Re: Of Kings and Queens...

["Joyce A. Baldwin" <jocetta@ibm.net>]

Poster: "Joyce A. Baldwin" <jocetta@ibm.net>

Another tuppence worth tossed in the pot.   It is true that our method of
selecting Royalty is not historically accurate.  The usual  method was
inheritance or wars or sucession or conquest with some other variations in
various locals.  What seems to be most people's problem with our trial by
combat is that it automatically excludes a number of gentles from being
Royalty since they do not fight in the heavy lists or have a consort who
does so.

Well...historically, MOST people didn't have a chance at being Royalty!  If
you weren't somehow related to the Royal Family, forget it.  Every so often
a really successful conquerer would become king who was not, but this
really did not happen often in medieval Western Europe - and the successful
ones simply added a new Royal Family (and then tried their best to marry
into some of the existing ones).  In fact most people had very little or no
say as to who became monarch -- they just had to put up with whoever
inherited or won.  At least we know ours will only last 6 months, we don't
have to assassinate them, and if we really don't like them we can pack up
our marbles and go play somewhere else till they go away. 

This is not to say that I think our existing system is the best way to
select a monarch. As with much of our traditions, it just sort of happened.
 But it exists, it has the weight of these traditions behind it and
substantiallly changing it would probably generate some really, really
messy politics.  I doubt it's worth the trouble involved. 

As a side note - some years ago the Principality of the Mists ran a Coronet
Tourney with a six part list only one of which was heavy lists.   The other
parts were in chess, music, etc.  This is a only modification of the
current method of choosing our Monarch and does result in a Monarch who is
at least competent in many areas.  Of course, if you ran Coromet  lists
like this in TNNP, it would simply ensure that Earl Daffydd was Prince in
perpetuity!   :-)

Well, enough talking..,Master Taverner, another cider, if you would be so
kind!

Jocetta 
Joyce A. Baldwin
Diva Extraordinaire

In the Society for Creative Anachronism:
Lady Jocetta Thrushleigh of Rowansgarth
Exchequer, Canton of Buckston on Eno
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