A Historic Weekend for Sealand

Some sporting milestones happen quietly.

Others arrive with swords, spears and a knight calling warriors to battle.

FightCamp, held annually in Berkshire, is one of the world's premier Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) events. Organised by Schola Gladiatoria and renowned historian and instructor Matt Easton, the event attracts hundreds of competitors from across the UK and beyond to train, compete and celebrate Europe's historic martial traditions.

For Sir Dominic Hartin, Knight of the Principality of Sealand, it was an opportunity to do more than compete.

It was an opportunity to put Sealand on the scoreboard.

He succeeded.

What Is FightCamp?

For over twenty years, FightCamp has been one of the most respected events on the HEMA calendar.

Across an entire weekend, competitors take part in workshops and tournaments covering disciplines including:

• Longsword
• Sabre
• Rapier
• Sidesword
• Poleaxe
• Dagger
• Grappling
• Axe
• Archery

Each discipline draws on surviving historical fighting manuals while embracing modern training methods, creating a unique blend of history, athleticism and competition.

A Plan That Changed Overnight

Dom originally travelled to FightCamp intending to compete in the Open Tournament.

The plan was straightforward.

Fight.

Represent Sealand.

Go home.

Then, on Friday evening, everything changed.

A fellow competitor, James, mentioned he was struggling to assemble enough people for the team Melee competition.

By Saturday afternoon, he was still short of fighters.

Dom had an idea.

He made one simple offer.

If the team competed for the Principality of Sealand, he would find the warriors.

James agreed immediately.

A Knight's Call to Arms

What happened next feels as though it belongs in a medieval chronicle.

Dressed in his knightly attire, Sir Dominic stepped forward and announced to those gathered nearby that a Knight of Sealand required warriors to fight for the glory of the Principality.

The response was immediate.

Volunteers stepped forward.

The team was complete.

For perhaps the first time in modern Sealand history, one of the nation's knights had assembled a band of warriors to carry its colours into battle.

Sometimes, truth really is stranger than fiction.

Preparing for Battle

Fortunately, Dom and his fiancée had travelled to FightCamp in a converted van.

That was just as well.

Their equipment included:

• Modern HEMA protective equipment
• Spare kit for teammates
• A 40-kilogram steel plate harness
• Six swords
• A halberd
• A spear
• Two daggers

Between steel, wood and synthetic training weapons, they had enough equipment to outfit a small medieval armoury.

Preparation, however, had begun long before FightCamp.

Dom trains once or twice each week with his club while adding regular solo practice sessions throughout the week.

The Open Tournament

Dom's first Open Tournament bout came with the longsword.

He narrowly lost 2–3 in a closely contested best-of-five contest before bouncing back to win his second fight 3–2.

The second day proved even better.

Competing with both longsword and spear, Dom won all four of his remaining bouts.

An impressive performance for someone with just over a year of HEMA experience.

Sealand Goes to War

If the Open Tournament demonstrated Dom's skill...

The Melee became the defining story of the weekend.

On Sunday morning, Sir Dominic gathered together the volunteers who had answered his call the previous evening.

Most of them had never met before.

Many had never even heard of Sealand before arriving at FightCamp.

Before they stepped onto the field, Dom reminded them exactly what they were fighting for.

"Listen up. Today we don't step onto that field as seven individuals—we step onto it as Sealand.

Roy Bates stood on a rusting sea fort against governments, storms and anyone who thought they could take what was his. He didn't win because he was bigger. He won because he refused to give ground.

That's our job today. Fight for the person on your left. Fight for the person on your right. Every step we take together, every opponent we put down, we earn together.

They may have more numbers, more experience, or even stronger arms. It doesn't matter. Sealand has always punched above its weight.

Stand your ground. Trust each other. Today, we show the same spirit that has kept a fortress in the North Sea unconquered for more than sixty years.

For Sealand!"

What followed exceeded every expectation.

The newly assembled team fought with determination, trust and no shortage of courage.

Victory followed victory.

Only in the semi-finals did their remarkable run come to an end.

The reward?

🥉 Bronze Medal.

Silver and Gold went to established club teams whose members train together every week.

Sealand's team had existed for less than twenty-four hours.

Most of its members had never met one another before the weekend.

Many had never even heard of Sealand until answering the call of its knight.

Together, they earned the Principality's first-ever HEMA medal.

A Knight's Tribute

Reflecting on the achievement, Sir Dominic said:

"Were it ever in my power as a knight to create honorary squires, I certainly would have bestowed it upon my valiant warriors."

It perfectly summed up the spirit of the weekend.

Competition.

Camaraderie.

And people coming together under the Sealand banner.

Looking Ahead

For Dom, a bronze medal isn't the end of the journey.

It's motivation.

Several competitors commented on his skill despite having trained for little more than a year.

His response?

Order a new bascinet helmet.

Enter another tournament.

And compete in both armoured and unarmoured categories the following weekend.

The journey continues.

More Than a Medal

FightCamp wasn't just a success inside the competition arena.

Between fifty and one hundred people heard the name Sealand across the weekend.

Dom will also be sharing this story with Schola Gladiatoria and Matt Easton, whose YouTube channel reaches more than half a million subscribers around the world.

One knight travelled to Berkshire.

He returned with Sealand's first HEMA medal...

…and perhaps a few more future Sealanders.

E Mare Libertas.

⚔️

🌍 Join the Sealand Journey

Sealand is more than a place—it's a growing global community built on independence, creativity, and doing things differently.

From international sport to medieval martial arts, this is just the beginning.

Whether it's American football, cricket, dodgeball, HEMA, wrestling or athletics, Sealand continues to bring together people who share a passion for adventure and community.

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