principalities...et al...

[dennis grace]

And to thee, Sir Kief, a Hale Farewell,

Thank you for a rich and well-considered response.  I believe I now have a
much clearer picture of your arguments.  Forgive me for not reproducing and
responding to each point, but I don't want these e-missives to grow too
unwieldy.  Rather, let me preface my resposes by noting that I have little
disagreement with most of your claims.  
        No, I do not believe your concern with Principality formation is
founded on a slippery slope. I would, however, suggest that most of the
examples you cite merely serve to reinforce my earlier claim that the
geopolitical divisions that ultimately cause Principalities to split off as
Kingdoms typically pre-date the formation of the Principalities.  To draw
from the examples in your list (my apologies for the mundane names peppered
throughout this list):  Drakenvald was separated from her mother Kingdom by
an entire ocean; the Outlanders always considered the distance from Phoenix
to Denver prohibitive, as was the case with the jaunt from Seattle to San
Francisco, Dallas to Phoenix, and so forth.  If my old friends in Oertha
have their way, the prohibitive separation of Anchorage from San Francisco
will one day result in the creation of a Kingdom of Oertha.  As for my own
homeland of Artemisia:  we were originally part of the Principality of the
Outlands, left behind in Atenveldt as a Crown Lands (which came as a great
surprise to us all) as a clause in the contract that split the Outlands from
her mother kingdom.  In Artemisia the problem of a prohibitive distance from
Missoula to Phoenix was compounded by a sense of having been once traded
like cattle.
        On the other hand, as one Countess (my profoundest apologies, Your
Excellency, for forgetting your name) pointed out on this listserve, the
Principalities of Cynagua and the Mists will probably never even consider
Kingdom status.
        As to your claim, Sir Kief, that 

>. . . _nothing_
>inspires respect (and sometimes down right fear) in our friendly enemies as our
>massed units all clad in Gold and Black Star tabards... Principalities usually
>have their own tabards and armory. This would divide our fighting forces into
>visibly different groups, destroy their effect on our foemen... 2. Our
>different units Light Cav., Heavy Cav., Shieldmen, etc. are drawn from all
>portions of the Kingdom. Most receive rudimentary tactics and commands across
>the Kingdom. It makes us a very effective fighting force. Our Knights and Royal
>Family are, usually the generals, each in their own speciality... 

Well, who could debate so eloquent and affecting an appeal to pathos?  When
it works, yes, it's incredible.

Lastly, yes, cousin, you most certainly did inspire me to contribute to this
listserve.  I look forward to chatting with you again on other topics.
Until then I remain,

Yours in Service

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace (ML, Thane, Baron, yada yada yada)

_________________________
Dennis G. Grace
Assistant Instructor
Postmodern Medievalist
Division of Rhetoric and Composition
University of Texas
___________________

By cause that I am a burel man,
At my bigynnyng first I yow biseche,
Have me excused of my rude speche.
I lerned nevere rethorik, certeyn;
Thyng that I speke, it moot be bare and pleyn.
                         --Jeff Chaucer