Court Barony
Court Barony
A Court Barony is a noble title bestowed by the Crown of a kingdom within the SCA in recognition of exemplary service to the Kingdom. Unlike territorial baronies, Court Baronies are purely honorific and not tied to geographic lands.
Purpose and Recognition
Court Baronies are most commonly granted:
- To individuals stepping down as a Territorial Baron or Baroness,
- For long-standing and exceptional service to the Kingdom,
- As a mark of distinction and honor within the Society.
This award may be given:
- With an Award of Arms if the recipient does not already have one, or
- In conjunction with a Grant of Arms, depending on the Crown’s will.
Those awarded a Court Barony are entitled to the style His/Her/Their Excellency and the title Baron or Baroness.
Precedence
A Court Barony carries the precedence of a Grant of Arms if one is issued. If not, it retains the precedence of an Award of Arms.
Insignia and Heraldry
In heraldic achievements:
- Court Barony (with GoA): Represented by a gold circlet bearing six white pearls (four visible). If the recipient has the right to display a helm, it may replace the torse.
- Court Barony (with AoA only): Same circlet, but no helm unless the individual is otherwise entitled.
Scroll Texts
The following are sample texts used in the Kingdom of the Outlands for awarding a Court Barony:
Scroll Text: Version 1 (For a retiring Territorial Baron/Baroness)
Unto all good people of the Known World,
Template:King and Template:Queen, King and Queen of the Outlands send Greetings.
Whereas Template:Recipient has served Us and Our beloved lands for many long years by Template:His/her/their deeds and has offered good and sage advice,
We do create Template:Him/her/them a Template:Baron/Baroness of Our Court and accord Template:His/Her/Their Excellency Template:Baron/Baroness Template:Recipient the acclaim and praise of which Template:He/she/they is so worthy. {{We hereby affirm Template:His/her/their right to bear the following Arms: (BLAZON), previously approved by the College of Arms.}} This day, We return unto Template:Him/her/them a portion of the great honour which Template:His/her/their works have brought to Template:His/her/their Barony of Template:Barony Name and the Outlands.
In witness whereof, We set Our hands this Template:Date day of Template:Month, in the Template:Society Year year of the Society, being Template:Gregorian Year Gregorian.
Template:King’s Name King
Template:Queen’s Name Queen
I, White Stag Principal Herald, do attest by my signature that this document bears true Arms.
White Stag Principal Herald
Scroll Text: Version 2 (For general service recipients)
Pay heed to the words of
Template:King, by Right of Arms King of the Outlands, and Template:Queen, by Grace and Courtesy Queen of the Outlands.
Let it be known unto all that in consideration of the good and faithful services rendered to Our kingdom by Our subject, Template:Recipient,
it is Our intent to confer great honor upon Template:Him/her/them this day by creating Template:Him/her/them as a Template:Baron/Baroness of the Court of the Outlands, and in all other lands as well. We confer to Template:His/Her/Their Excellency Template:Baron/Baroness Template:Recipient all rights and privileges pertaining thereunto, including the acclaim and praise of which Template:He/she/they is so worthy. {{We hereby affirm Template:His/her/their right to bear the following Arms: (BLAZON), previously approved by the College of Arms.}}
In testimony whereof, We have set Our hands on this Template:Date day of Template:Month, in the Template:Society Year year of the Society, being Template:Gregorian Year by the Gregorian calendar.
Template:King’s Name King
Template:Queen’s Name Queen
The College of Arms, finding no impediment to the Arms here blazoned, has assigned their exclusive use to Template:Recipient.
White Stag Principal Herald
Note: If no Arms are included in the scroll, the White Stag Herald’s attestation may be omitted. If a Grant of Arms is included, replace the armory line with:
We do this day confer unto Template:Him/her/them, by Grant of Arms, sole right and title to the following Arms: (BLAZON), that all might know of the high esteem in which We hold Template:Him/her/them.