Antoran Chivalry: Difference between revisions
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The courtly reforms were so successful that the royal knights of Réal quickly became made up of only the most skilled, moral, and responsible ''caballeros'' in the Kingdom. The common folk brought most issues before a royal knight to be judged rather than their own lords knights, which prompted the nobility to send their retainers for study at the court of the king. The royal knights also became highly desirable social matches for unwed ladies, which further prompted more gentlemen to attempt to live by the Precepts in hope of good marriage prospects. Marius Ignatius II is credited with transforming the Réoran feudal system from one with a strata of morals into one that was filled with lords and gentlemen who were always considerate, kind, generous, and welcoming. The lords of Casilló were so impressed by the manners of their longtime enemies they too adopted the Precepts, with one unnamed Count at the Arranzic court in 1371 remarking, "we all, gentlemen, have been willingly domesticated by the chivalry of the East."
=== Aspects of a Knight ===
According to tradition, there are several Aspects of knighthood that are essential for someone to function and be viewed as a 'true' knight.
First and most importantly is the actual act and record of being knighted, known as Creation. A person who possesses any chivalric title may dub another person as a Knight, through proper ceremony and paperwork. This involves tapping both shoulders of the dubbee twice with a sword, a sprinkling of olive oil across the forehead, and having them repeat each of the fourteen Precepts before reciting "I am a knight, and a knight I shall die, save if I dishonor they who have granted me this boon." This is considered the spiritual beginning of the new knight, though the dubber must fill out an official document, currently a legal form known as a C-180-k. This document requires an explanation for the knighting and must be cosigned by the dubbee and two witnesses. This document is then sent to the Ministry of Civil Services for archival and is then sent to the Monarch, who reviews and rubber stamps it. However, only the Monarch may grant a person the title higher than the basic Knight.
[[File:Ming Gold Belt Plaques (16907707407).jpg|thumb|225x225px|An ornate example of a knight's belt, which would be connected by interlocking hinges and backed by a felt band.]]
Second are the Arms of a knight, which involve the traditional military functions they are expected to perform. These are the Mount, the Armor, and the Weapon. Convention dictates that all these must be in good, functional condition and well taken care of. A knight who was found to be missing parts of his armor, or had no lance, or rode an old pony would be dismissed from the troop and if unlucky, stripped of his knighthood. While the specifics on the Arms are not set in stone, it was generally expected that a knight have at least a lance, a side arm of some kind be it sword, axe, or mace, armor that at least covered his chest, head, and hands, and a horse that was in good physical condition and of a certain size. The fashion of the Arms would change with the time period, most often due to advances in armor making. Modern knights can fulfill these Aspects through an armored vehicle of some kind, which they need only ride in and not necessarily drive, a long gun and a sidearm, and body armor. Some more traditional members of the chivalric school of thought will use body armor that is evocative of medieval designs and carry a sword or baton.
The third Aspect is the Gold. Knights would wear a set of gold spurs, a belt of gold plates, and often a collar of the same. They would traditionally receive these at their knighthood ceremony from the officiant or dubber, and be expected to wear at least the spurs while in armor and the belt at formal occasions, though it was up to the individual to decide what to wear, when. Lack of Gold is viewed as a sign a knight is an unsuccessful or failed soldier, as it implies they cannot fight well enough to either buy their own Gold or have the favor of a wealthy enough patron to provide them Gold. In a similar vein, official squires of knights would be given silver spurs by tradition, to trade in for gold once they reached knighthood. Today, most knights who follow tradition will use a single gold plate belt buckle and gold pins on their shoes.
== Modern Chivalry ==
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The next rank is known as the 'Knight Captain,' the ''Capitán Caballero.'' This rank is non-hereditary, but does grant the bearer the same Privileges as a Corric noble of Baron. Knight Captains are able to be elected into the House of the Nobility as Bailiffs and receive a moderate state pension in lieu of tax funds from owned land. The formal title for a Knight Captain is 'The Honorable Captain,' and their suffix is 'cnc.' The Staynish titles knights at this rank are allowed to use are 'Honorable Sir,' 'Honorable Dame, or 'Honorable Cavalier.' This rank begins the of levels of knighthood that are not awarded to the general populace, only military personnel or members of the peerage.
Above Knight Captain is 'Knight Commander,' known as the ''
The highest knighthood outside of the Chivalric Orders is the 'Knight
The authority to make a knight rests ultimately with the monarch, who according to the First Constitution is afforded the power amongst those that deal with managing armory and nobility. The Constitution states that "all chivalric deeds and titles are derived from, and source authority from, the Monarch, who retains the ultimate ability and right to dispense the acknowledgement of chivalry in the form of titles and grants." However, in medieval times, any Andoran knight was allowed to knight another individual. This came with the expectation that any such even would be recorded and justified, then submitted to the knight's liege lord and then the monarch for ratification. This allowed for a form of battlefield promotion to reward and encourage worthy soldiers in the monarch was not present to do the deed. This system still survives in the modern day.
