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, Knights are required to swear fealty to the Crown, whereas other peers such as Laurels, Pelicans and Masters at Arms are given the right to swear fealty if they choose.

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/

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.