[MR] What does a Principality include? > Long reply

[Cian Conor MacQuaid]

> Your pardon, good gentles, but for those of us who weren't around ten years ago and haven't lived in a place with a Principality - so that we can keep up with the conversation swirling about, could someone please state clearly what-all is included in the creation of a Principality?  
> I gather it would have a Prince and Princess who are not heirs to the Crown, but who can hand out Kingdom awards in place of TRM or TRH.  Are they decided by tournament as well?  How long can they hold office?  What's different between the court structure of a principality and that of a barony, besides rank of the rulers?  Does a principality have to have a certain area in square miles, or average population size?
> Thank you for helping me improve my general awareness of SCA practice and procedure.
> For the record (though, alas, it makes no difference in the price of gas) - I've really enjoyed the events I've been to in other regions of our fair Kingdom.  I've met the nicest people, and it's fun to go new places and get new ideas. I like road trips.  I feel much the same about really far out-kingdom events I've been to, but there is something about having folks just a state or two away that helps me think I really should see them more often, seeing as we're on the same team and all.  If we were to subdivide Altantia, the same nice people and fun events will still be a state or two (or three) away.  I liked things better when the deciding factor was no more than the time I was willing to spend getting there and back.
> Sorcha Prechan
> Blue Celt 

Sorcha,
Where else have you been? Your name looks familiar.

In answer to your specific questions, The short version:
A Principality is closer to a subordinate Kingdom than a Barony. The 
prime distinction is the existence of a Coronet List and the short term 
of the Rulers. Typically the schedule is similar to a Crown schedule. 
Princes & Princesses can give Principality awards in their own names, 
but not Kingdom or Society ones. The Crown retains that prerogative.

The really long version from
http://www.sca.org/docs/govdocs.pdf:

4. Principality: A principality is a part of a kingdom which has the 
right to select a reigning Prince and Princess by armored combat. A 
branch or contiguous group of branches within a kingdom may
petition for principality status if the resulting entity would fulfill 
the requirements listed below:
• At least 100 members.
• Candidates for all Great Officer positions, each of whom is acceptable 
to the kingdom officer responsible for the direction of that aspect of 
Society activity, and such other officers as kingdom law and custom may 
require.
• A name and device registered with the College of Arms.
• Consensus favoring advancement in branch status by the members in the 
proposed principality, demonstrated by procedures acceptable to the 
Kingdom and Society Seneschals.
• A record of well-attended events together with regular study or guild 
meetings, demonstrations, and other educational activities for the 
benefit of the members and the community at large.
• Sufficient members of the orders conferring Patents of Arms to foster 
the development of those orders and the skills they represent within the 
principality.
• Sufficient fighters of such caliber as to provide appropriate 
competition for the Coronet.
• A body of principality law which provides for the maintenance and 
succession of the Coronet, and for any other matters delegated or 
permitted by the parent kingdom. Draft laws, in the form in which they 
will be presented to the victors of the first Coronet Lists, must 
accompany a petition for principality status.

Sir Cian