[ANSTHRLD] question about nobility

[Jay Rudin]

Alden asked:

> Just out of idle curiosity, why doesn't the SCA include
> the ranks of Marquess/Marquis (rank between Duke and
> Earl/Count) and Baronet (below Baron)[1]?  I've never
> heard this question asked or answered before.
>
> [1] and their female counterparts of course

Because the SCA's structure was not built by looking at the period titles
and trying to build SCA equivalents.  Instead, it was built by deciding to
honor certain people and choosing a rank to do it with.

First came Queen and Knight (first day).  Very soon they added King.  At
Twelfth Night A.S. II, they added Lord / Lady, Laurel, and Master of Arms.
Somewhere in there they added Duke/Duchess for somebody who had ruled twice
(I think primarily to convince Richard of Montroyal he didn't need to become
King again). [Exact sequence unguaranteed.  The main structure is roughly
correct, though.]

Eventually Count/ess, Baron/ess and others were added, but there has never
been a system-wide push to use all period titles.  It also isn't *possible*
to build a system that is true to the period model but in which Knights are
peers and outrank barons, and in which Master X outranks Lady Y.

Robin of Gilwell / Jay Rudin