ANST - What Does Pledging Allegiance Or Giving Oath Mean?

[Paul Mitchell]

Alice Harris wrote:
Galen of Bristol here!

> Greeting From Alina:
> 
> What exactly does pledging allegiance or giving oath mean? What does it mean
> when a knight/laurel/pelican pledge their allegiance or oath to our kingdom
> sovereign? 

When knights swear fealty, it generally means that they're promising to
be
on the King's side, whenever there's any conflict.  Each knight
generally
swears his own oath, so there is considerable variation in the
particulars.

The oath I swear:
  "Here do I, Galen of Bristol, now freely swear my fealty and loyalty
as a knight to you, (name of King) and (name of Queen), as King and 
Queen of Ansteorra, to serve without promise of reward, to speak and
to be silent, and to defend unto death, until death take me, my liege
release me, or the world end."

Laurels & Pelicans in this kingdom are not required to swear fealty,
and so their oaths mean whatever they make their oaths mean; those
who swear them.

> What do they actually give to their majesty? 

Advice, service, support, loyalty; the usual.

What does their
> majesty give in return? 

Advice, support, loyalty, sometimes recognition; the usual.

I see it all the time in courts, but don't understand
> the point and/or purpose of it. 

Does this help?

Next, same question but different twist. Are
> kingdom officer expected to give the same to their majesty, their allegiance
> or oath? Is the same expected from local officers to give their majesty and to
> their local BB (baron and baroness)?

Kingdom Officers don't swear fealty in Ansteorra; they swear
oaths of service.  Local officers in baronies often swear
similar oaths to their Baron/ess, but it's not required
in Kingdom Law.
 
> It's been a sticky question I have been trying to figure out.
> 
> Questions and not sure of the answers,
> Alina (Mitchell)
> lg_photo at texas.net

- Galen of Bristol, Viscount, KSCA, Pel.
pmitchel at flash.net
http://www.flash.net/~pmitchel/galen.htm
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