 24, 2008, 12:11:51 AM
Go for it!
I've given the very same idea some thought, but am having too much fun beong a pirate! ;D
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: gem on July 24, 2008, 01:24:06 PM
Last year, the jousters at the Des Moines Renaissance Festival were *both* women.  Awesomeness.
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Randal on July 24, 2008, 01:34:07 PM
Go for it! Just make sure you have a good back story in case someone questions you on it.

Randal
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Monsignor de Beaumanoir on July 24, 2008, 01:42:19 PM
BLUE PRINT:

(http://i266.photobucket.com/albums/ii245/Warrior_Monk/sisterofthetemple.jpg)
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Lady Christina de Pond on July 24, 2008, 02:10:19 PM
hey i like that Warrior monk
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: isabelladangelo on July 24, 2008, 05:35:22 PM
http://www.heraldica.org/topics/orders/wom-kn.htm

yes, women could be knights in the middle ages/renaissance.  I want to say it was the late 15th c when there was a lady fighting for the Italian in Northern Italy against the Turks.  The commander, upon inspection, didn't even realize she was female until she took of her helm.  :-)
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Lady Nicolette on July 24, 2008, 06:01:25 PM
To my understanding, the nomenclature for a female knight is "Dame."  Thus, when she was knighted, the famous mystery authoress became "Dame Agatha Christie."
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: groomporter on July 24, 2008, 06:33:23 PM
Quote from: Lady Nicolette on July 24, 2008, 06:01:25 PM
To my understanding, the nomenclature for a female knight is "Dame."  Thus, when she was knighted, the famous mystery authoress became "Dame Agatha Christie."

But isn't that more of a honorary title/award as opposed to someone who would dress in Surcoat, maille, and sword as described in the first posting.

That being said, there's certainly plenty of evidence of women disguised as men going to war as common soldiers. One could potentially see one knighted for valour before her secret being discovered...
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Lady Nicolette on July 24, 2008, 06:44:42 PM
Indeed, there are several songs of the era that point to women taking to sea as men, donning the dress of thieves to see if their loves are true to them, etc.  Joan of Arc certainly was an archetype of the sort.
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: isabelladangelo on July 24, 2008, 06:53:54 PM
I'm guessing no one saw the link the first time around given the response.

http://www.heraldica.org/topics/orders/wom-kn.htm

The above is a link to information on historical female knights and military orders.  There is certainly plenty of precedent for such.
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Poof Bird on July 24, 2008, 09:02:07 PM
Quote from: isabelladangelo on July 24, 2008, 06:53:54 PM
I'm guessing no one saw the link the first time around given the response.

http://www.heraldica.org/topics/orders/wom-kn.htm

The above is a link to information on historical female knights and military orders.  There is certainly plenty of precedent for such.
Quote from: isabelladangelo on July 24, 2008, 06:53:54 PM
I'm guessing no one saw the link the first time around given the response.

http://www.heraldica.org/topics/orders/wom-kn.htm

The above is a link to information on historical female knights and military orders.  There is certainly plenty of precedent for such.


That is a wonderful resource, I have to say!  Thank you!  I'm going to portray a french character, so that bit about the ladies in France is perfect!

This is gonna be a fun character for sure!

Thank you all for your insight and help!
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: lady serena on July 29, 2008, 02:49:25 PM
Here is a link with good info. for female knights and their time period. For me I would just try and educate people about female knights as they weren't widely known about.
http://swordmaiden.com/history/
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: SleepyArcher on July 29, 2008, 03:46:58 PM
(http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b229/Supersteve911/1383374571_l.jpg)

Joan of Arc
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: renren on July 29, 2008, 04:31:27 PM
Awesome site, Serena!
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: eloquentXI on July 29, 2008, 07:03:28 PM
Aye, was about to say- look into the Order of the Hatchet, a group of women who took up arms against the Moors and defended their town in the 12th century. There's a bit about in that nice site Serena shared.
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: lady serena on July 30, 2008, 08:55:49 AM
Thank you, Renren and EloquentXI. :)
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: daylight on July 30, 2008, 09:25:51 AM
Be what you want, you said it best when you said it was an excape from the real world, in this world you can be anything you can dream up. Go for it be what you fell good in. It does not have to be H/A correct ot have a good time.
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Lloyd on July 30, 2008, 01:09:12 PM
You mean like my jousting partner, Cassandra Adams?

(http://www.rensites.com/215442-7/P1013776.JPG)

(http://www.rensites.com/214346-1/Cassandra2.jpg)

(http://www.rensites.com/214220-1/A+bit+low___.jpg)
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: lady serena on July 30, 2008, 01:39:31 PM
Awesome pictures Lloyd, thanks for sharing.
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: daylight on July 30, 2008, 02:16:49 PM
Those are great pics thanks for sharing them. Where do you guys jost at?
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Manwariel on December 05, 2008, 05:33:04 PM
Quote from: groomporter on July 24, 2008, 06:33:23 PM
Quote from: Lady Nicolette on July 24, 2008, 06:01:25 PM
To my understanding, the nomenclature for a female knight is "Dame."  Thus, when she was knighted, the famous mystery authoress became "Dame Agatha Christie."
But isn't that more of a honorary title/award as opposed to someone who would dress in Surcoat, maille, and sword as described in the first posting.

Sorry to bring up an old thread, but if you look up "dame" in the dictionary, one of the definitions is "the official title of a female member of the Order of the British Empire, equivalent to that of a knight", so I think it is the correct title. :)
Title: Re: Female Knight?
Post by: Adriana Rose on December 06, 2008, 12:34:20 PM
There are some killer books that I  LOVE they are fiction but they rock any way..


Song of the Lioness By Tamora Pierce ( this is told in 4 books it rocks soo much!)

Wild Magic

Protector of the Small


These are all by Tamora Pierce its all about the same kingdom and it tells the stories of 3 differnt women..

But its perfect for the Lady Knight