Fight Knights

Everyone has been going crazy over the return of Game of Thrones to our televisions last week. As someone who has never watched any of the HBO series, when I heard people talking about Jon Snow trying to take over the throne, I was excited by the prospect of the Channel Four news presenter plotting an ambitious attempt to overthrow Queen Lizzy!

For those who are big fans of the fantasy series, you’ll probably be interested in this weekend’s medieval event at Scone Palace. One of the world’s fastest growing sports, Full Contact Medieval Combat (FCMC), is coming to Perthshire on Saturday 29^th July in what will be the perfect taster for an even bigger event in 2018.

The ‘Tournament of Destiny’ will see people from all sorts of different backgrounds come together to do battle dressed as 21^st century knights, many of whom will have been inspired by the Game of Thrones drama. One such knight is 28-year-old primary school teacher Kirsty Langley, who combined her love for the show with her passion for medieval history and sport to become an FCMC competitor.

“In medieval times women weren’t allowed to wear armour and fight, but we’re proving that we can do as good a job on the battlefield as the men. Last weekend, we had three more women come along to the training to see what it was all about. I think the Game of Thrones effect is very real.

“It’s a great feeling when one of the blokes comes up to me and tells me ‘you pack a proper punch’!”

Saturday is sure to be a great spectacle for those who head to the Palace to see these brave knights do battle. It’s a great feeling when one of the blokes comes up to me and tells me ‘you pack a proper punch’! It’s the perfect place to host this event, as Scone is known as the crowning place for medieval kings such as Robert the Bruce and Macbeth. The Tournament of Destiny is the precursor for the International Medieval Combat Federation’s 2018 World Championships, which will come to Scone Palace from the 10^th – 13^th May 2018.

This came about while William Murray, Viscount Stormont, son of the Earl and Countess of Mansfield, was working in New York City. William had learned of the growing popularity of the sport across the pond and met several American and Canadian competitors while he was there. However, it was a chance meeting with the vice-president of the International Medieval Combat Federation that prompted the World Championships to be hosted by the Palace and William’s first viewing of the sport left him suitably impressed.

“It was quite the spectacle, like watching boxing in armour. It was hugely entertaining to watch and not for the faint-hearted! I was brought up watching the film ‘A Knight’s Tale’, so I found myself completely taken by the sport. It’s a real coup for us to be hosting the World Championships.”

The Scottish Knight League will be involved in Saturday’s event and it currently has 35 members – both male and female – and they will be hoping for some success in the tournament. The sport is especially popular in Eastern Europe, and the UK has benefited from the experience of settlers from the likes of Poland, Belarus and Lithuania when it comes to learning more about medieval combat.

There will also be a chance for spectators to get involved too. As well as watching the main event, you can also try your hand at duelling, take part in one of the team fights or test your aim with some archery.

It’s sure to be a fantastic day out for all the family or for anybody who has a particular interest in medieval times. It’s a real trip back in time and there really isn’t anywhere better to witness knights do battle than the historic surroundings of Perthshire’s famous Scone Palace.

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Tickets for the Tournament of Destiny are available on the Scone Palace website, where you can also find out more information on admission prices.