Celebrating 34 Years!
In the fall of the year Anno Societas XXIV (also known as 1989), a group of people in the Barony of Stonemarche decided to hold an event in January, make it all about shopping and give it a Viking theme. Now it has been said that wiser individuals questioned whether it was a good idea to try and hold an event in the North in the middle of Winter, but the populace of Stonemarche was undeterred. With the blessing of then Baron Harold and Baroness Megan, the first A Market Day at Birka was held with great success.
A Market Day at Birka is one of the largest events in the SCA, averaging 1,500 – 2,000 attendees for the last several years. The Event is spoken of throughout the Knowne World for the quality and quantity of its Merchants, being called “Little Pennsic” by many. Gentles come great distances to participate in Tournaments both Heavy List and Fencing, order meetings, or attend one of the legendary Courts, which can run for hours.
As with any event, each year an Autocrat has been named to manage all the details that go into this massive undertaking (see list below). Each of the Past Autocrats has put their heart and soul into this Event, leaving their own mark, sometimes several times over. They have tried new things, implemented their own ideas or resurrected old ones, instituting change to make the Event as grand as it can be, while still holding onto the ideals and bedrock of the people of Stonemarche and our Granite State. The people of Stonemarche wish to extend their heartfelt thanks to the Autocrats who have come before and those who will come in the future.
Finally, we thank you for attending Birka, for helping us make this great Event happen year after year. We are honored that you have chosen to spend time in our fair Barony, and we invite you to join in our celebration!
Baron Olaf of Trollheimfjord, the first Autocrat of Birka
Picture by Countess Arastorm the Golden
History of Birka Autocrats
We would like to recognize the past Autocrats of this fair event:
| I | 1/6/90 | Baron Olaf of Trollheimsfjord | St. Stanislaus Hall, Nashua |
| II | 1/19/91 | Baron Olaf of Trollheimsfjord | St. Stanislaus Hall, Nashua |
| III | 1/25/92 | Mistress Deirdre dePlanchet & Lord Tamooj of Aldea | St. Stanislaus Hall, Nashua |
| IV | 1/23/93 | Mistress Aine Callaghan | St. Stanislaus Hall, Nashua |
| V | 1/15/94 | Lady Anna Dmitriova Belokon | Salem High School, Salem |
| VI | 1/21/95 | Master Ian Gunn | Portsmouth High School, Portsmouth |
| VII | 2/10/96 | Maestro Dorio of the Oaks | MUB, UNH, Durham |
| VIII | 2/1/97 | Maestro Dorio of the Oaks | MUB, UNH, Durham |
| IX | 2/21/98 | Lady Ghazalah al-Badriyyah | Concord High School, Concord |
| X | 1/23/99 | Mistress A’isha bint Jamil & Lady Ghazalah al-Badriyyah | Rockingham Park, Salem |
| XI | 2/5/00 | Mistress A’isha bint Jamil | Rockingham Park, Salem |
| XII | 2/3/01 | Lord Nyvan Fiach | Rockingham Park, Salem |
| XIII | 2/2/02 | Lord Nyvan Fiach | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XIV | 2/1/03 | Lord Nyvan Fiach | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XV | 2004 | Master Ian Gunn | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XVI | 2005 | Master Ian Gunn | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XVII | 1/27 – 1/28/06 | Master Ian Gunn | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XVIII | 1/26 – 1/27/07 | Baroness Sibilla d’Angers | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XIX | 2008 | Lady Batujin Nason | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XX | 1/30 – 1/31/09 | Lady Batujin Nason | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXI | 1/29 – 1/30/10 | Baron Bilgisayar al Hisoon | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXII | 1/28 – 1/29/11 | TH Lord William RavenHair | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXIII | 1/27 – 1/28/12 | TH Lord William RavenHair | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXIV | 1/25 – 1/26/13 | Mistress Fia Kareman | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXV | 1/24 – 1/25/14 | Mistress Fia Kareman | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXVI | 1/23 – 1/24/15 | TH Lord William RavenHair | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXVII | 1/29 – 1/30/16 | Pan Kythe Szubielka | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXVIII | 1/27 – 1/28/17 | Mistress Fia Kareman | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXIX | 1/26 / 1/27/18 | TH Lady Alexandra of Silverwood | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXX | 1/25 – 1/27/19 | TH Lady Tomyris of Stonemarche | Radisson Hotel, Manchester |
