The Corpora of the Society for Creative Anchronism, Inc.

August 21, 2025

An introduction to the Society for Creative Anchronism (SCA)

The Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) is an international non-profit volunteer educational organization. The SCA is devoted to the research and re-creation of pre-17th century skills, arts, combat, culture, and employing knowledge of world history to enrich the lives of participants through events, demonstrations, and other educational presentations and activities.

In pursuing its mission, the SCA is committed to excellence in its programs, communications, and activities. The SCA expects that all its members and participants will conduct themselves in accordance with the SCA Core Values, to:

Act in accordance with the chivalric virtues of honor and service in all interactions with SCA members and participants;
Be a responsible steward of SCA resources;
Deal fairly with others, and value and respect the worth and dignity of all individuals,
Practice inclusiveness and respect diversity;
Promote a safe and respectful environment for all SCA members and participants;
Act with transparency, fairness, integrity, and honesty;
Maintain a harassment-free environment in SCA spaces; and,
Avoid behavior that reflects adversely on the SCA or other SCA members and participants.

The SCA provides an environment in which members can recreate various aspects of the cultures and technology of the period, as well as doing more traditional historical research. The SCA sponsors events, which may include tournaments, feasts, martial activities, classes, and other activities reflective of pre-17th century life. Members dress in pre-17th century clothing styles worn all over the world and participate in activities based on the civil and martial skills of the period. These activities recreate aspects of the life and culture, dress, pastimes, and above all the chivalric ideals of the period, unifying our events and activities. Members have free choice of what areas they will explore. The SCA is expressly welcoming to all people of any race, sex, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, or disability.

The SCA currently has active branches in North America, Europe, Australasia, Asia, and Africa. This "Known World" is divided into Kingdoms. Each Kingdom has a Sovereign and Consort selected by tournament combat. Some of the Kingdoms include Principalities ruled by individuals also chosen by combat. These organizations are responsible for the smaller branches based in individual towns, cities, or counties.

These governing documents set forth the workings of the SCA, Inc. and of the Society. Except where otherwise noted, the rules of the modern corporation (the By-Laws and the Corporate Policies of the SCA, Inc.) apply only to the US and other areas not separately incorporated, while the introduction and the document named Corpora governs all the Kingdoms of the Society, wherever they exist.

Glossary

In this volume, the following terms are used only with the meanings given here: Society: The entirety of the Society for Creative Anachronism (a worldwide group of affiliated organizations).

SCA, Inc. or SCA: The Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc., California nonprofit (or not-for-profit) corporation
Board: The Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc.
Governing documents: The Organizational Handbook, which contains the Introduction, Corpora, the Articles of Incorporation of the SCA, Inc., the By-Laws of the SCA, Inc., the Corporate Policies of the SCA, Inc., and any amendments and appendices.
By-Laws: The By-Laws of the SCA, Inc.
Corpora: The policies governing historical re-creation within the Society, and those policies applicable to the entire Society.
Society Member: Membership in the Society is defined in the By-Laws of the SCA, Inc., or in the approved organizational documents of any corporation affiliated with the SCA, Inc.
SCA, Inc. Waiver Card: A card which indicates that a properly executed waiver is on file at the corporate office. This card may also contain membership information.
Armigerous award: An award that can convey Arms by Award, Grant, or Patent.
Consort: The member for whom the combatant fights in a Royal Lists.
Coronet: The Sovereign and Consort of a principality, acting together.
Crown: The Sovereign and Consort of a kingdom, acting together.
Officer: A Society member serving in an appointed office as defined in Corpora, or as an appointed deputy in such an office, or in another office as may be defined by Kingdom Law, at any level of the Society, or in the role of organizer of a Society event (commonly referred to as "Autocrat" or "Steward"), or as a Territorial Baron or Baroness, or as Crown or Coronet or heir to a Crown or Coronet.
Peerage: Collectively, the members of the populace who hold a patent of arms. Any person holding a patent is a peer.
Period: The era used by the Society as the base for its re-creation activities. The Society is based on the life and culture of the landed nobility of pre-17th Century history, focusing on the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.
Realm: A kingdom (including any principalities), or a principality.
Royal Lists: Properly constituted armored combat tournaments to determine the successors to current royalty. They are known as "Crown Lists" for kingdoms and "Coronet Lists" for principalities.
Royal heirs: The victor in the Royal Lists and the victor’s consort for the period between the victory and the Coronation (kingdom) or Investiture (principality).
Royal Peer: An individual who has reigned as Sovereign or Consort, or as Prince or Princess of a principality, is referred to as a Royal Peer.
Royalty: The persons who hold the offices of Sovereign or Consort of a kingdom or principality. The heirs to those positions are also considered royal, but Corpora uses the terms "royalty" and "reigning royalty" interchangeably, and only to refer to Sovereigns and Consorts.
Sovereign and Consort: The victor in the Royal Lists and the victor’s consort, respectively, after their Coronation or Investiture.
Subject: Any person who physically resides within the borders of a realm for more than half the year.; Those who do not maintain a residence meeting this definition may be considered subjects of the realm where they participate most frequently if they obtain written acknowledgment from the royalty of that realm. Those who participate in Society activities primarily in a realm other than the one where they reside may be considered subjects of that realm if they obtain written permission and acknowledgment from the royalty of both realms. Decisions of the Coronet in such matters depend upon the approval of the Crown.