A person who possesses any chivalric title may dub another person as a Knight, through proper ceremony and paperwork. This involves tapping both shoulders of the dubbee twice with a sword, a sprinkling of olive oil across the forehead, and having them repeat each of the fourteen Precepts before reciting "I am a knight, and a knight I shall die, save if I dishonor they who have granted me this boon." This is considered the spiritual beginning of the new knight, though the dubber must fill out an official document known as a C-180-k. This document requires an explanation for the knighting and must be cosigned by the dubbee and two witnesses. This document is then sent to the Ministry of Civil Services for archival and is then sent to the Monarch, who reviews and rubber stamps it. Only regular ''Caballeros'' may be created in this manner.
=== Chivalric Andoran Orders ===
The Chivalric Andoran Orders are five official Orders of knighthood. Each survives from the middle ages: three were created in Casilló, two in Réal. The Orders are managed by the Crown. The Réoran Orders were absorbed into the Corric crown along with the Arranzic Orders in 1589. The reigning monarch automatically becomes the Grand Master of each Order upon their coronation, and is afforded the title 'Grand Master of the Chivalric Andoran Orders.' While individuals can apply to certain Orders, it is the monarch's prerogative on admission. Membership within the Orders grants a small pension and unique titles. However, none of them at present grant any Privileges of a peer nor land; they were made purely as a show of favor or military authority.
[[File:Romanian Armed Forces coat of arms.jpg|thumb|150x150px|Badge of the Order of the Golden Eagle]]
==== The Order of the Golden Eagle ====
The Order of the Golden Eagle (is the oldest Order. It was created in 1298 by Queen Lidia Carmen of Casilló, and bears the heraldic familiar of the House of Naranza as its sigil. This Order was intended to be a show of favor to the Queen's favorite knights and lords, and can only be granted at the discretion of the monarch through special ceremony. Those who were granted the honor of being inducted into the Order were said to be "elevated by wings of gold." Such knights were usually the Queen's champions at tournaments or in disputes. It is thought that many of the first members of the Order were Lidia Carmen's paramours after her husband died. Subsequent Arranzic monarchs treated the Order as simply a great honor for knights of renown, and members were not given special personal treatment besides the monarch's favor of them for their military skill. Today, it is viewed as the most difficult Order to be inducted to, reserved for the highest achieving individuals in Corric society. Consequently, members are shown much deference and often become minor cultural icons for their day.
[[File:Blason de la ville de Cappel (Moselle).svg|thumb|150x150px|Badge of the Order of the Sepulchre]]
The ranks of the Order are unique in that they give the bearer military authority over knights of a similar rank. Contemporary members of the Order must be also military servicemembers for this authority to apply. There are three: the Golden Knight (''Caballero Dorado'',) the Golden Captain (''Capitán Dorado'') and the Golden Banneret (''Banderado Dorado.'') The fourth rank, Master of the Golden Order (''Maestro de la Orden de Oro'') serves as the administrative head of the Order, but has not been used since the 17th century as the Order became more ceremonial.
'''The Order of the Sepulchre'''
[[File:Badge of the Order of Alcantara.svg|thumb|150x150px|Badge of the Order of Eleçeron]]
The Order of the Sepulchre was created in 1424 by King Victor of Réal. . A more military Order than the Golden Eagle, it was designed to provide defense for the various Andoran Deus churches across Réoran territories. These churches were often broken into and stolen from by criminal elements or disgruntled members of other religions. Knights of the Sepulchre were charged with living with the clergy of their assigned church, nunnery, abbey, or monastery. This way, they could learn piety while also being available to defend the clergy. Larger religious institutions were assigned more knights; the largest monastery would likely include twelve fully-fledged Knights of the Sepulchre and their associated retinues. Over time this Order would be intrinsically linked with Deusism in Réal, and many members were simultaneously frocked clergy and knights.
In the modern day, Knights of the Sepulchre continue to protect Andoran Deus Church property. Every security guard hired by the Church for its larger and important locations are inducted into the Order once they pass three months of service. The Church security also uses the Order's rank structure as its own. The ranks are: Knight of the Sepulchre (''Caballero del Sepulcro,'') Defender of the Sepulchre ( ''Defensor del Sepulcro'',) Sergeant of the Sepulchre (''Sargento'' ''del Sepulcro'',) Captain of the Sepulchre (''Capitán'' ''del Sepulcro'',) Commander of the Sepulchre (''Commandanté'' ''del Sepulcro'',) and Paladin of the Sepulchre (''Paladín'' ''del Sepulcro.'') The Order is also awarded to members of the general clergy who have achieved noteworthy successes. The rank reserved for these members is Steward of the Supulchre (''Mayordomo del Supulcro.'')
