[[ From The Doomsday Book of An Tir, AS 20, A Short History of Montengarde (in Calgary) written by Richard de Nadan de Alaedo, early 1986 ]]

At the end of A.S. XIII [[early 1979]] a few hardy souls were delighted to receive, at last, communications from the SCA Inc. The information was a West Kingdom Fighter's Handbook and a Herald's Handbook. Thus legitimized, the incipient Shire of Montengarde commenced operations. The pioneers were Alasdair McCauley, Stephen of Westmarch, Macsen Aelian, and Edward Ross, our present baron. Though these are the days of Legend, no connection has been traced from these men to Woden, or even David, king of Israel.

In that summer, A.S. XIV [[mid 1979]], much organizational work was done, and Montengarde received its white and black angels, the former being Bjorn Isenkrammenhandler, and the latter, the inventive and controversial Baron Pwyll pen Tyrhon. Bjorn gave Montengarde an example of chivalry, and Pwyll's gift, in combination with circumstance and bureaucratic bungling, was a heritage of conflict which has only recently ended.

By the fall [[late 1979]], Montengarde had contacted the other two groups in Alberta, Mussenhitt [[also in Calgary]] and Borealis [[in Edmonton]] and adopted the name and device of Montengarde. It is from this point, A SHORT HISTORY OF MONTENGARDE can be written.

By the winter of A.S. XIV [[late 1979]] the application to join the principality of An Tir in the kingdom of the West was in the mail, Baron Pwyll was no longer regarded as a reliable information source, and the "Time of Troubles" had begun. Of this misfortune little can be said here save that at one point there was a royal decree that all Alberta was a province, but Montengarde denied this, and there were two groups in Calgary, each led, more or less, by a "baron".

To return to happier local matters, the first Montengarder to fight in a tournament was Alasdair at a Myrgan Wood [[in Saskatoon]] event in June A.S. XV [[mid 1980]].

Also that summer [[mid 1980]] was our first "Border War" with Myrgan Wood, and our first Lions Gate War [[Clinton War]] with our first defeat. That was also the time our first A.A.s [[Awards of Arms]] were granted. In November [[late 1980]] we began our educational programs with the first Collegium Montengardorum. We have been ambitious about the arts of both war and peace ever since.

Aside from the political controversy, the building of the SCA continued with various personalities and talents finding their comfortable niches. The University of Ithra held its first session here in April A.S. XV [[early 1981]] and now boasts a campus here.

Relations with the rest of Avacal began to improve with the Gull Lake War Games [[near Red Deer]] in July A.S. XVI [[mid 1981]], and increasing maturity is leading to co-operation and conviviality.

Our army has appeared in Myrgan Wood, at the Bitterroot War [[in Idaho]] with Atenveldt, and the Westermark War [[presumably in California]], as well as sending volunteers to Pennsic [[in Pennsylvania with Middle Kingdom versus East Kingdom]], and to Bitter Waters Wars [[on Saltspring Island with Seagirt versus Lions Gate]]. But our regular wars are the Border War with Myrgan Wood, which we have never lost, and the Clinton War [[near Clinton in mid-B.C. versus Lions Gate]], operated with varying success but unfailing charm since A.S. XV [[mid 1980]].

The greatest event we have so far hosted was the Frost Crown Tourney of A.S. XIX [[late 1984]] held at an altitude of 5000 feet, in September. We really would have preferred to host the July Coronation instead, but the Calendar decreed, and we shivered, and no one went down with hypothermia.

But the best proof of Montengarde's success has been our recent advance to baronial status, with letters of recommendation from Bitter End [[in Red Deer]], Borealis and Wyndwyrm [[in Lethbridge]] and Appledore [[in Kelowna and the Okanagan]]. We are now happy and secure and rapidly acquiring lovely artifacts and have nice revels and we look forward to entertaining everyone who climbs up the Warrior's Road from Lions Gate.

[[ Copyright © 1986 Richard Fietz ]]