ANST - Patents (long)
Burke McCrory
bmccrory at oktax.state.ok.us
Mon Oct 18 16:23:23 PDT 1999
><snip>
>
>So my questions are:
> What is the difference in having a Royal Patent or not?
> Why are we one of the very few (only?) Kingdoms that dont give them out?
> Would it be in the Kingdom's best interest to give out Royal Patents to
>those stepping down?
>
>
>Sir Timo Kalamanos
What follows is my personal opinion.
I really don't see the need for granting a royal patent to outgoing crowns
or coronets (from our principality days). In my opinion it says that the
title of Duke/Count/Viscount is not good enough and you need more titles to
be recognized for your service as ruler. I feel our system recognizes the
inherent difference between the peerage and the Nobility. A peer, no
matter how good or special, is not a Noble unless they sit a throne
(Kingdom/Principality/Barony) or the Crown finds sufficient reason to
elevate them, by grace, to the nobility (Court Barony). Only those who sit
a Kingdom or Principality throne are Royal. This is a very special rank
and should not be cheapened (in my opinion) by stating that something else
is needed. In our Order of March all current and former rulers, including
current Landed Baron/ess but excluding Court Baron/ess, march in front of
everyone else including peers. In Ansteorra a current landed baron marches
ahead of even a triple peer. This is how it should be as we are
recognizing the special service that rulers give. This is not to say that
the service that peers give is any less valuable, it is just different. I
have had the honor to sit as a Landed Baron and be recognized as a Peer. I
can tell you from personal experience that the duties and expectations are
very different, so is the type of service that is given.
Additionally Royal Peers would not have any say over who is or isn't added
to their ranks. They wouldn't need to sit in circles and advise the crown
on matters of elevation. The Royal Family already has special access to
the Crown and I have seen on a few occasions where the sitting Crown has
called a meeting of the Royal Family to advise it. I just don't see the
reason to add Royal Patents and I see several possible reasons that it
could lessen something that we hold as very special. I like our system
that clearly defines the deference between the Nobility and the non-nobility.
When I look at other Kingdoms I wonder if the fact that sometimes the Crown
is not given the respect and high level of standing that we do could be
part of the reason why they have Royal Patents. In some kingdoms the
Crowns word is law, but only if a Curia or Council approves it. In some
kingdoms a Crown will catch hell if they give out a grant level award, let
alone a peerage, without polling the order in writing first. In those
kingdoms it might be that the peers feel that they have a higher standing
than a former Crown or Coronet. One could wonder if, Royal Patents were
not something that was put into place to help even the playing field.
This is just my personal opinion.
Sir Burke
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