I. General

A. Precedence of Law

The approved English language version of any Society for Creative Anachronism, Inc. document is the official version. In case of conflict between the English language version and a translation into another language, the English language version governs.
Despite the use of the word "law" to describe the operating documents of its regional branches, the Society recognizes the absolute precedence of law issued by civil authorities over any of its internal rules. The SCA, Inc. as a corporate person, along with all of its members as citizens, must obey the law of whatever jurisdictions apply to them in exactly the same fashion as all other corporations or citizens in those jurisdictions.
Within the Society, if there is any conflict among the provisions of the following types of rules, those higher on the list will govern over those lower:
1. The By-Laws of the appropriate organization
2. The Corporate Policies of the appropriate organization
3. The Corpora of the Society
4. Society Officers' Policies approved by the Board
5. Kingdom Law (within the kingdom that enacts it)
6. Decision of the Crown (within the kingdom and for the duration of the current reign)
7. Principality Law (within the principality that enacts it)
8. Decision of the Coronet (within the principality and for the duration of the current reign)
If they find it useful to codify their customs, branches and organizations such as orders, guilds, et cetera, are permitted to create charters. Charters are primarily administrative tools that can help the group to define structure and procedures. Unless written into kingdom or principality law, organizational charters do not have the force of law. Branch charters may not be written into law.

B. Role of Corpora

Corpora serves as a framework for the structure of the historical re-creation activities of the Society, and applies equally to all branches worldwide, regardless of corporate affiliation. The various Board approved Policies of Society officers provide guidance for the operations of those offices. Kingdoms may follow custom or make law in areas where these policies are silent, as long as they remain consistent with the general approach embodied therein. They may also impose additional rules and requirements for branches, offices, and awards within their jurisdiction, but may not reduce, contradict or waive any specified requirement contained at a higher level in the Precedence of Law.

C. Role of the Board

Rules

The Board of Directors of the SCA Inc. establishes the rules of the Society’s historical re-creation activities and the minimum administrative requirements for officers and branches; these are published in Corpora. It is the final arbiter of the interpretations of these rules as made by the officers of the Society. It reserves to itself various powers as described in Corpora, and these reservations apply to all branches, regardless of corporate affiliation.

Intervention

If the Board finds it necessary to intervene in branch affairs to protect the SCA's legal standing, its action will be directed as nearly as possible at the individuals responsible for the lapse. The Board will move against a branch as a whole only if repeated failures prove it incapable of locating and maintaining reliable officers, to be determined and defined on a case-by-case basis.

Publication of changes

Under normal circumstances, the Board will publicize proposed changes to Corpora in sufficient time to allow comment from the membership before making a final determination.
The Board of Directors shall give a minimum of sixty (60) calendar days notice to Kingdom Administrations of the effective date of changes made to Corpora. This notice shall be in written form and the sixty days shall count from the date of mailing. In case of an emergency, less notice may be given, such notice to be no less than thirty (30) days before the implementation date for such changes. In all cases where less than sixty days' notice was given, the notice shall be accompanied by a letter of explanation of the emergency prompting the change.

Relationship with branches

The Board will maintain a policy of non-interference with branch activities. The Board reserves the right to intervene in branch affairs if:
1. the events leading to such intervention appear to cause a threat to the integrity of the Society or the SCA, Inc.;
2. the governing documents of the Society appear to have been violated;
3. there is a threat to the SCA's legal standing; or
4. the Board is asked to become involved.
If the Board finds it necessary to intervene in branch affairs to protect the SCA's legal standing, its action will be directed as nearly as possible at the individuals responsible for the lapse. The Board will move against a branch as a whole only if repeated failures prove it incapable of locating and maintaining reliable officers.
The application of any sanctions will depend upon the severity of the lapse, and the degree to which the affected parties were involved in either causing the problem or attempting to solve it.
The Board shall ensure that each kingdom shall have a specific Board member, called an ombudsman, assigned to act as its representative to the Board, and vice versa, for matters concerning that kingdom.

Right of appeal

The Board is the ultimate determiner and arbiter of the rules of the Society, regardless of what authority it may delegate elsewhere. All members of the Society shall therefore have the right of appeal to the Board, provided they follow proper channels for complaint and appeal.
When individual actions or decisions are appealed to the Board, any Directors who have been personally involved with the matters in question within the medieval structure of the Society must declare the potential conflict of interest and withdraw from the ruling.

Impeachment

A Director's tenure on the Board can be challenged by means of a petition presented to the Board (via the Corporate Office) by a majority of either the current Crowns or current Kingdom Seneschals. Such a petition will invoke the impeachment procedures presented in the By-Laws of the SCA, Inc.

Communications with the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc.

The Corporate Office serves as the primary channel of communications to and from the Board, and materials intended for the agenda must be sent to the Corporate Office for distribution, with a copy to the ombudsman for the affected kingdom and/or office and the administration of the affiliated corporation of which the correspondent is a member, if applicable. The Corporate Office prepares and distributes Board minutes, and arranges for publication of any decisions by the Board pertaining to the Governing Documents, any proposals for such decisions which the Board wishes disseminated for comment, and any other communications from the Board to the membership.
Decisions of the Board are effective immediately but shall not be considered binding until made available to the segment of the membership they affect via direct mailing, printing in the appropriate corporate publications, or other methods the Board shall establish.
Any written communication with the Board is considered public, subject to any confidentiality provisions of Corpora, Corporate Policy, and approved Officer Handbooks, unless the author stipulates at the time of writing that the document is to be considered confidential. Any communications regarding sanctions and/or Board/Officer work-product are deemed confidential communications. Confidential documents will not be distributed outside the corporate staff unless the author's permission has been obtained. Reasonable requests for copies of other communications must be made in writing to the corporate office, and all such requests are automatically considered public documents. The Board reserves the right to declare any communication confidential subject to the author's right to republish the communication. Reasonable requests for copies of other communications must be made in writing to the corporate office, and all such requests are automatically considered public documents.
For communications to be considered by the Board, they must be dated and include the author’s legal name. A Society name may also be included when appropriate. A method of contacting the author (either postal or email address) must be included.
The Board does not accept anonymous communications, and electronic communications with no identifier of the sender other than an email address will be considered anonymous.

