[MR] Chivalry and Honor

[Denise McMahon]

With respect, having been a sensechal at the time and then a Baroness  
of the Barony of Stierbach, I feel that the Principality movement  
failed because it did not have enough populace support.

Some people were listened to at meetings and some people skipped  
over.  I, for one, felt that the whole heraldry thing was rushed  
through as well as finding a name for the proposed Principality. We  
didn't really know if we wanted to have a principality of northern  
baronies, never mind what to call it or what heraldry it should have.

If a Principality is something desired by the populace then there  
would be a large and ready group to step up and make it happen.  It  
would need a large base of support in order to succeed. I did not  
feel that it had that the last time. It may be that this has changed  
over the last ten years, but as far as I can see  (and hear) the  
desire for a Principality seems to be set within a smaller group than  
would be necessary to make the possibility a reality.

The question is something to carefully consider and not to be pushed  
through or rushed through as it was last time, *in my opinion*.

Let us identify what it is we want to improve in our SCA experience  
and think well if those needs translate into a reorganization of what  
we have now as the Kingdom of Atlantia. It may be that what we truly  
want as a populace is to have more spiffiness, more pomp and  
circumstance, to see more of our Crowns.

We can have that without becoming a Principality- it all depends how  
much effort we wish to put into our local events.

There are only so many events a Crown can travel to. I frequently had  
a schedule of three events in one month, and sometimes four events in  
a month, because it had to be done. Logan frequently attended other  
events down South when I was attending events up North. We made a  
special effort to raise enough money for the Royal Travel Fund so  
that we could travel to as many events as possible. Do we need to  
give some thought about making fundraising for the Royal Travel Fund  
a more permanent position on the Kingdom Officer level or as a deputy  
so that the money is there to support the efforts? This would make it  
easier since each incoming Reign would not have to reinvent the wheel  
each time and efforts could be ongoing.

Should we ask our (super) Dukes to make an effort to chose consorts  
from the other end of the Kingdom when they can, in the hopes of  
distributing the Travel Schedule more equitably?

Do any of us have any extra time to attend baronial business meetings  
or event planning meetings to up the spiff factor? Have we really  
tried up North to limit the usage of non period enclosures,  
containers, etc or really made an effort to try and cover that which  
is not period in appearance to bring a more medieval look to our events?

Does anyone do any research into medieval festivals etc in order to  
make an event more medieval in flavor and activity? Or do we just do  
the same structure for an event time and time again?

These are things to sit and ponder and we all must find out own  
answers before we leap to the conclusion that anything needs so major  
a change as forming a Principality. Will doing that increase our  
enjoyment of our hobby or make that hobby better?

Lets take a look at what we can do to fix the small dissatisfactions  
before tackling the idea of creating a whole new branch of the Society.

in kind service to my Kingdom,

Countess Rowan



On Jun 9, 2008, at 4:24 PM, Steinfeld, Henry S CIV NAVAIR PMA-209T&E/ 
AIR 1.6.3 wrote:
Unto the Tavern does Khadir send greetings,
I would also echo these sentiments.  I was Seneschal of a group  
affected by the Principality movement most recently (TNNP) and can  
tell you from meetings attended and conversations at the time, there  
was NOTHING nefarious or unchivalrous in the motives of those  
people.  They, in fact, did not want to divide the Kingdom, only  
provide a Principality as an extension of TRM of Atlantia to reduce  
some of the impact of needing to be at a large number of events  
during a reign, and improve the 'spiff' factor.  This would have  
increased 'royal' representation, reduced the obligations on TRMs  
and, potentially, reduced drives.  At the time, the movement failed,  
in part, because people not connected with it could not appreciate  
that no one wanted to separate from Atlantia, but rather wanted to  
improve representation and recognition.

If those same misunderstanding fuel this discussion, then the same  
kinds of results and potentially hard feeling will result again.   
Much was said then, not all of which was chivalrous to people who  
deserved better.  Discussion is a good thing, and it should bring  
about understanding, not animosity.

In Service
Khadir bar Yosef
MKA
Hank Steinfeld, FIAE

Nothing is won by force. I choose to be gentle. If I raise my voice  
may it be only in praise. If I clench my fist, may it be only in  
prayer. If I make a demand, may it be only of myself.

-Max Lucado


True healing has more to do with listening and unconditional love  
than fixing people.

-Gerald Jampolsky & Diane V. Cirincione