==== The Chivalric Order of Eleçeron ====
The Chivalric Order of Eleçeron was created in 1563 by King Marius Sancho of Réal. Intended to bolster the ranks of knights during the Thirty Year's Bloodshed, the Order is the first Andoran Order to allow application for membership. It also was the first Order made to grant knighthood directly rather than being an Order for already-existing knights. It takes its badge from the Cross of Santo Abrosius, a common Andoran Deusism symbol. Marius Sancho needed a continuous supply of talented fighters with military authority to lead smaller-scale expeditions of troops. To secure this, he created the Order and allowed anyone who wished to join the chance to apply in the city of Eleçeron. The Order, open to both women and men, selected the most skilled, cultured, and militarily-inclined applicants and provided them a knighthood, enabling them to command levied troops in the field. Many notable commanders of Réal's forces during the war were members of this Order, such as Jaquelin of Santo Juan and the Blue Knight.
The ranks of the Order are very limited: only two could be achieved, Knight and Knight-Sergeant. Due to this Order being open to the peasantry, it only had ranks that were felt necessary to military operations. In the present day, the Order still accept applications as a form of secondary education testing, akin to a junior officers program. Applicants are put through a rigorous training assessment of physical and mental capabilities. If they pass they are permitted to enroll in the Descarai Combat Academy, the nation's premiere military school, and receive the rank of First Lieutenant upon graduation as opposed to Second Lieutenant. Graduation from DCA also automatically earns them the rank of Knight in the Chivalric Order. The rank of Knight-Sergeant is awarded to Knights of the Order if they retire from the military with at least the rank of Major.
==== The Chivalric Order of Santa Claudia ====
[[File:Badge of the Order of Calatrava.svg|thumb|150x150px|Badge of the Order of Santa Claudia]]
The Chivalric Order of Santa Claudia was created in 1565 by King Félipe I of Casilló. In direct response to the Order of Eleçeron, this Order was not as restrictive in its skill criteria, but it did have a major difference - it was only open to women of noble birth. With a large portion of the male population fighting the war on the front lines, there were gaps in the defenses of the Arranzic heartland which began to be exploited by knights of the Order of Eleçeron. To combat this, Félipe I created the Order of Santa Claudia, which used nearly the same badge as its rival: a Cross of Santo Abrosius, except red instead of green. Open to any lady who was able to display leadership qualities and could equip herself as a knight, the Order of Santa Claudia was charged with building fortifications, training militias, and serving as a military authority in territories whose lords and knights were already in the field. The Order was a resounding success, with many members becoming respected community leaders and, in the case of Marta Lilía of Conzelaña, performing so well as a militia commander that her unit was inducted into the Royal Arranzic Armed Legions.
The rank structure of the Order was designed to provide a chain of command for rear-line defensive troops. The first rank was the Maiden Knight (''Caballera'') who organized small patrol units, and reported to a Maiden-Sergeant (''Sergenta Doncella'') who was responsible for overseeing the security of a particular area. These Maiden-Sergeants would in turn be subordinate to a Maiden-Captain (''Capitana Doncella'') who was the highest military authority in the fief if the lord was not present. This structure worked much the same as regular military security, but provided the women the authority to command the peasantry they would lack if they remained unknighted nobles. In the modern era, the Order of Santa Claudia is traditionally awarded to women who have achieved something noteworthy like a scientific breakthrough or foreign policy deal. Members of any branch of the Royal Corric Defense Forces may apply for membership, based on the merits of their service record. This is usually done when a soldier is transitioning from active service to a staff or flag role. For non-women members of the Order, the ranks instead progress from Knight to Captain of Santa Claudia.
==== The Chivalric Order of Málama ====
[[File:Cross Santiago.svg|thumb|150x150px|Badge of the Order of Málama]]
The Chivalric Order of Málama was created in 1566, also by King Félipe I. Over the course of the Thirty Year's Bloodshed, the territory between Réal and Casilló became a war-torn frontier. This region was travelled across and battled over thousands of times, changing hands back and forth. Félipe I decided to create another Order of knights to help hold the territory in Casilló's name. The Order of Málama took its badge from the Málama Cross, a popular Deusist symbol shaped like a sword. The membership was, like the other Orders of this time, open to application. All one needed to join was a sword, a set of armor, and a horse, and one was knighted and sent off to take and hold frontier territory. Knights were given the authority to administer whatever territory they took in the king's name, and were generally allowed to do whatever they wished so long as they paid tribute back to Félipe and ensured no Réoran raids were successful. The rather unscrupulous nature of this system lead to many knights of the Order being termed 'Muddy Knights' due to their equipment's dubious origins and need of repair, as well as their general reputation as warlords. However, the Order was highly successful in seizing towns and strategic areas along the frontier, and is credited with holding the line against Réoran counterattacks during the final Arranzic offensive strategy.
