SCA 201 Court, Awards, etc

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Court

Definition: A gathering to witness and acknowledge the medieval and/or royal business of the SCA.

Presided over by a King, Queen, Prince, Princess, Baron, Baroness, Royal Patron, or any combination thereof.

Announced, narrated, and sort of regulated by a voice herald.

So, what happens? 

1. Awards are given. These are recognition for :

Service

Study

Arts and Sciences

Fighting

General contribution

(Awards are based on letters of recommendation sent by any member of the populace, mostly, more details later)

2. Announcements are made:

Autocrats (usually about current event and upcoming events)

Kingdom business

Upcoming ceremonies, events, etc.

3. Officers and Champions are invested 

4. Prizes are presented. 

5. Coronations/investitures take place.

King & Queen

Prince & Princess

Baron & Baroness

How do YOU act in court?

Make sure you stay amused. Take a craft, a comfy chair, dinner, etc. Sit with people who know all the details and want to share why they each item of business is funny.

Keep quiet and respectful. Difficult if you are having a huge gossip session, so make sure you sit somewhere you won't be a disturbance.

If you are called forward.

There are two bow lines. One is about half-way back, the other is right close to the thrones. Bow at each, then proceed to in front of the Royalty and kneel. A cushion should be provided.

Disarm BEFORE you are start forward. It is improper to carry weapons before the royalty unless you are a part of their guard or are a Knight. This varies from group to group.

After making your presentation, or receiving your award/recognition, stand. Back away to the first bow line, then turn, turn back at the second bow line. This is also varied from group to group, and person to person.

If you would like to make a presentation in court, the herald will announce the times that he/she is taking business. During that time, give as much detail as you can. You can check back in with the herald before court to see when during court you're business will be. Please limit court presentations as much as possible, remember, everyone needs dinner eventually! Most presentations can be made just as effectively in private.

"Just bow to the Hats"

and why this isn't good.

Now for a quick side note: the word "hat" can have derogatory and obnoxious connotations. Please be aware of that before using it lightly. It is often used as a dismissive term for all people who have taken on the responsibility of ruling. The idea of "just bow to the hats" takes from that motion the meaning and respect that it deserves.

Let's try an example: 

Your best friend wins Crown. You spend six months helping him deal with EACH and every problem in the Kingdom. His phone rings every few hours. He arbitrates disputes, modifies laws, chooses the best candidates for Baronies and Peerages. He makes treaties with other Kingdoms, and agonizes over the details of his relationship with the people of his Kingdom, who he feels responsible for, and to.

And one day, as you sit in a group of people you don't know, you hear the following conversation. "Who's that?" (pointing to the King). "Eh, just some hat"

How would you feel about that person?

Why do you need to go to court? 

 Sometimes you don't. Remember; if you go once you are not obligated to go ALL THE TIME. The SCA needs some people to go to court some of the time because it's the closest thing we have to national events. America has state addresses and military award ceremonies, the SCA has the King's address to his people and award ceremonies for people who are really cool. Go. Meet people. Look at the spectacle.

The argument goes: I don't care about American politics! Why should I care about the SCA's? Well, the sad thing is is that American politics are long and convoluted and hard to get involved with. The SCA (especially An Tir) has a much simpler system. If you go to the right people about a problem, it is VERY likely that something will get done about it-- especially if you're persistent. It seems daunting at first, but if you see something you don't like *YOU* (yes, YOU) have the opportunity to change it. Isn't that COOL?

AWARDS

Awards are based on the recommendation of the populace. Their Highnesses and Majesties make their decisions of who to give awards to by considering the recommendations sent to them.

Peerages (Knights, Pelicans, Laurels), are recommended by councils of those peerages. Individuals may send recommendations to the council, who will take them into consideration.

Awards of Arms (AA or AoA). This confers the title of Lord or Lady, which is added before the person's name. It is usually the first award received and normally shows that the person is now an active and contributing member of the community. This can be in A&S, service, or combat. This award can be given by the Prince and Princess, or the King and Queen.

Grail of the Summits. This carries no title. Grails are awarded for significant contributions toward the good of the Principality. There are four grails, combat, service, A&S, and friend of the Summits (awarded to those who live outside the borders). Combat is a silver grail on black, service on red, A&S on green, and friend of the Summits on blue. This can only be given by the Prince and Princess of the Summits.

Grant of Arms. This carries the title of Honorable Lordship/Ladyship. They are for enriching the Kingdom through the given specialty. There are a variety of grants. The most common are the Goutte de Sang (service) and the Jambe de Leon (A&S). Also the Order of the White Scarf (rapier), and Grey Goose Shaft (archery). More rarely, the Hasta Leonis is given for war combat.

A Goutte de Sang is usually symbolized as a red drop or bead on a white and yellow checky background. A Jambe de Leon is a black lion's paw on the same background. Members of the Order of the White Scarf normally wear a white scarf, usually with gold trim, tied around their arm. Order of the Grey Goose Shaft normally wear a white bracer.

About Peers:

This brings us to the Peerage. ONLY their Majesties can make Peers. Consider in your head all the ideals of a medieval Knight. The virtues they are supposed to uphold, the honor, the chivalry, and the fighting skill. Now, if you can, subtract from that image the fighting part (yes, I know it's a big part). Substitute an equivalent skill in an art or science. That is a Laurel. A Laurel is honor-bound to teach, to share their knowledge, as a Knight would to squires and men at arms, pretty much anyone who asks. They are expected to uphold the same notions of chivalry, honor, fealty, and are held to the same standards. Now, substitute great and prolonged service to the Society, and you have a Pelican. Again, they must share their learning and time, take candidates under their wing and bring them up to be good members of the society, and uphold all our ideals of honor.