| XXXI | 1/24 – 1/26/20 | Mistress Fia Kareman | DoubleTree Hotel, Manchester |
| XXXII | 1/27 – 1/29/23 | Mistress Fia Kareman | DoubleTree Hotel, Manchester |
| XXXIII | 1/26 – 1/28/24 | TH Lady Fionnghualla inghen Mich Cealleigh & Lady Tessa Martini d’Agostino | DoubleTree Hotel, Manchester |
| XXXIV | 1/24-1/26/25 | Magnifica Tessa Martini d’Agostino & Dame Fionnghualla inghen Mhic Ceallaigh | DoubleTree Hotel, Manchester |
A Tribute to Baron Olaf of Trollheimsfjord
In the fall of the year Anno Societas XXIV (also known as 1989), a group of people in the Barony of Stonemarche decided to hold an event in January, make it all about shopping and give it a Viking theme.
Baron Olaf of Trollheimsfjord was part of that group, and under his supervision as Autocrat, the first A Market Day at Birka was held on January 6, 1990 at St. Stanislaus Hall in Nashua, and was considered an instant success. Baron Olaf was Autocrat again the next year, then gave the reins to others to make their mark. But no one ever forgot how he started this great event. The Barony made him a Companion of the Millstone for service, and valued his words and remembrances about Birka very highly.
Unfortunately, on Saturday, January 9, 2016, Baron Olaf of Trollheimsfjord passed away.
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“Long ago as week before the first Birka Olaf brought me a one page flyer advertising the event. I noticed that the date was wrong. When I pointed this out to him he told me, ‘Oh, these aren’t for this year’s Birka. They’re for next year.’ ‘Where are you going to hand those out?’ I asked him. He grinned. ‘Pennsic.’” ~ Mistress Megan Laine, first Baroness Stonemarche
“Baron Olaf and I were friends for over half my life. He was one of the people who would weave in and out of my life, and always be able to pick right up where we left off. When we first spoke about his dream of an event based around merchants, I doubted it would ever break-even, never mind grow. Boy, was I wrong. Within our culture Olaf has been a fighter, merchant, blacksmith, jeweler, autocrat and more. Mostly he was kind, could tell wonderful stories, was honest, helpful, a family man, generous, encouraging, and when he hugged you, you knew he meant it. He dreamed big and worked hard to see his dreams come to life. Birka is one of those dreams. Thank you Olaf, for bringing so much joy to our lives. Hugs!” ~ Mistress Deirdre Planchet
“There is so much to be said of Olaf that’s it’s hard to choose where to start. He was someone you could count on, generous and loyal to his friends, and always ready to lend a hand when there was work to be done. His family meant the world to him. He was a fine craftsman, a lover of history, and he made a great Turkish coffee. But first, and foremost, he was a dreamer.
In 1989, he had a dream about a nordic-themed winter event that would recreate the historic marketplace at Birka. In his vision it would draw merchants from all over the known world. I’m pretty sure that no one at the time thought it would ever get that big, but he had a vision and he persuaded people to help him get it started. Without that dream, we wouldn’t be here today.
Birka wasn’t his only dream. The Metalsmith’s Symposium event was another – a gathering where craftsmen could share techniques and enthusiasm for an art that’s often hard to hold classes for at events because many aspects of it are hard to do in a rented, indoor space. He shared that dream, and many people embraced it and helped make it happen. That’s the SCA at its best. Someone has a dream, and then a lot of people embrace it and make it a reality.
There’s a huge, Olaf-shaped hole in our lives today. Let us follow his example and fill it with our own improbable dreams in his memory.” ~ Mistress A’isha bint Jamil