Operations outside the USA

The Board recognizes that the development of branches outside the United States enhances the Society as a whole by providing additional sources of ideas and materials, and additional opportunities for travel and education among the membership. However, while it is desirable for the SCA, Inc. to make an effort to assist such branches in their early development, it is not appropriate for one group of members to subsidize another indefinitely. The members in each country must eventually contribute enough to cover the ongoing expenses of operation in their country.

D. Membership requirements

General

Participants should expect to show proof of membership in order to qualify for member privileges. The level of proof required should be commensurate with the long-term risk to the Society posed by an erroneous claim to membership.

Officers

Officers at all levels of the Society must be Society members as defined in the By-Laws and Corporate Polices of the SCA, Inc. This standard also applies to deputies designated as successors to officers subject to this provision or assigned independent
The warrants and/or appointments of officers found to be without a valid membership shall be considered terminated as of the date of the lapse.
Warrants terminated due to a lapse in membership may or may not be reinstated upon demonstration of a valid membership at the pleasure of the warranting authority and within the confines of the governing documents and kingdom law.

Awards

Each Kingdom may, if it so desires, require paid membership in the Society for any of the following: receiving a Patent of Arms; receiving a Grant of Arms; receiving an Award of Arms; admission to an armigerous order. Such requirements must be written into Kingdom Law and may not imply or state that a person must remain a member to retain such awards or titles once given. A Kingdom which establishes such laws must ensure that its populace is informed of these requirements and is responsible for their enforcement.

E. Unofficial Entities

In many kingdoms, there are groups in which many people participate but which are not formally recognized by the Society. These can range from highly structured guilds to loosely associated camping groups. Entities that fall into this category can have many names, including but not limited to households, guilds, ships, and clans. Although these entities are not recognized by the Society in any formal way, some kingdoms have awards that can be given to these groups. Because they are not official Society groups, unofficial entities cannot sponsor Society events.

F. Sanctions

Sanctions and administrative actions should be proportionate and appropriate. Major sanctions, such as a ban on attendance or participation, should not be a substitute for appropriate administrative or legal action.
Administrative sanctions include, but are not limited to, suspension or removal from office, revocation of authorization, or removal of a disruptive element from an event by the individual responsible for the event, as defined in the appropriate section of Corpora. The Royalty should work with the appropriate officers to impose any sanctions.
Offenses against contemporary civil or criminal law should be dealt with through the appropriate legal system. This does not preclude the SCA from taking other appropriate actions.

II. Events

A. Society Events Defined

The term "Society event" refers to tournaments, feasts, and other activities whereby participants can display the results of their research into the culture and technology of the period in an environment which evokes the atmosphere of the pre-17th century Middle Ages and Renaissance. It also refers to educational activities involving either one-time classes or ongoing Society university organizations, and meetings where participants share skills or discuss the business of the group. All Society events must be sponsored by official branches of the Society, registered with the Seneschal of the sponsoring branch, publicized at least to the members of that branch, and conducted according to Society rules.

B. Requirements for Participants at Society Events

Anyone may attend Society events provided they wear an attempt at pre-17th century clothing, conform to the rules of Society, and comply with any other requirements (including but not limited to site fees or waivers) which may be imposed. At business meetings and informal classes, the requirement to wear pre-17th century dress may be waived. All participants are expected to behave in an appropriate and respectful manner.

C. Business Requiring Prior Announcement

Formal actions and announcements with long-term impact on the Society may occur only at Society events for which a full announcement including date, time, and place has been published in advance in the appropriate corporate publication. These actions include Crown and Coronet Tournaments, Coronations and Investitures, appointment of officers, presentation of awards and titles, proclamation of law, and the establishment or advancement of branches. However, deputy officers and officers below principality level need not be appointed at published events.

D. Individuals in Charge of Events

Each Society event must have one Society member appointed by the sponsoring branch in attendance and responsible for the general conduct of the event. Where an event involves only one type of Society activity, the responsible member is the appropriate branch officer, or someone designated by that officer (usually called an Event Steward). Where an event includes a variety of activities, the responsible member is the branch Seneschal, or someone designated by the branch Seneschal (usually called an Event Steward). Events including Society combat or combat-related activities must have at least one warranted marshal, designated by the Marshal of the sponsoring branch, in attendance and responsible for those activities.

