All of us in the north had been looking to the second week in January with different mixtures of excitement but also concern. As a mater of law, a crown has immense power over questions of policy and officerships, including the power to potentially remove a senechal, and the power to stop a petition to the society senechal.
Now all of this is said with the understanding that a sitting king has to eventually go back out into the world and 'play' with his one-time subjects as an equal yet again. This balance had worked well in our kingdom over the years as a firewall, part of the overall culture of the kingdom to keep the crown's powers in perspective with the consequences of his actions.
In short, the simple rules was that people could stay mad at you longer than you could stay on the throne.
But, even that was not an absolute. There was always the question, at least in some minds, of what could, or would be done with 'big' issues, issues worth burning a few bridges over in the name of a strongly held personal belief.
I know for some of this, reading this "now" (whenever 'now' is for you), all of this might sound like a mountain out of the metaphorical mole hill, a want of drama that was never there to begin with. Let me assure you, my fears, at least, are not born of hyperbole or theory, but of having lived through conversations where the political equivalent of a nuclear bomb was brought out in response to an unwanted challenge. Ive seen kings and Barrons willing to say the most unspeakable things in defense of their aspect of The Dream. To consider such an option now is hardly far flung, or foolish.
For those of us not part of the inner workings of the principality movement or the kingdom administration that is managing it, we are left to watch the process move forward, and hope that the next senechal, the next BoD member, or the next king does not cast an unfavorable eye on the idea.
Today, Sir Vladislav took the field and faced all challengers with the type of honor, dignity, and courage that one would expect from a man who has made honor a hallmark of his SCA career.I have known Vlad since his earliest days in the society, and was there when he was named as candidate to the chivalry. I know his heart, and I know his love of the game.
If he friendly towards the the question of principality? That is a question that he can answer.
But a more important question is this: is he a person who will honor the law of the land, the rules of the society and the will of a people in the most just way possible?
And to that, I can say with all of my heart, is a resounding yes.
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| Sör Vladislav Strelec, KSCA, Moments after winning the winter crown tournament, 2019 Photo by Zubeydah Al-Badawiyyah |
His Lordship Ivo Blackhawk
Kingdom of Ansteorra
"Long Live the King!"
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