Barony of Dreiburgen - Article - Out of The Myths of Time: The Three Towers

Barony of Dreiburgen

Branches:
Gallavally
Steinsee
Mons Draconis
Sancti Geronimi

Out of The Myths of Time
The Three Towers

by Lord Darius "Which way to Gorgonoth" von Tannenburg

The Baronial banner of Dreiburgen has three towers on it. Ever wonder why the originators of our device chose to put them there? What do they mean? Our barony was once a canton of the Barony of the Angels, called Gorgonoth.

On Dec 31, 1973 at a New Years party in Riverside, the canton petitioned Their Majesties to become the Barony of Dreiburgen. The three castles in the name refer to the local cities of San Bernardino, Riverside and Ontario (or Lake Elsinore by one account. House Benbara was large and very active at the time). At Twelfth Night, the King agreed and it was sent to the B. O. D. On January 8th, 1974 the B.O.D. granted Baronial status to the Barony of Dreiburgen. Waldt and Alys (Allison) von Markheim were made Baron and Baroness and Seneschal.

Anybody remember what we used to call the Baronial Champion? On October 29, 1972, Waldt and Alys von Markheim autocratted the first SCA event in what would become Dreiburgen. It was the "Markheim Invitational Samhaine Tourney." There were lists for the title of "First Dragonslayor of Gorgonoth" and the "Order of the Barbed Pheon" was created to honor the winner of the punning contest.

Our Herald used to be called something else also, but I have not seen it in print or heard it used for some time. In the early days of the Barony, Alys von Markheim (then Baroness) was looking for a title for the Herald. "The Blue Mountain Pursuivant" was suggested and it has been in place since.

Other names have changed as well. The Estrella war started in the "Principality of Caid" at Glen Helen Regional Park. Back then it was the "Caid Invitational." Later incarnations were the "Burro Creek war," and the "Great Desert war." It was about this time that the cantons began to form. Only two of the original four remain. They were Gallavally, Steinsee (which was originally a fort, not a canton), al-Sahid (now a Shire) and Desert March (gone but not forgotten). Even some local events have been reinvented over time. Dreiburgen Summer Arts was once the Dreiburgen Beggars Banquet, the Peasants Picnic, the Viking Games and the Dionysion Games.

Next year a new Baron and Baroness will witness the 30th year of the Barony. They will also be the sixth couple to have had the privilege of watching over the Barony, offering encouragement and providing the example to inspire and propel us forward into the past.

Long live DREIBURGEN! Long live CAID!

Darius von Tannenberg has granted permission for all of his articles that were previously on the Dreiburgen web site to continue to appear on the site, 9 Oct 2006.

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