E. Duty to Enforce Requirements

The officer(s) of the sponsoring branch responsible for an event shall ensure that the event operates according to the rules set forth in this document. If transgressions occur which seriously compromise the integrity of the event or endanger the health and safety of the attendees, the responsible officers shall correct the problem immediately as follows:
Disruptive elements at an event may be removed from the event by the individual responsible for that event or other appropriate officer. Offenses against contemporary civil or criminal law should be dealt with through the appropriate legal system. This does not preclude the Society from taking other appropriate actions as described in Corpora X.
The responsible officer for the event may find it necessary to remove Society approval for the event, or call the appropriate civil authorities, such as police, fire, or medical personnel. If the responsible officer cannot or will not do so, the senior Seneschal present, or (in cases involving the Rules of the Lists) the senior Marshal present shall do whatever is necessary to end the transgressions and notify the responsible officers and the owner of the site or the owner's agent that the Society will no longer be responsible for the event. In such a case, all official actions properly performed prior to the point when sanction was removed will be considered valid. However, no action taken after that point, including transfers of office or bestowal of awards, will be considered valid. If an event is terminated in this manner, the person(s) doing so must notify the Society Seneschal, the appropriate kingdom officers, and any other appropriate Society officers as soon as possible. They must also file a complete written report of the circumstances with the Society Seneschal, the appropriate kingdom officers, and any other appropriate Society officers within 30 days.
It is not the responsibility of Crowns to deal with violations of modern law. When asked to resolve situations that fall under the jurisdiction of modern authorities, it is the Crown’s responsibility to cooperate in referring such violations to the modern authorities. Further, it is the responsibility of the officers, particularly the local or Kingdom Seneschal, to ensure that the modern authorities are promptly notified.

F. Policy on Religion

Having no wish to recreate the religious conflicts of the period under study, the Society shall neither establish nor prohibit any system of belief among its members. No one shall perform any religious or magical ceremony at a Society event (or in association with the name of the Society) in such a way as to imply that the ceremony is authorized, sponsored, or promulgated by the Society or to force anyone at a Society event, by direct or indirect pressure, to observe or join the ceremony. However, this provision is in no way intended to discourage the study of historical belief systems and their effects on the development of Western culture.
Except as provided herein, neither the Society nor any member acting in its name or that of any of its parts shall interfere with any person’s lawful ceremonies, nor shall any member discriminate against another upon grounds related to either member's system of belief.

G. Waterbearing

The activity of providing beverages to combatants and spectators at SCA Combat activities is not regulated, warranted, organized, controlled, or sanctioned by the SCA, Inc. or any affiliate or subsidiary entity. Any warrants, authorizations, or other formal recognition of this activity which may currently exist are revoked by publication of this change. The change does not address or restrict any volunteer activities regarding providing beverages to combatants or spectators at SCA Combat activities nor the methods by which such provisions may be made. This does not preclude or affect SCA award recognition.

III. BRANCHES

A. General

The Society defines standard categories for branches based on several criteria. Groups are encouraged to develop well beyond the required minimum levels before petitioning for a change in status, to assure the stability and permanence of the branch if the petition is granted. Since members have free choice of what areas they will explore, it follows that Society branches cannot decide to specialize. The choice of a single time and place for a branch would make it hard for members there to pursue other interests of their own.

B. Borders

Each branch must have established borders, enclosing a single, contiguous area. At the Board’s discretion, exceptions may be made in the case of overseas areas dependent upon kingdoms or principalities. Branch borders need not necessarily follow state lines or similar political divisions, if other clearly definable lines are available. In some cases, the “border” may be defined in terms of an institution rather than a specific map reference.
Branches below principality level may not cross over state or national borders without the authorization of the Society Seneschal. The Kingdom Seneschal, with the approval of the Crown, may approve border adjustments below the principality level; specifically including adjustments to Baronial level borders to allow areas to form independent branches, as long as such adjustments are consistent with branch organization and designations.
All kingdom and principality border adjustment petitions should be prepared by the Kingdom Seneschal(s) involved, and sent to the Society Seneschal, who will present them to the Board.

