Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: 4 On Fealty
Date: Wed, 23 Dec 1992 21:47:06

4 On Fealty
        Feudal society was considered to be "pyramidal" in structure, with
the Crown at the apex, and the rest of the populace, in descending order of
"rank" forming the rest of the pyramid. We could illustrate this by showing 
what could be considered a "typical" feudal structure, using SCA terms:

                           The Crown-------The Crown Prince/ess
                          /    |   \
 The Coronet of Principality A |  The Coronet of Principality B
     |       |        |        |         |       |            |
     |       |        |      Peers       |       |            |
     |       |        |                  |       |            |
Baron/ess C  |      Baron/ess D    Baron/ess E   |        Baron/ess F
     |       |           |             |         |            |
Barony C     |      Barony D        Barony E     |         Barony F
         |---|     /       \                     |---|         
         |     Canton G  Canton H                    |         
      Shire I                                   College J

        But Peers hold directly of the Crown, as their oaths, whether of
liege-fealty or service or whatever, are to the Crown on their creation.
Thus, the pyramid is a good bit more complex than the above idealized 
format. 
        In practice, a person in liege-fealty to a Peer who is in liege-
fealty to the Crown should be considered "in fealty" to the Crown....unless 
the person has made their fealty to the Peer their "fief ligium." At this
point, it gets a bit sticky. The same could be considered of a person in 
liege-fealty to the Coronet of a Principality or Barony.


        So...what about Masters of Arms, and other Peers that swear no 
fealty? 
        First of all, back in the dim days of the SCA's beginnings, one 
Richard of Montroyal, called "the Short," was given the Belt .... but he 
could not swear fealty for (religious, I am told) reasons. Thus (Duke) Master 
Richard of Montroyal, of West Kingdom, became the SCA's first "Master of 
Arms." 
        We see it in the original Knighthood ceremony of the Kingdom of the 
West:

 ----------from the Western 12th Night AS 2---------------------------

     "... But if one of this company shall not give his fealty, or if 
     thru prior commitment, he -may- not give this fealty, as this 
     would do wound his honor, then may he yet be awarded acclaim; and 
     this acclaim shall take the title of 'Master.' ...." 

 ----------------------------end of quote-----------------------------

        This tradition has been continued thru the Society's history, and is 
even embodied in Corpora: 

 -------------------------CORPORA-------------------------------------

     VII.A.4. Patent Orders

     a.) The Chivalry consists of two equal parts, the Order of 
     Knighthood and the Order of Mastery of Arms. No one may belong to 
     both orders at one time. When a member is admitted to the 
     Chivalry by the Sovereign the choice of which order to join is 
     made by the new member. 

     1) Specific requirements:

     b) To join the Order of Knighthood, the candidate must swear 
     fealty to the Crown of his or her kingdom during the knighting 
     ceremony. Members of the Order of Mastery of Arms may choose to 
     swear fealty, but are not required to do so. 
 
 ----------------------------end of quote-----------------------------

                        (more)


... 1650: Diana said it, I believe it, and that settles it!
___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.10

 * Origin: Herald's Point * Steppes/Ansteorra * 214-699-0057 (1:124/4229)
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca