An Apologetic on Chivalry, Power, and Responsibility

Written on the tenth day of April in the six hundredths and fourth year by Yelnoc Trebor known as Endless Star, member of the Order of the Winged Lion, member of the Order of the Raven, and formally the Duke of Greyhorn sworn to King Mykel the Second of Evendarr, regent from The six hundredths year of Evendarr to the six hundredths and third year of Evendar.

In the diversity of occupations there are none as challenging as being the sovereign ruler of a land. My rule had both successes and failures; in the eyes of some an example of authority and in other eyes a betrayer of all that they held. I write this apologetic near the end of the sixth month since I laid down the ducal scepter.

The word apologetic has three meanings, the first is “offering or expressing an apology or excuse”, the second is “self-deprecating; humble, and the third is “serving as or containing a formal justification or defense. This writing is my formal defense of my reign, and the justification for the actions that I took during my reign. I do this in service of those who rule after me and in the hopes that my triumphs be repeated and my failures avoided.

Duty

My philosophy during my reign was simple; “To uphold the King’s Peace through the Code of Chivalry”. A statement that was simple to state but maddeningly difficult to apply. The King’s Peace is where any free individual can live without fear of loss of life, assault upon their person, or theft of their possessions. The laws promulgated during my reign were designed to uphold this peace. I weighed my actions on whether they would further the peace or bring further conflict. And those who violated the peace were either punished or outlawed.

I felt the Code of Chivalry was the best way to achieve this goal. However in recognition of the diverse creeds that lay within Tyrra, I did not mandate it strict application among those sworn to the populace or me. When I found individuals that I felt exemplified I elevated them to the nobility as fast as their abilities allowed. Others I choose as because of their leadership, or to ensure all groups where represented.

One of the reasons that leaders of various groups were elevated into the nobility was to bind them to the land. This would create a situation where they would think twice before violating the peace. If they caused the peace to be violated they would lose their positions and possibly more. It was not always a guarantee but it worked more often than it did not. One more reason is that it brings positive recognition to their achievements, that the authorities recognized the group’s deeds.

Last it brought organized forces under arms who were used to fighting as a team into the service of the lord.

There were some groups whose members could not swear the full oaths required of an Evendarr noble. Certain barbarian tribes, and gadabari families never agreed to hold a oath of fealty higher than the oath to their family or clan. For these groups I forged treaties that recognized the right for them administer justice among their members. I did this in exchange for their agreement that they would abide by my judgment in any dispute between their clans and the wider community. I also granted them the right to appoint to a champion of knight’s rank so they had standing to dispute with other nobles under my authority.

My actions had many of the desired effects. Outsiders for the most part committed assaults and murders. However my appointments increased the factionalism prevailing among those inhabiting Greyhorn. Many of my nobles felt their title was cheapened because of the prevalence of titles given. When conflict ensued among the groups of Greyhorn many felt frustrated because they could not use their noble powers against the other groups who were represented by their own nobles. When I found many of the accusations baseless or in the nature of an honest dispute, many simply choose to leave. This culminated when a prominent member of one faction was chosen as my successor causing all the members of the other factions to quit their titles or leave Greyhorn.

I was lucky in the beginning of my reign to attract so many diverse groups. I held them together in peace and let no murder go unpunished. Yet among these groups, when my reign ended, there were those who scorned me although I never suffered any to mock them, there were those who condemned me although I never condemned them, and there was one who killed me, in a duel of honor, although under my service he suffered no murder although I risked much to wreck vengeance on those who murdered him.