Ruminations

The Consummate Expert in Chivalric Traditions and the Tragic Unexpected

"Something happened with that spear, and he lost control of it or it turned, hit the ground, and as his horse was moving, the tip of it went into him."
"He got off the horse, took some steps and people noticed he was bleeding.
"[The Society for Creative Anachronism observes a] very strict set of rules [and safety measures with its] combat-related activities."
"He was the consummate expert. [It is] shocking to have this happen to one of the best people in our organization."

"It was just something that happened and we still don’t have a grasp of it. [It was] shocking to have this happen to one of the best people in our organization. It is a horrible set of circumstances that caused this."

John Fulton, president, Society for Creative Anachronism

Medieval knight re-enactor Peter Barclay at a previous show

A master re-enactor of Medieval conflict, its appurtenances, courtesies and combat styles and weaponry, Peter Barclay, 53, of Woodbridge, Virginia, a retired Army lieutenant-colonel who became Master Terafan Greydragon when he was performing with the above-noted troupe, inadvertently impaled himself with his lance during a performance competition in Williamstown, Kentucky this past Saturday.

This man was past being merely competent in the use of Medieval weaponry, how to handle weapons once used on the battlefield when Knights of the Round Table rode out in defence of their Lord and Lady. He was, if anyone could be described as such, a master, an expert in the use of lances weighing two to three pounds, metal tipped, seven feet in length and potentially dangerous. But there never had been any untoward and unexpected accident ending in death in these re-enactment performances and no reason to imagine there might be.

Master Terafan Greydragon was a veteran at the games, involved for the past three decades. A man of valour and high intelligence, a consultant at the Pentagon, he had finally reached his retirement years as a professional soldier, but not necessarily as a re-enactor, doing what he obviously loved best; offering re-enactment homage to his professional predecessors.

Photo: Ancient Origins

With over 30,000 members associated with the group, involved with their chapters in the United Kingdom, Austria, Australia and Denmark, Master Tarafan Greydragon was well known for his ease with a lance. So familiar was he with the knightly wielding of a lance that he taught others who aspired to his level of competence and renown how to safely and elegantly use the weapon.

He taught beginners how to ride horses with ease, and to perform the activities associated with the Medieval events and re-enactments, an acknowledged leader in the group, its deputy for activities depending on equestrian professionalism. On Saturday he wore a doublet, a period-era short, tight-fitting jacket traditionally worn at such events.

During the Medieval period, contestants demonstrating their ease with use of the lance and control of their horses during jousts also wore full body armour. But this demonstration that he was engaged in on Saturday was viewed as a casual timed event and as such no other riders were in the ring at the time Master Terafan Greydragon was performing. A performance he would familiarly take part in two or three times monthly.

At the Kentucky event in a large pavilion with spectators present, competitive riders took part in a performance that saw them plucking their lance from a hay bale, then ride with it, handling the lance to spear and raise up a paper plate resting on the ground to demonstrate their proficiency in the use of the spear-ended lance. He was in the process of completing the course when somehow his two-metre-long lance failed his grasp and he was impaled.

He dismounted from his horse, walked a few steps, at which time those witnessing the event realized he was badly injured and bleeding. He collapsed and was airlifted to a hospital. Master Terafan Greydragon was unable to hold out, his vital signs steadily and inexorably diminishing, and he died before reaching the hospital.