ANST - Nobility..

[Lori Campbell]

I liked this set of questions, too.

> >  What are the criteria/qualities for becoming a Court Baron/ess?

It would be so easy if there was actual, written criteria for 
becoming Court Nobility.  The closest we come to anything in writing 
is the charter for this award, which says:  "In recognition of 
especial endeavors of service, ability, deeds and grace" (or 
something like that).  By tradition, the Crown grants a Court Barony 
to all landeds when they step down (unless they had one before they 
became landed, of course).

In our kingdom Court Baronies have been given for all manner 
of different reasons.  It is without a doubt the one award that each 
Crown sets their own criteria for (lucky thing that most of the 
time their criteria tends to overlap - which gives the rank some 
continuity).  I think the key word in most of the cases I've seen has 
to be "exceptional" whether it applies to noble bearing, wisdom, 
years of service, deeds of service, etc.  In most cases, the 
individual was exceptional in the eyes of the Crown in some way.  

One thing that hasn't been said yet is that in our Kingdom, CB's 
convey a Grant of Arms, placing the recipient on the same precedence 
level as Irises, Stars, White Scarves, Centurions, and simple Grants 
of Rank.  The really cool thing about getting a Court Barony is that 
it gives the recipient the right to have supporters and a Baronial 
Coronet on their heraldic achievement (along with a mantle if they 
didn't have a Grant level award prior to that time).

An interesting point to note is that in many kingdoms, the Court 
Barony conveys no more rank than any AoA level award.

Kat, CP  >"<


*******************
Lori Campbell
lcampbel at ossm.edu
============================================================================
Go to http://www.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.