Black Hats

Photo
Black Hats at Academia Draconis 2024
Information
Founded: 2021 Status: Active
Heraldry
(Fieldless) A winged Ukrainian trident head argent

Good Morning! Here's what I have for the Black Hats. The Fellowship of the Black Hats is a network of warbands in the SCA based on the Chorny Klobuki, the military elite of steppes tribes who formed autonomous warrior communities.

It serves as an umbrella for the different individual fighters and small units, in which the small units, while retaining their group identities and autonomy, help to create something larger. We can organize, make our small groups a strength, instead of being individuals fed into battle one or a few at a time.

Members and those who hire on for a war are paid individually in coin minted for the SCA, as well as receiving something for their unit participation. A token of membership is a black-furred, white topped kubanka-style hat.

The reasons this was formed go back to the Bukellarii, the First Brigade of the Royal Army of Caid. Modeled on the Bukellarii of Count Belisarius, who welcomed those of all backgrounds into the ranks of his personal household, this played to the strengths of widely scattered groups having to perform as one.

With the dismantling of the brigade system of the Royal Army, something new had to be formed, which would fill that void of incorporating widely scattered units and lone wolves and providing them an umbrella to operate from.

Membership is not permanent. Signing on for one war doesn’t make an individual or group permanent members, but some groups might make it a regular thing at wars, and may identify as Black Hats outside of wars. Others may drift in and out, or having participated once, may decide it is not for them. And they may decide to try it again.

This is a war group for those who don’t have one, and don’t want to be treated as fodder, although there may be an echo of a “Forlorn Hope.” Time will tell. The households/war bands (since individuals are too many to name) who fought under our banners were the Siech (more formally Siech Persistent), Deterioatta, Wandering Wheel, Blackrune Free Company, Starkhafn Levy, Brotherhood of the Wolf, and Legion.

History

• Founded in 2021 by Kyr Yaroslav the Persistent

• First fielded fighters at Great Western War 10/2021
  • The pay was: A Yari coin for each fighter. 2 Yari coins for each commanders. Each unit got 2 bottles of infused vodka and a bottle of rum.

Units

• Siech Persistent (The Siech)
• Blackrune Free Company
• Deterioatta
• Starkhafn Levy
• Brotherhood of the Wolf
• Legion
• Wandering Wheel

Black Hats Summer of Love Tour (2023)

In 2023, the Black Hats embarked on a journey to attend ten wars in one calendar year:

• War of the Phoenix in Barony of Sun Dragon, Kingdom of Atenveldt
• Academia Draconis” Tower Fall War College
• Border Wars Baronies of Atenveldt and Sun Dragon, A.S. LVIII
• Cynagua/Mists War in the Shire of Canale, Kingdom of the West
• Potrero War in the Barony of Calafia
• Highlands War in the Barony of Ered Sul, Kingdom of Atenveldt
• West/An Tir War in the Kingdom of An Tir
• Highland War in the Shire of al-Sahid
• Great Western War in Barony of Wintermist
• Mists/Cynagua War in the West Kingdom

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Back in Black Hats/War Tour 2024

In 2024, the Black Hats continued their journey to attend nine wars in one calendar year:

• War of the Phoenix in Barony of Sun Dragon, Kingdom of Atenveldt
• Academia Draconis” Tower Fall War College
• Border Wars Baronies of Atenveldt and Sun Dragon, A.S. LIX
• Cynagua/Mists War in the Shire of Canale, Kingdom of the West
• Potrero War in the Barony of Calafia
• West/An Tir War in the Kingdom of An Tir
• Highland War in the Shire of al-Sahid
• Great Western War in Barony of Wintermist
• Mists/Cynagua War in the West Kingdom

Note: Highlands War conflicted with Potrero War in 2024 but is back on the planned schedule for next year

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Photos

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  Yari coins: a gold one, a silver one, and the usual copper one, made using the dye that the late Master Peter of Dun Calma made in Yaroslav the Persistent's honor when he stepped down as Captain-general after six years

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  Taken at Great Western War: Yaroslav the Persistent is 2nd from the right, Philip of Meadhe is on the right

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  The Black Hats' very first battle, successfully sweeping the enemy's left flank at Great Western War 2021

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  Black Hat pin made by THL Snorri Snarfari Bjornsson