ANST - fourth Peerage

[Dr Tiomoid M. of Angle]

--- Russell Husted <husted at hotmail.com> wrote:

> Tivar wrote:
> > Dragging this (briefly) back towards the original topic, I should
> > point out that I am *not* in favor of a peerage for rapier
fighting.
> > By the Renaissance, knighthoods were given out for military
> > leadership or "service to the state", not for individual fighting
> > ability.
> 
> I realize that I am a small fish, but I would like to coment on what
> Master Tivar wrote. I interpret him as saying, it is not what you
> fight with or how well you fight that makes you a Knight. It is your
> dedication and/or leadership in the Society.
> 
> I personally like that a lot.

And there's a lot in it to like. But that's not what he's saying.

He's pointing out that in the historical period in which the rapier, as
opposed to the "tournament" weapons used by classical medieval knights,
was the dominant personal weapon of war, knighthood wasn't given for
individual prowess with weapons, but rather for more general qualities.
This, I suppose, is to counter the line of argument "Well, early period
sword jocks get knighted, so their ought to be something equivalent for
late-period sword jocks, because they just used a different kind of
sword."

As it happens, I agree with him and Master Robin.


Fra Tadhg Liath OFT
The Grumpiest Pelican 
> Mahee
> 
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