C. Branch Designations

The designations given below are considered standard, and their use for branches of the appropriate type needs no special justification:
1. Kingdom: area ruled by a Sovereign and Consort
2. Principality: area within a kingdom ruled by a Coronet
3. Barony: area administered by a Baron and/or Baroness, the ceremonial representative(s) of the Crown
4. Province: equivalent of a barony without a ceremonial representative
5. Shire: local branch reporting directly to a kingdom or principality
6. Canton: local branch reporting through a barony
7. Riding: local branch reporting through a province
8. College: institutional branch based at a school, research facility, etc.
9. Stronghold: institutional branch based at a military installation
10. Port: institutional branch based at a military installation in situations where groups of members will be detached for long periods, as with ships at sea
The Society recognizes that the use of these terms has developed over time, and does not require branches which adopted any of them in a sense other than that described herein prior to release of the 1989 Governing Documents to conform to the policy. Further, the Society recognizes that equivalent terms exist in many languages and permits a branch to use any valid equivalent for the standard designation for a branch of its level, as determined by the College of Arms. Any branch wishing to use a term which has not yet been included on the College’s list of established alternates should apply through its kingdom’s College of Heralds for permission to use the new designation.
Lateral changes in branch designation (such as between barony and province or between shire and college) must be submitted to the Society Seneschal for review and approval, in order to provide an outside confirmation that the needs of the membership will be served by the change.
Kingdom: A kingdom is a sovereign entity within the Society which has the right to select a ruling Sovereign and Consort by armored combat. A branch or contiguous group of branches may petition for kingdom status if the resulting entity would fulfill the requirements listed below:
1. At least 400 members.
2. Candidates for all Great Officer positions, each of whom is acceptable to the Society Officer responsible for the direction of that aspect of Society activity.
3. A name and device registered with the College of Arms.
4. Consensus favoring advancement in branch status by the members in the proposed kingdom, demonstrated by procedures acceptable to the Kingdom and Society Seneschals.
5. A record of well-attended events together with regular study or guild meetings, demonstrations, and other educational activities for the benefit of the members and the community at large.
6. Sufficient members of the orders conferring Patents of Arms to advise the Crown regarding the admission of candidates to those orders and to foster the development of those orders and the skills they represent within the kingdom.
7. Sufficient fighters of such caliber as to invest the competition for the Crown with the dignity and value it merits.
8. A body of kingdom law which provides for the maintenance and succession of the Crown; for the definition and advancement of local branches; for the appointment and removal of territorial Barons and Baronesses; and for such other matters as are found necessary. Draft laws, in the form to be presented to the victors of the first Crown Lists, must accompany a petition for kingdom status.
9. A newsletter with quality and stability suitable for conversion to a corporate publication of the Society.
Principality: A principality is a part of a kingdom which has the right to select a reigning Prince and Princess by armored combat. A branch or contiguous group of branches within a kingdom may petition for principality status if the resulting entity would fulfill the requirements listed below:
1. At least 100 members.
2. Candidates for all Great Officer positions, each of whom is acceptable to the kingdom officer responsible for the direction of that aspect of Society activity, and such other officers as kingdom law and custom may require.
3. A name and device registered with the College of Arms.
4. Consensus favoring advancement in branch status by the members in the proposed principality, demonstrated by procedures acceptable to the Kingdom and Society Seneschals.
5. A record of well-attended events together with regular study or guild meetings, demonstrations, and other educational activities for the benefit of the members and the community at large.
6. Sufficient members of the orders conferring Patents of Arms to foster the development of those orders and the skills they represent within the principality.
7. Sufficient fighters of such caliber as to provide appropriate competition for the Coronet.
8. A body of principality law which provides for the maintenance and succession of the Coronet, and for any other matters delegated or permitted by the parent kingdom. Draft laws, in the form in which they will be presented to the victors of the first Coronet Lists, must accompany a petition for principality status.
Baronies and Provinces: Baronies and provinces are large branches within and subject to the administration of a kingdom (or principality, if any). They are alike in status and in the ability to administer other branches within their borders, but differ in that baronies possess a Baron and/or Baroness, ceremonial representatives appointed by the Crown, and therefore have the ability to create and administer awards, while provinces do not. A branch or contiguous group of branches may petition for baronial or provincial status at the members’ option, subject to the approval of the Crown and (if applicable) the Coronet, if the resulting entity meets the requirements listed below:
1. At least 25 members.
2. A set of officers acceptable to the Crown (and Coronet, if applicable).
3. A name and device registered with the College of Arms.
4. Consensus favoring advancement in branch status and favoring the type of branch (barony or province) specified in the petition. This consensus is determined by kingdom law and custom. If the branch is to be a barony, arrangements shall have been made with the Crown at the time of application for baronial status to select and appoint a Baron and/or Baroness in accordance with kingdom law and custom.
5. A strong record of activity in a variety of fields of Society endeavor.
Other local branches: Below baronial/provincial level, branch establishment proceeds according to kingdom law and custom, subject to the Society Seneschal‘s review and the requirements set forth below. These branches may adopt designations as provided for by the laws and customs of their kingdoms and as established in this document. Minimum requirements include:
1. At least 5 members
2. At least 3 officers, including a Seneschal, an Exchequer, and one of the following: a Herald, a Marshal, or a Minister of Arts and Sciences. Local branches are encouraged to fill all the latter positions.
3. A name registered with the College of Arms.
4. Consensus among members in the area favoring establishment of the proposed branch.
5. A special type of local branch is available for use at schools or military bases, or in other situations where membership is likely to fluctuate for reasons beyond the members' control. The territory of such branches is defined in terms of affiliation with the institution where they are based, not in terms of physical boundaries. Institutional branches may report directly to a kingdom, but if their institution is located within the borders of a branch of any other class, they report through that branch. They differ from other local branches in that they go dormant if membership falls below five (5), rather than being disbanded.

D. Establishment and Advancement

The Society and Kingdom Seneschals will work together as necessary to process petitions for branch establishment or advancement. Society members who wish to form a branch, advance an existing branch in status, or advance a group of branches in status must first determine whether the area they have in mind is eligible for such treatment. This process shall involve consultation with the Kingdom (and Principality, if any) Seneschal, and with the Seneschals of any nearby branches.
The Society permits very broad participation by people who are not members as defined in the By-Laws. However, no part of the Society can be required to solicit or heed non-member views regarding branch status, or any other situation where the opinion of the populace is to be consulted. Law, custom, or actual practice may allow consultation with nonmembers, but it cannot be required.
If necessary, the members shall reach a consensus as to a proposed name (and device, where required) and register it with the College of Arms before any petition for recognition can be granted.
The members of the proposed branch shall prepare a petition for the proposed action, stating the proportion of their numbers favoring the move, and demonstrating that the requirements are met. The petition shall be submitted as specified by kingdom law and custom. The Kingdom Seneschal shall review the petition to determine whether the proposed branch elevation conforms to Corpora and kingdom law and custom, consulting royalty and other kingdom or principality officers as appropriate for the level of branch under consideration. If the Kingdom Seneschal decides to recommend that the petition should be granted, the action to be taken depends on the level of branch, as follows:
1. Kingdoms: The Kingdom Seneschal of the parent kingdom shall determine whether the petition package is complete. The Seneschal shall forward the entire petition package (together with the accumulated recommendations, comments, and reasons for approval) to the Society Seneschal for review. The Society Seneschal shall bring the petition before the Board for formal action.
2. Principalities: The Kingdom Seneschal shall forward the entire petition package (together with the accumulated recommendations, comments, and reasons for approval) to the Society Seneschal for review. The Society Seneschal shall bring the petition before the Board for formal action.
3. Baronies and provinces: The Kingdom Seneschal shall forward the entire petition package, including statements regarding the opinions of the relevant officers and royalty, to the Society Seneschal for review. The Society Seneschal shall determine the acceptability of the petition and either notify the Seneschal that the branch advancement may proceed, or that there are deficiencies which need to be corrected before the petition can be approved. The Society Seneschal will report the change in status to the Board.
4. Institutional branches and local branches other than baronies and provinces: The Kingdom Seneschal shall advise the Crown if the petition is acceptable. After the Crown acknowledges the creation of the branch, the Kingdom Seneschal shall inform the Society Seneschal of the name, location and date of elevation and the Society Seneschal shall then notify the Board.
Appeals: If a petition to change branch status is denied at any stage, the petition will be returned to the originator(s) together with the accumulated recommendations, comments, and reasons for denial. Any denial may be appealed to the next level.

