Fealty

Fealty in the SCA is an oath sworn by peers of the realm to the Crown and Kingdom, represented by the person of the King and Queen. Often, Fealty may be sworn to other powers that be, such as a Prince or Princess, or an apprentice, squire, or protege might swear fealty to their peer.

In the SCA, all Knights are required to swear fealty to the Crown. Those who choose not to are still peers, but are called Masters at Arms instead. The other peers (Laurels and Pelicans) are given the right to swear fealty if they choose, and will be called the same thing regardless of their choice.

In the Kingdom of Lochac, Kingdom Greater Officers are required to swear fealty, whereas Kingdom Lesser Officers are able to swear fealty should they choose.

The laws of the Kingdom of Lochac prohibit fealty being required to any body lower than a Principality, i.e. Barons and Baronesses may not require that their subjects swear fealty.

The fealty oath in the Kingdom of Lochac may be found in the Lochac Ceremony Book, which can in turn be found linked from http://www.sca.org.au/herald/

Fealty is generally indicated by the wearing of a plain chain of links either as a necklace, or a small linked chain under their peerage badge. It is thus considered slightly out-of-place to wear such a plain chain if you are not a peer and have not sworn fealty.

Other random notes on fealty:

• It is a Jewish tradition not to swear fealty under any circumstances, as this is prohibited by the Kol Nidre. Most Jewish peers in the SCA do not swear fealty for this reason.
• Fitzherbert on Fealty