From: haslock@rust.zso.dec.com (Nigel Haslock)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: What is a Baron (territorial)
Date: 6 Oct 92 20:20:35 GMT
Article-I.D.: PA.1992Oct6.202035.659
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation - DECwest Engineering


As usual we trundle back to Corpora and discover that Barons (please assume a 
constant and or Baroness for the rest of this missive) are allowed to hand out
Baronial awards. Barons are required to stay in touch with the Baronial
officers.

All other rights and duties are determined by Kingdom law.

Corpora also asserts that Barons are cermonial.

I take this all to mean that Barons must attend officer meetings regularly,
must hold court regularly (at least once a year?) and should hand out awards
regularly (but not necessarily at court).

Corpora also requires a written opinion of the populace and a lack of
substantive opposition before the appointment of Barons.

None of this sounds particularly difficult and success or failure at these
duties does not sound worth the BoD's time and energy. This implies that there
is some other factor, not written into the rules.

Status. Barons have high status due to their rarity, on a par with triple
peers and dukes (however Barons need to hold their titles for a long time
to get this kind of status although aspiring Barons may believe that it
comes with the title).

Power. Barons control their groups. Barons carry the appearance of power,
being the focus of the activities of their Barony. Aspiring Barons may believe
that real power accrues to the title and many members may allow their
Barons to direct them.

For me, good Barons are Barons who provide an acceptable role model for their
Barony. To some extent, this can be self fulfilling. Barons with a good
following will encourage more followers to the extent that dissidents will
tend to migrate away or drop out. Barons with a marginal following cannot
avoid letting the dissident elements acquire followers too and so lead to
a divided group.

Were I the BoD, I would do a number of things.

	1. Decree that all seneschals may hold court and had out awards
           on behalf of, and with the agreement of the branch officers.

	2. Decree that branch status be Shire/Canton/College. Status of
	   Province, Barony, Principality or Kingdom applies to accumulations
	   of branches sharing borders (leaving the current membership limits
	   intact).

	3. Decree that to maintain branch status, the branch must hold at
           least one event a year, publicised in the Kingdom newsletter.

	4. Decree that the title of Baron(ess) be bestowed when two or
           more branches submit petitions requesting the same individual(s)
	   provided that the membership of each of the branches is unique.
	   These petitions must be submitted to the Crown and to the
	   Kingdom seneschal and must be resubmitted at least every two years. 

The goal is to force divided groups to split early and amicably, while
encouraging more meetings and events. Most existing Baronies already have a
Canton. Those that do not should be able to found one quickly enough to
maintain their current status. The secondary goal is that of encouraging
inter branch cooperation. The petitions are a quick and dirty solution to
formalising the need to document support.

	Fiacha

	Aquaterra
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