This last weekend was a whirlwind. The Known World Colegio de Iberia is a gargantuan undertaking pulled together by a truly inspiring group of people and I'm always in awe of what they can accomplish. All of the classes I mention below and a ton more can be found on the SCA Iberia YouTube channel, linked here.
I got to take 6 classes this weekend between Friday and Saturday on some topics that are really high on my interest list. I'll go through a brief summary of my thoughts in order of classes taken.
16th Century Bragas
I've been struggling with my calzones and leg body garments for a little while now, so getting to see how someone else approached the problem was really just what I needed. On one hand, the fit I'm getting isn't entirely off base. But I did learn about several specific choices I'm making during the process that could be improved upon, and I look forward to trying them. I'm also going to grab a copy of Margo Anderson's Italian Lady's Underpinnings and see if the drawers included there get me any closer to success. I have high hopes though.
Horses of Iberia- History and Traditions
This was such an enjoyable class to take. Horses have long been a part of my life (even though injury has prevented me from riding for several years) and getting to explore two fascinating breeds, the Andalusian and Lusitano, was a great way to begin my morning. Some of the art that was discussed in the class and how horse culture and horsemanship helped shape Spanish society was fascinating.
Crypto-Jews of the Iberian Peninsula
Another subject near and dear to my heart, this class was really high on my list of classes to take from a persona development standpoint. I've figured out that despite my best intentions, I cannot separate Emily, who is Jewish, from Marion, who is not. This class explored the history of how conversos came to be in Spain, how they were treated and how the Expulsion affected them, as well as some of the traditions that help flesh out how a converso persona might actually be applied. It's a well done class and treats a delicate subject with a lot of respect and thorough examination.
Introduction to Iberian Heraldry
Now this class was a huge font of knowledge. So many aspects of Iberian heraldry were covered, from its development to the various styles to its standardization. Iberian heraldry, it turns out, is really dynamic and cool to look at. I love my heraldry (that just recently passed!) and it does have some vaguely Spanish stylistic elements to it, so I think I'm going to stick with what I've already got. If I ever decide to change it up, boy do I have a lot of material to work with.
Women Without a Man: Widowhood in 13th Century Spain
Full disclosure: I'm not just saying this was a stupendous class because it's one of Bea's. This was a genuinely fascinating class covering the nitty gritty of practical application of law that most definitely affected people on a day-to-day basis in our time period. The threat of widowhood, the protection of one's family and livelihood, and the politics that can play into it really put you in the mindset of a person who might have had to live through this experience.
Names and Naming Practices in the Spanish Domain
This was another truly amazing class. It was taught by a former Laurel Queen at Arms, and had so much information and ideas and inspiration that I may finally get off my butt and register an alternative name since my English persona has long since gone by the wayside. Again, a great balance of focus on what the salient snapshot information is, how it came to be that way, and how one might practically apply it in the SCA.
There are a few other classes I did not get to take due to mundane life, but plan to once their recordings go up on the YouTube channel:
Purses and Pouches- Who wore what when?
Three Spanish Recipes from Ruperto de Nola, Parts 1 and 2
The Convergence of Two Worlds- Arabic Influence on the Spanish Language