SC - Torta de melones

[Philip & Susan Troy]

>
>Approximate possibility 3: 'Styraesman', literally helmsman, may
>have been an approximate equivalent in Denmark.  They are mentioned
>as being the kingmaking group for two kings circa 1100, which sounds
>baron-like.  There's no indication in Foote and Wilson of how early
>this term might have been used; and they don't mention it outside
>Denmark.


"Stýrimaður" occurs frequently in Icelandic sources but almost always means
helmsman or captain of a ship; in those few instances where it seems to mean
"leader of men", these guys probably also had a ship and "stýrimaður" refers
to that.

>Approximate possibility 4: 'Hethwarthur man' (sp?), also from
>Denmark, literally worthy man.  Foote and Wilson suggest they
>could have also been called 'landman', literally men of land.  They
>can say little about them.  They say that 'landman' from Sweden might
>have been an equivalent in Sweden, but that there is not enough
>evidence to say anything definite.


"Heiðvirðr maðr" would definitely not have been used as a title; it was used
to describe a honest and worthy man (a woman is "heiðvirð kona") but says
little about his rank.

>Approximate possibility 5: 'Hersir', from early western Norway.
>Icelandic historians equated these with the later 'lendr madhr',
>literally landed man, also appearing as 'landsman'.  These certainly
>seem to have been a group quite similar, in terms of social role, to
>the feudal barons.

"Lendr maðr" is never used as a title in the Icelandic sagas, it is a
descriptive term. You don't see anyone called "Ólafr lendr maðr" but you
might say "Ólafr is a lendr maðr".

>A choice of 'hersir' for baron is properly early and socially
>appropriate and evidenced from the right part of Scandanavia for
>you, so I think you can happily go with the official SCA alternate
>title.


Yes, but actually neither "Hersir Olafr" nor "Gothi Thorvaldr" is correct,
since in Old Norse/Icelandic the title was always placed after the given
name - it should be "Olafr hersir" and "Thorvaldr goði".

Nanna