Author
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Topic: stripped?
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deborahknowles Senior Member
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posted 09-23-2005 02:19 PM
If a knight was stripped of his rank, for some naughty act, but was innocent, could he be re-instated? Would he have been re-knighted? Did this ever happen?------------------
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Merlin Senior Member
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posted 09-26-2005 03:24 AM
Never heard of such a case. Usualy, one had to commit a major crime (like murder an important person or treason) to loose the title of a knight... |
Maria Moderator
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posted 09-26-2005 03:51 AM
"Degradation from knighthood: Because the office of knighthood was treated with so much regard, taking on aspects of holy devotion, to be forsworn and stripped of knighthood was a purposefully traumatic experience. The king could make the determination to remove knighthood from a man, as could certain courts. In nearly all instances, the degraded man’s spurs were ‘hacked from his heels’, his sword broken (sometimes over his head), his cote of arms burned, and his shield hung upside down in a church or other public place. Often this disgrace was matched with a death sentence, for such knights were often charged with and found guilty of treason. Treason, cowardice, and being forsworn were reasons often cited for the degradation, though it appears to have been rarely used." I found this on http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_d.htm I guess if the king was wrong al he could do was feel sorry, since the knight was dead already. As the title of Knight was not hereditary, that shoulnd't have any repercusions on the heirs (well, in theory)
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Merlin Senior Member
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posted 09-26-2005 07:32 AM
Well, the consequences were not always so hard. The world was wide and informations as well as people couldn't travel as fast as today. There's the story of the counts of Geneva and their constant fight against the german kings since they united the german and burgandian kingdoms in 1032 AD. During 11th and 12th cent. they took part in at least three rebellions against the king (and emperor). The third time, under the reign of Friedrich I. Barbarossa, the emperor finaly had enough and declarded count Wilhelm of Geneva "enemy of the empire", stripped him from his titles and ordered the count's people to disobey their master. But in fact, Friedrich I. went on his crusade soon afterwards (and never came back) - the count lived happily on after he made peace with his local enemy, the bishop of Geneva. The whole affair was soon forgotten. |
deborahknowles Senior Member
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posted 09-30-2005 02:25 PM
That site is brilliant, Maria. Thanks. I would recommend it.------------------
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