Master of Defense - Mercedes Vera de Calafia

This piece was another one that I was simultaneously excited and nervous about doing. It's another one that I wanted to make sure was perfect, as the person that this piece was for was someone close to me. This piece was for my very own Dona, Mercedes Vera de Calafia. 

I knew that I wanted to do something that just screamed 'Mercedes' to me. And the source material I found definitely fit that bill. I found  that HERE. The Battle of Mühlberg with the army of Charles V crossing the Elbe River by Enea Vico circa 1551.

Obviously I had to figure out a way to use the source and incorporate space for words; which proved a little bit of a challenge, but one I relished. I knew for sure that I wanted the calligraphy to go inside the circle, so I had to figure out where they would go and how I would get them in. I also knew that I wanted to keep the majority of the action, so that it was easily understood that the people in the piece were in some kind of battle. So, I took out the river and everything to the left of it within the circle. 

On top I adapted the center to include the award badge and the bottom I actually added a section for Mercedes' Arms. It helped balance out the frame. 

One of my favorite parts of the illumination is actually the chainmail that the figure at the bottom of the frame is in. It took a lot of time and precise pen work, but I'm incredibly happy with how it came out.

I added the touches of gold through the frame so that it would catch light (which, also is hard to actually capture in a photograph). 

The words were by Alys Mackyntoich:

Wilhelm, by right of arms, King of the East, and Vienna, by agency of the same right the Queen, to all prelates, dukes, duchesses, counts, countesses, ricos homes, priors of the Orders, Knight-commanders, alcades of castles and fortified as well as unfortified places, adelantados,merinos, lieutenants of all cities, towns and places, presidents and Auditors of our Council and our tribunals and our chanceries, town councilors, and the jurados, officers and omes buenos of the cities, towns and other places of our Kingdom, and all other vassals and subjects of whatever estate, condition and dignity you may be, and every one of you, health and greetings.  Considering our veneration for the greatness, the excellence, the nobility and the eminent virtues of our servant Mercedes Vera de Califia, and having taken testimony from persons of good repute and witnessed with our own eyes the excellence of the said Mercedes in all matters of the rapier, and considering also the great benefit and advantage that our Realm has received from the labors of the said Mercedes in the government of rapier combat among our people, it is our pleasure to direct and ordain that the said Mercedes be gifted, invested, and endowed with the Order of Defense, with all privileges, benefits, usages, liberties, profits, easements and rightful pertinents in and by all ways pertaining thereunto, to have and hold the same perpetually and as freely and quietly, fully and honourably as any other member of the Order aforenamed.  In witness whereof we have ordered this instrument to be drawn up, marked with our ensigns manual, and countersigned by the Brigantia Herald, whom we have commanded to cause the said instrument to be read aloud in our Court.  Given in the city of Quintavia upon the 8th of December in the fifty-third year of the Society, being the first year of our reign.