Re: Duty(ies) of the Crown

[Pendar <pendar@musca.unm.edu>]

Karen Larsdatter med det Usigeligh Efternavn wrote:
> If you believe that a king is nothing more than the scoutleader who makes 
> sure you get your juice and cookies on time, fine, your loss.  But to me, 
> the duty of the king is to behave in a manner that allows the populace to 
> believe that he is THE KING.
> 
> Hoping that I have not offended everyone *too* much,


How could you have offended anyone? You didn't actually SAY anything.

The King is THE KING?  ...and here I thought Elvis was dead. ;)

Look, I'm not trying to flame you, but what exactly is it that you 
consider to be 'The King'?

For me, there is a line from Excalibur that helps sum it up.
"The King and the land are one." As the King prospers, so does the land. 
Even in the SCA the King is the one who sets the environment for the 
group as a whole. He should have presence of spirit enough to display the 
qualities that we all aspire to, and presence of mind enough to realize that.

I have played under many Kings, and each one has his own strengths and 
weaknesses. Some have been strong in battle- leading his troops with a 
stong heart and banner flying high. Others have been strong in the 
courtly graces- displaying charm and grace not just in handing out 
cookies, but in seeming truly thankful for the people who are recieving 
the awards. On the flip side, I have also seen Kings who lead, not by 
example, but by browbeating their people into doing what they want. And 
Kings who read their lines from a notebook in court and then display an 
attitude of "you've got your scroll, now get out of my face."

Some of my favorite Kings have been utterly barbaric- drinking alcohol in 
court while leaning back in the throne with one leg propped up on the 
armrest. But this kind of King does not meet with everyone's approval. 

I think that the stigma over your class on being King is the fact that 
you are calling it a 'Class.'  (i.e. Whose form of Kingship is best 
representative of the ideal and therefore must be the one to be 'taught.')

There are many ex-Kings. Each one has a different story. I'd like to hear 
them all and draw my own conclusions on what it's like to be the King.

-Pendar the Bard
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