Re: Order of the Banda

[Shawn Riggin <sriggi1@gl.umbc.edu>]

Poster: Shawn Riggin <sriggi1@gl.umbc.edu>

On Tue, 21 Apr 1998, Diane Stevens wrote:

> 
> Poster: Diane Stevens <nolarec@hwy5.net>
> 
> Help!  I would like info and I hope someone out there in the wide world
> of nets can help me.
> 
> In the past, my lord and I have done some research on Knightly Orders,
> specifically in the region that came to be known as Spain.  (Since my
> lord is a knight from the 1250's in that region, it was our major
> focus.) We found a reference to the Order of the Banda, which seems to
> have been a secular Order of Knighthood which fit the bill.  The focus
> of this Order was tournaments.  Other than this slim bit of information,
> we could find nothing else.  Has anyone else out there in their
> historical researches found reference to this Order, or have information
> which might help us learn more?
> 
> I would appreciate it.  Thanks.
> 
> Duchess Luned

Greetings Your Grace from Morgan Wainwright, I hope this message reaches
you in good health!

I hope I can be of some assistance.  I've found references to what group I
believe you are referring to.  According to Maurice Keen's _Chivalry_
(Yale University Press, 1984) a group called the Order of Band was created
by KIng Alfonso XI of Castile in 1330.  "Banda" would most likely be the
Spanish name, and it was translated into English as "Band" (I will use
Band since that is what is used in the text that I have.)  It is stated in
the book "It is just possible that the example of the Spanish crusading
orders (and especially that of Santiago) may have helped to inspire King
Alfonso's foundation of the Order of the Band, and that institution may in
turn have helped to encourage Edward III toward the foundation of the
Order of the Garter." (P. 180)  The order is also mentioned on p. 181 that
the Castilian Order of the Band had quite specific elements of a
tourneying society, which were incorporated into its statutes.  

"Another clause in the statues of the Band of Castile has a somewhat
different significance.  It lays down that a newly elected companion must,
at the next tournament to be held following his admission, run two courses
against each of two fellow knights of the Band.  This, and the emphasis in
its statues upon the ethic of courtly love, reveals a concern with aspects
of chivalrous life quite distinct from the serious businesses of war and
politics - with sport and play." (Keen, 185-6.  Cited from "Memoria sobre
la orden de caballeria de la Banda de Castilla" in _Boletin de la Real
Academia de la Historia_ LXXII (1918), 561 (which contains the second
verson of the statues))

Your Grace, I hope this has been of some help.  This is the only resource
I have in my personal collection which makes reference to the Order of
Banda.  If you would so desire, I can see what I can dig up (Historians do
this kinda stuff for a living, you know).  Email me privately and let me
know if you'd like me to look into it (it may take a week or so).

Also, if there are any other gentles who have been stumped finding
information, I have a decent-sized personal collection that I can easily
browse through to give you an Idea of how hard it will be to find
information.  Email me privately and let me know what you're looking for
and a starting point, if you have one.

Yours in Service,
Morgan Wainwright


____________________________________________________________________________
Mundanely:   Shawn M. Riggin                 
In The SCA:  Morgan Wainwright                         "Quarterly argent
             Man-at-Arms to Lord Kaloc von Zwechel      and sable, a wheel
             Canton of Spiaggia Levantina               counterchanged."
             Kingdom of Atlantia                   

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