Made to Swear Fealty

[Mjccmc01 at aol.com]

OK, Mistress Gunnora, my comments on being made to swear fealty in different
locales:

WARNING:  These comments reflect the situation in Meridies 4 years ago; I
don't pretend to be qualified to comment on what's going on there now.

As far as being "made" to swear fealty in different SCA locales, Meridies (at
least as of 4 years ago) has its peers swear fealty pretty much across the
board.  I don't actually know whether it is a requirement or not, because I
don't believe the issue ever came up.  The oath of fealty is part of every
peerage ceremony I've ever witnessed, and each circle swears fealty as a
group at coronation.  BTW, there are no individual oaths; everyone swears
whichever oath the king has chosen.  Interestingly, the circles rotate the
order in which they swear fealty to reinforce the concept that all peerages
are equal.

Also, Meridies does not make MOAs.  You're a knight and you swear fealty, or
you don't receive that peerage.  I would venture to say that most Meridian
peers (and I'm sure some will hop on to correct me if I'm wrong) view
willingness to swear fealty to the Crown as sort of an informal criteria for
a peerage.

What's important to bear in mind, however, is that the concept of fealty, as
well as the dynamic between the Crown and the circles, is radically different
there.  (That, however, is an entirely different discussion.)

Which do I prefer?  I think traditions evolve to meet a culture's needs.  The
Ansteorran fealty system wouldn't work in Meridies, and the Meridian one
wouldn't work here.  My personal preference is to swear fealty whenever
possible, partly because that was how I was "brung up."  The most compelling
reason to swear fealty, in theory at least, is because when the bond of
fealty exists between two parties, any disagreements are staged against a
background of good intentions.  I think anything that enables people to
disagree civilly and respectfully is a Good Idea.  There's only been one time
in my SCA life that I didn't swear fealty.  I reached that decision after a
lot of soul searching and only after arriving at the conclusion that I had
valid and just reasons not to swear.  Despite that conclusion, it troubled me
immensely, although I still believe my decision was the correct one.

So, what are everyone's thoughts on the issue of fealty in general?  What are
the rights and responsibilities of the oath taker?  What are the rights and
responsibilities of the Crown accepting the oath?

Wishing everyone a restful Sunday....

Fondly,

Siobhan