Antoran Chivalry: Difference between revisions

There are two major influences that chivalry has had on AndoranAntoran culture: military and social. The long history of chivalry being a core component of AndoranAntoran military reality, the practice of knighting particular kinds of soldiers has been kept alive. This has largely been at the behest of the monarchy and nobility, who have seen that knighthood be preserved close to its original form for cultural and martial prestige. Since the development of AndoranAntoran culture has been hand-in-hand with the realities of local wars, the ideals of chivalry have trickled down from the ''caballeros'' to their families and the families upon their lands. Thanks to the large numbers of knights that fought in the Thirty Year's Bloodshed, nearly all regions of the country have people who can trace their family to at least one knight. This ancestry combined with the slow emulsion of court life into everyday life resulted in the general populace viewing 'chivalry' as a way all people should act, instead of only knights.

There are different 'ranks' of knights in AndoranAntoran tradition, as well as several Chivalric Orders which have their own traditions, ranks, and codes.

The most basic type of knight is simple a 'Knight,' or ''Caballero.'' The rank is non-peerage, meaning the holder cannot be elected to the House of the Nobility and cannot be afforded the Privileges of a lord, and non-hereditary. A Knight is formally afforded the title of 'The Honorable' and may attach the suffix 'cb.' to their name. According to Staynish language conventions, Knights may use the alternative titles of 'Sir,' 'Dame,' or 'Cavalier' depending on their preferences. This rank is often used outside the military as an acknowledgement of an individuals service to the AndoranAntoran state, people, or identity, such as prominent musicians or scientists.

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 AndoranAntoran 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.

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 AndoranAntora 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.

=== Chivalric AndoranAntoran Orders ===

The Chivalric AndoranAntoran 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 AndoranAntoran 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 AndoranAntoran 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.

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 AndoranAntoran society. Consequently, members are shown much deference and often become minor cultural icons for their day.

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 AndoranAntoran 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 AndoranAntoran 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 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 AndoranAntoran 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 AndoranAntoran 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 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 AndoranAntoran 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.

[[File:Leopard 2E.jpg|thumb|200x200px|Tank crews such as this one in the AndoranAntoran military are all granted the chivalric rank of ''Caballero''|alt=Tank crews such as this one in the Corric military are all granted the chivalric rank of Caballero, depicting a tank on parade in a tree-lined street with the crew turned out]]The practice of knighting soldiers of particular role or skill is still actively practiced in the [[Royal Corric Defense Forces|Royal AndoranAntoran 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 AndoranAntoran 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 Andoran 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|Royal AndoranAntoran 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 Andoran 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.

Chivalry has become part of the general AndoranAntoran social norms. Chivalry and its Precepts were seen throughout the 14th through 18th centuries as the core principals by which AndoranAntoran 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 AndoranAntoran philosophy circles. Created to describe the attitudes of the AndoranAntoran 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 AndoranAntoran background will cite a desire to 'move past failure and get better' as being a central part of their worldview.