E. Reservations to the Board

The Board specifically reserves to itself the following functions with respect to branches of the Society:

To set and revise the borders of principalities and kingdoms.
To deny recognition to any group, regardless of other criteria met, for just cause, stated in writing to the affected people.
To change the status of any branch to reflect its current qualifications.
To dissolve a branch should it fail to continue to meet the qualifications for a branch of any level, or for other just cause, stated in writing to the affected people.
To authorize a branch or group of branches to experiment with a non-standard class of organization. Any such authorization is specific to the branch obtaining it.

IV. ROYALTY

A. Selection

Royal Lists must be conducted at a tournament announced in the kingdom newsletter as being for that purpose. Crowns or Coronets who wish to conduct a royal list in a manner other than individual combat must obtain the prior approval of the Board of Directors.
Each competitor and prospective consort must hold a valid membership on the day of the Royal Lists. Within ten business days after being declared victor in a Crown or Coronet Tourney, the Victor and Consort must present to the Kingdom Seneschal proof that their memberships are current through at least the end of the prospective reign. Positive confirmation consists of: a valid membership card, appearance of the name with a valid membership on a printout from the Corporate Office; a membership label issued by the Corporate Office showing the name and expiration date; receipt of online membership (as downloaded from the renewal website); or, a postcard or letter from the Corporate office confirming that the membership has been received.
Kingdoms and principalities will ensure that all competitors in Crown and Coronet Lists are aware of and meet the membership requirements for themselves and their prospective consorts at the time they register for the Lists. Any officer of the Society or representative of a Kingdom found responsible for allowing a non-member to participate as an entrant or prospective consort in a Royal List will be subject to sanctions.
The Crown or Principality Coronet may refuse entry into the Royal Lists as either combatant or consort, on an individual basis only, for cause stated only to the person denied entry. Entry into the Royal Lists may not be denied to identifiable groups of people, or to a large enough number of entrants that it materially affects the size of the list.

B. Qualifications

Each competitor in a Royal List must be fighting for a prospective consort.
No one may take part in a Royal List, either as a competitor or as a prospective consort, who has any reason to believe that either member of that competing couple will be unable to fulfill the duties of royalty.
Each competitor and prospective consort must have access to the appropriate corporate newsletter at their place of residence.

C. Duties

Royalty must know and uphold the laws of their realm and Corpora.
The royal pair must attend their Coronation or Investiture, preside over the Royal Lists to select their successors, and attend the Coronation or Investiture of their successors. They must also attend such other events as may be dictated by the laws of their realm. Should extreme and extraordinary circumstances prevent a Crown, heir to the Crown, Coronet, or heir to the Coronet, from completing these requirements, the Board of Directors may, upon substantial petition and on a case-by-case basis, waive these requirements to allow the bestowing of a royal peerage or royal title.
Royalty shall be the chief examples of chivalry, courtesy, and the other virtues appropriate to the ideals of the Society and shall inspire these virtues in their subjects. They shall be true and faithful rulers for their subjects, uphold their subjects’ rights and work for their benefit, and maintain an impartial justice for all in the realm.
Royalty shall give appropriate recognition to those worthy of such honor.
Royalty shall foster an atmosphere that encourages new and prospective members to feel welcome to participate in Society activities.
Royalty shall foster an atmosphere that encourages their subjects to participate in arts and sciences activities.
Royalty, acting with and through the officers of the realm, administer the lands and branches which comprise the realm. Royalty consult the officers of the realm in matters concerning the officers' areas of responsibility and monitor the performance of their officers to the extent necessary to confirm that they are performing essential duties. They sign such internal documents as are necessary for the conduct of business within the realm.
The Sovereign supervises combat on the field of honor.
Royalty and the Royal Heirs must maintain their memberships until their term as Royalty is over. Should anyone serving as a Royal Heir or as Royalty be found in violation of the membership requirements, that individual’s term ends as of the date of the membership lapse. Provisions for dealing with the situation are addressed in Kingdom Law within each individual kingdom. The individual shall not receive any recognition for having temporarily held the status of Royalty or Royal Heirs.

D. Privileges

Royalty receive such gifts as may be made to the realm, use them appropriately in accordance with law and custom, and preserve them for their successors. If a gift is designated as personal by the donor, the royalty may retain it after the conclusion of the reign. During their reign, Royalty may use such items as the royal office shall already hold, in accordance with the law and custom of the realm.
Royalty may delegate to any subject the execution of any legitimate royal power for a specific instance, such as the transmission of an award to an individual named and selected by them, subject to the laws and customs of the realm.