The only rank besides the Grand Master is that of Knight-Mayor (''Alcalde Caballero'', or ''Gobernador Caballero''.) Knights of this Order were given legal administrative control over whatever land they could hold against the enemy, and commonly set policies and tax rates for the settlements in their purview. This had some problems, especially with several of the larger Knight-Mayor polities turning to banditry after the war. However, most Knight-Mayors had only a few dozen to a hundred soldiers in their command and generally fortified and defended a single town or castle, and the surrounding region.
Modern use of the Order is to provide a special status to the administrators of towns or provinces. While being a Knight-Mayor does not confer any actual administrative powers, it does carry prestige and influence and often can see members of the Order elected to higher offices such as the Popular Assembly. [[File:Leopard 2E.jpg|thumb|200x200px|Tank crews such as this one in the Corric military are all granted the chivalric rank of ''Caballero'']]
=== Military ===
The practice of knighting soldiers of particular role or skill is still actively practiced in the [[Royal Corric Defense Forces]]. All tank crews and aircraft pilots and copilots are knighted upon their formal posting. In this practice, it is believed that the old traditions of noble cavalry will survive to enrich Corric culture and provide a morale boost to the soldiers. Such postings are highly coveted and competitive in training, which ensures only the best performing individuals make the cut. To avoid demoralization, the Corric military also grants the title of Squire to all soldiers who train for a knightly position but do not achieve it, and the title of Man-at-Arms to all vehicle crewmembers. These hold no privileges, pensions, or formal titles, but recipients are allowed to use the suffix 'cv.' for 'chivalry.
The [[Royal Corric Armed Legions]] organization still uses the system of ''caballeros'' and ''lanzas:'' the most basic unit of troops, which would be called a squad in other nations, is called a lance. A platoon, meanwhile, is called a file, usually containing three to four lances. A collection of files is called a band, rather than a company, which is used to refer to a battalion-sized unit. Above the company is the regiment, and above that is the legion, which are functionally identical to army divisions. This practice can also be seen in non-government organizations like Corric Youth Scouts or security forces such as the [[The Company of the Quill|Company of the Quill]], both of which mirror the ''lanza'' system for their hierarchies.
=== Social ===
Chivalry has become part of the general Corric social norms. Chivalry and its Precepts were seen throughout the 14th through 18th centuries as the core principals by which Andoran society functioned. Due to the relatively small size of the nation, many lords and knights interacted with the populace on regular occasions. Common folk were so enamored with the stories and prestige about the knights they knew, and for many, the knights they were descended from, that it became fashionable to emulate the lifestyles and mannerisms of the upper classes. Treating all people with respect and bettering oneself were also found commonly in Deusist scripture, which for many people in the middle ages was their only exposure to education and literature. By the mid-1600s, nearly everyone in the nation accepted the fact that being chivalrous was simply the 'correct' way to act.
There exists a concept known as 'casual chivalry' in Corric philosophy circles. Created to describe the attitudes of the Andoran populace, casual chivalry is defined by a codified social norm that draws from military and feudal heritage that has spread to the general population, one that distinguishes itself through ethical thoughts and actions, a predisposition towards respecting others despite disagreements or differences, and a collective animosity towards concepts such as deception, injustice, and moral wrong. While the Precepts do not inform the actions of the people, indigenous derivates of them do exist in some form. Many people of Corric background will cite a desire to 'move past failure and get better' as being a central part of their worldview.
For ethnically Corric people, honor remains a deeply important part of their culture. One of the less-altered concepts of chivalry, honor can be argued to be a component of chivalry, and chivalry a component of honor. Regardless of specifics, honor is generally viewed as the willingness to act fairly, justly, and equitably and to represent ones self and the position one holds with good standing. Allowing an opponent to pick up a dropped weapon in a fight is seen as honorable, while conversely goading an enemy into a fight and then having another person shoot them is seen as dishonorable. This concept has translated into an economic and social view of honor as well. Companies that lay off domestic workers only to outsource labor are seen as extremely dishonorable, especially when the foreign workers have drastically worse pay and conditions.
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