Straw Fealty Issue

[dennis grace]

Good Cousins,

Am I seeing what I seem to be seeing? Peers and assorted other nobles who
don't understand simple matters of fealty?

Subjects of a Principality swear fealty to the crown and to the coronet.  In
*theory* this never creates any conflict (medievally) as the Princess and/or
Prince only hold their lands at the auspices of their Sovereigns.  In
practice, of course, a Prince (Duke, Count, what have you) who decided to
make trouble for Crown naturally had all of his loyal warriors willing to
help said Prince violate his feudal contract with crown.  

In the SCA, we take such theoretical and philosophic questions quite
seriously. As a former denizen of Atenveldt, in Artemisia, I always swore
fealty to both Crown and Coronet.  I never considered this in any way a
possible source of conflict as Coronet is ALWAYS in fealty to the Crown.
What possible conflict could arise?  

Incidentally, this featly structure is one of the primary reasons for
principalities within a kingdom to avoid inter-principality skirmishes.  If
the Red Principality wars against the Blue Principality, which side does
Crown get to fight on?  Not a fair problem to pose.

Voluntas Bene Mereri de Omnibus 

Sir Lyonel Oliver Grace

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

Baro, metetz en guatge                    |  Lords, pawn your castles,
Chastels e vilas e ciutatz                |  your towns and cities.
Enanz qu'usquecs no'us guerreiatz         |  Before you're beat to the draw,
                                                    draw your swords.

                   -- Bertran de Born