E. Limitations

Royalty are subject to all current Society rules and kingdom and/or principality laws.
No Sovereign or Consort may fight or be fought for in any Royal List, nor may anyone hold more than one royal office, except for those held by virtue of holding another. (For example, a Sovereign may be temporarily Coronet of a principality, if the Coronet is vacated and the Kingdom laws regarding Succession make this provision.) Neither the Sovereign nor the Consort may become either Sovereign or Consort of that realm in the reign immediately following their own.
The Crown may delegate the following authority to those territorial princes and princesses within their Kingdom and may not delegate these powers or authorities to anyone else:
1. decision making powers on legislation or principality law within the approval of the Crown;
2. distribution of armigerous awards and orders with prior approval of the Crown;
3. banishment within the principality with prior approval of the Crown; and
4. signature authority for warrants and rosters with prior approval of the Crown.
Royalty may grant armigerous awards to subjects of other realms only if all the following conditions apply:
1. the service or achievements being recognized must have taken place in the realm of the conferring royalty,
2. the conferring royalty must comply with all consultation provisions and other restrictions in the law of its realm,
3. the conferring royalty must obtain prior written consent from the Crown of the realm of the recipient.
4. For patent orders, the Crown of the realm of the recipient must likewise comply with any consultation provisions and other restrictions in its own law.

F. Kingdom and Principality Law

The Crown or the Coronet may make and amend such laws of their realm as they deem necessary, with the restriction that principality laws are subject to the approval of the Crown. (Note that law applies to all persons participating in Society activities within the borders of the realm, without
Law must be kept current, and all changes thereto must be proclaimed at a Society event and published in the kingdom newsletter. No provision of law shall be in effect, nor shall the subjects of a realm be responsible for such provision, until such proclamation and publication have taken place.
If a new law of the realm conflicts with an existing provision, the latter must be explicitly repealed. Any law declared null and void because of a conflict must be explicitly repealed. Laws that are repealed must be proclaimed and published in the same manner as the original law.
No law may require members or branches to make donations to the treasury of the realm. Laws which discuss voluntary donations are acceptable, as are those which mandate reasonable fees for events and services or discuss financial arrangements for the realm’s main events sponsored by local branches.
Failure of the Reign or Succession: Procedures shall be established in the law of the realm to ensure the succession and to provide for the maintenance of the realm and its royal offices in the event of disaster, failure, or absence of any of the reigning royalty or their heirs. At kingdom option, the procedures for principality succession may be placed in kingdom law.

G. The Crown

The Crown may present Awards of Arms, the titles of Court Baron and Court Baroness, and Grants of Arms in accordance with the laws and customs of the kingdom. The Crown may establish and present such other awards as the Crown shall deem proper, in accordance with the laws and customs of the kingdom.
The Crown may elevate subjects to the Peerage by granting membership in one of the Orders conferring a Patent of Arms, after consultation with the members of the Order within the Kingdom, and in accordance with the laws and customs of the kingdom. Restriction: to advance a candidate to the Order of Knighthood, a Knight of the Society must bestow the accolade.
The Crown shall acknowledge attainment of Ducal, County, or Viscounty rank by those who have met the requirements. The privilege of acknowledging Viscounty rank is designed for use when the Coronet is unavailable, as at the conclusion of a principality.
The Crown may appoint, remove, and replace Great Officers of State in conjunction with the appropriate Society Officers, if any. The Crown may appoint, remove, and replace lesser officers of the kingdom in conjunction with the appropriate Great Officers, if any.
The Crown may either control the appointment, removal, and replacement of principality officers in conjunction with the Great Officers of State, or it may delegate this authority to the Coronet.
The Crown may appoint, remove and replace territorial Barons and Baronesses in accordance with this document, kingdom law and custom.
The Crown may suspend any officer of the kingdom for just cause, stated in writing to the affected person, for the duration of the reign.
No Sovereign or Consort may hold any office in the kingdom other than territorial Baron or Baroness for the duration of the reign.
Reservations to the Board. The Board explicitly reserves to itself the discipline of members for actions taken while serving as Sovereign or Consort of a kingdom. However, the Board will not consider appeals against the Crown before the aggrieved parties have attempted to resolve their problem directly with the Crown, and then with the appropriate kingdom and corporate officers, including the Society Seneschal.
The Crown may sanction subjects of their realm and visitors thereto in accordance with Corpora X.A. (Royal Sanctions)

H. The Coronet

The Coronet shall administer the principality, its branches and subjects on behalf of the Crown, uphold their people’s rights, work for their benefit, maintain the Crown’s justice, and be true and faithful servants of their Crown.
The Coronet shall recommend to the Crown those subjects whose achievements and service within the principality are worthy of recognition that cannot be granted by the Coronet.
The Coronet may make armigerous awards only where the right has been formally delegated to them by the Crown. Any such general delegation extends only to subjects of their principality; the Coronet must obtain specific authorization from the Crown for armigerous awards to other persons. They shall acknowledge the attainment of Viscounty rank by those who have met the requirements. The Coronet may establish and present non-armigerous awards specific to their principality.
If authority has been delegated by the Crown, the Coronet may appoint, remove, or replace Great Officers of the principality in conjunction with the appropriate kingdom Great Officers. The Coronet may likewise appoint, remove, and replace Lesser Officers of the principality in conjunction with the appropriate kingdom or principality Great Officers, if any. The Crown may require consultation and prior approval for any or all of these steps. The Coronet may suspend any officer of the principality for just cause, stated in writing to the affected person, for the duration of the reign.
No Sovereign or Consort may hold any office in the principality other than territorial Baron or Baroness, or any kingdom-level office, for the duration of the reign.
Reservations to the Crown
1. When the Crown believes the Coronet has overstepped the bounds of law and custom, the normal recourse should be to attempt in-kingdom mediation and then referral to the Board if needed.
2. If the Crown feels that rapid action is essential to protect the Society, it has the option of issuing an Exile from the Kingdom against the Coronet, effectively putting the principality reign into abeyance until either conditions change within the kingdom or the Board acts. However, if the Board does not agree with the Crown's judgment regarding the urgency of the situation, the Board may choose to take action against the Crown as well as or instead of against the Coronet.
Reservations to the Board
1. The Board reserves to itself the final determination regarding discipline of members for actions taken while serving as Sovereign or Consort of a principality. However, the Coronet remains subject to the Crown, and provisions regarding Royal Sanctions and banishment still apply.
2. The Coronet may sanction subjects of their realm and visitors thereto in accordance with Corpora X.A. (Royal Sanctions).