Big and shiny, huh? Now, Peers are still human too, and holding them to absolute standards will only lead to disappointment on everyone's part. The above is what Peers STRIVE for. They have been recognized as being what people should look towards as examples, which can be a hard pedestal to balance on. The greatest glory brings the greatest responsibility.

Which brings me to the labeling-theory (grin). If you want to know about something, there are all these people that the Kingdom has put big neon signs on. Those signs say "expert here. took oath to teach others". So, if you want to know about something, ask the experts!

This isn't to say that only the Peers know what they are talking about. Everyone is on a continuum, and a Peerage is neither an endpoint, nor a great leap in knowledge. If you want to know all about 12th century keys, there may be the world's greatest expert in Southmarch, and they may only have an AoA. But don't feel like your are "bothering" people if you ask Peers to teach, they did, after all, take an oath! They may be a little grumpy before their morning coffee, but try a few and I'm sure you'll find plenty of friendly ones.

Peers are selected by a slightly different process than the other awards. Anyone may recommend a candidate, but the decision then passes to a council of the Peers. There are regional councils (Summits meets at Coronet and Investiture), and then their recommendations go to Kingdom Council (held every three months). The Kingdom Council then presents the candidates to the King and Queen, and must convince them that this person is worthy. The ultimate decision then rests with the King and Queen. Some make lots of Peers, most very few.

As for format of a recommendation, there isn't an outline set in stone, just some important points to hit. A good recommendation needs: your name. The person's name you are recommending. Where the person is from. What they do that you think makes them worthy of this award. What events they are going to be attending (this helps to them actually GET the award)

Dealing with Royalty out of the Court Setting.

1. PAY ATTENTION!

2. When you see Royalty, bow.

3. Let them make the first move.

4. If you are sitting, stand up.

If you would like to approach Them out of Court.

1. Talk to their attendants. Make sure this is a good time.

2. Keep a respectful distance. ~20ft.

3. Let them acknowledge you.

4. Approach, bow, kneel.

5. BE RESPECTFUL, concise, and clear.

6. If you need it, get help. Take a friend who knows how to do this, write the proper form of address on your hand, whatever you need to do.

Respect without fear.

You are at an interkingdom War (like A&W). As you wander along, a lady with THE LARGEST shiny object (that you have ever seen) on her head walks by. She is trailed by ladies in waiting, guards with spears, an umbrella, etc. But none of them notice that she has just dropped her fan, right in front of you.... 

So, you pick it up. Now what? It's got her device all over it. You need to return it. The group to whom it belongs has now stopped, and the lady is talking to someone else.  See the section above about dealing with Royalty out of a court setting.  You can do this, and it is not only your right to do so, but her duty to acknowledge you. 

ALWAYS keep yourself in mind as well. Don't injure yourself, they certainly don't want that! Show respect to them as your are able. Carrying a huge tray of food? Nod your head! Chasing a small child? VERY quick bow! 

Who all do I need to bow to? Formally you only need to bow to royalty you are in fealty to. A bow is a recognition of their status in relation to you, so you need to acknowledge those who directly have an influence on your life. So, who IS that? If you live in a Barony, your Baron and Baroness. If you live in a Principality, your Prince and Princess. And always your King and Queen 

But, you say, what about everyone else? Aren't there tons and tons of other people with titles and circlets? Do I have to bow to them? The answer is you don't HAVE to bow to them, but you can. Bowing to them shows that you recognize their rank, and respect both their rank, and them. This can seem a little odd, but, as was said before, rank doesn't come automatically in the SCA. For our Society, having that rank, and the right to wear those insignia, means that person worked very hard, for a very long time, to earn those rights and responsibilities. When you show respect to those people, you show not only that you respect the person, but what they have done.

A few words on fealty 

This is a tricky subject that is mostly involved with how you feel about certain people. When a you are in fealty to someone, you owe them your respect, you need to defend them against others (and malicious gossip counts!), and you also owe them all honor possible. Off handedly referring to them as "the hats" is not respectful, nor does it do honor to them or their position. 

Most people's first reaction to fealty is that it isn't quite intuitive. Don't worry if you don't "deeply understand" at first, it will come to you through experiences in the SCA. It can help a little to think about it in Knight-Squire terms. The Knight pledges not only to teach his squire, but also to protect, defend, and provide for him (or her :). It means that each person is responsible for those below them in the fealty chain, and needs to look out for their welfare. Those above are there to defend you, and to look our for your best interest ;) In an "ideal" SCA household, you have a Knight and a Laurel. They are sworn in direct fealty to the King and Queen. They have squires and apprentices, who have significant others and children. The squires and apprentices have men at arms, students, and other people who are less formally "related" to them. So, if something happened concerning one of the men at arms, the first person he should go to was the squire (who he was sworn in fealty to). If the squire couldn't handle it, it would go to the Knight, and then up the chain to the King if necessary. It all becomes a little cerebral because we don't often have to invoke the protections in the SCA. It does happen, but rarely. Most of the time it is a formalization of everyone looking out for each other. Most SCA people feel their close fealty ties a lot (a squire feels a close tie to his Knight for example). They are friends, and more than that, they have a formal tie, almost how modern people feel about their cousins (sort of, hmmm). I know it is hard to explain, but you'll see lots of examples, and it will become much more clear over time.

Please continue to the page on heraldry, here: https://sites.google.com/site/kadasresearch/sca-200/sca-201/sca-201-heraldry