V. TERRITORIAL BARONS AND BARONESSES

A. Appointment and Removal

The Crown shall appoint a territorial Baron and/or Baroness according to the laws and customs of the kingdom when a branch is granted baronial status, or whenever a new Baron and/or Baroness are required. The barony‘s opinion on the matter must be requested and received in writing, and the appointments must not be substantially opposed by the populace of the barony. Territorial Barons and Baronesses are officers and must maintain appropriate membership status.
The Crown may suspend a territorial Baron and/or Baroness for the duration of a reign, for just cause stated in writing and presented only to the Baron and/or Baroness. Suspension prohibits the use of the baronial titles and arms, the conduct of baronial courts, and the presentation of baronial awards.
The Crown may remove a territorial Baron and/or Baroness for just cause stated in writing and presented only to the Baron and/or Baroness; however, the Crown must request a written opinion from the populace of the barony before taking such action.

B. Responsibilities

The basic duties of the Baron and/or Baroness are ceremonial in nature in reflecting the royal presence in the barony. The Crown may assign additional duties and responsibilities according to the laws and customs of the kingdom.
Territorial Barons and/or Baronesses are responsible to the Crown and (if the barony is within a principality) to the Coronet. The Baron and/or Baroness shall work with the baronial officers as circumstances dictate and shall keep these officers informed as necessary for the efficient performance of their duties and effective liaison within the barony.
The privileges, duties, and rights, ceremonial and otherwise, of the office of territorial Baron and/or Baroness are established by the laws and customs of the kingdom. These shall include the right to make such awards as the Crown (or the Coronet, if applicable) shall specifically delegate, and to establish and present non-armigerous awards specific to the barony.
A territorial Baron or Baroness may hold any other Society office for which he or she is fitted and qualified, save those of Baronial Seneschal and Baronial Exchequer, but must not allow the duties and responsibilities of such office and the office of Baron or Baroness to conflict.

VI. SOCIETY OFFICERS

A. General

The term "Society Officer" refers to the officers listed below in their administrative roles within the historical structure of the Society.

Responsibilities
1. Each Society Officer shall carry out the duties assigned to that office, and may, with the approval of the Board, appoint such deputies as may prove necessary. The following duties are common to all Society Offices:
2. Coordinating appointment of Great Officers of State for their areas of responsibility, in cooperation with the Crown of each kingdom.
3. Maintaining communications with their subordinates, and assuring the flow of information on policies and developments in their areas of responsibility.
4. Reporting to the Board quarterly, with copies to the Society Seneschal, regarding the status and activities of the kingdoms in the areas of their responsibility, and also submitting annual summaries of this information. Failure to submit these reports is tantamount to resignation, which may be accepted at the pleasure of the Board.
5. Maintaining communications with other Society Officers as appropriate.
Requirements and Benefits
1. Society Officers and their warranted deputies must be members.
2. Society Officers and some deputies may receive certain corporate periodicals (except their home-kingdom newsletters) at Society expense, for the duration of their tenure. The Corporate Office maintains the distribution list for these publications, at the direction of the Board. The Kingdom Seneschal and Kingdom Chronicler may receive certain corporate periodicals other than their own kingdom newsletter at the Society’s expense for the duration of their terms. The Board may from time to time designate additional officers to receive these publications.
3. No Society Officer may hold more than one Society Office, or any kingdom or principality Great or Lesser Office of State.
4. No Society or Corporate Officer may serve as Crown or Coronet during their tenure in office. In order to fight or be fought for in a Crown or Coronet List, the officer must have served a minimum of one year in that office and must have an appointed deputy, approved by the Board, who is ready and willing to accept all responsibilities for that office, effective no later than their Investiture.
5. The Board shall ensure that each Society Officer shall have a specific Board member, called an ombudsman, assigned to act as its representative to the Board, and vice versa, for matters concerning that office.
Sanctions. Society Officers may impose Administrative Sanctions within their area of authority, in accordance with Corpora X.
Appointment and Removal
1. Appointment: Society Officers shall be appointed by the Board. All appointments will be for specific terms of service, renewable at the option of the Society Officer and the Board. The initial appointment will be for a trial period of six months. At the end of that period, the Board will either confirm the remainder of the term of office, or appoint another person to the office for the trial period.
2. Warranting: Three Board members must sign the warrant for a Society Officer. For a deputy, two Board members and the appropriate Society Officer must sign the warrant.
3. Resignation: Society Officers may resign by submitting written notification to the Board via the Secretary and Corporate Office.
4. Removal: Any Society Officer or deputy may be removed by a two-thirds vote of the Board.

B. Society Seneschal

The Society Seneschal is responsible for coordinating the administration of the Society’s historical recreation. This involves directing the activities of the Kingdom Seneschals and of Society-level deputies. Where questions arise concerning the intent of Corpora, the Board specifically authorizes the Society Seneschal to make interpretations and clarifications. Such rulings must be discussed with the Chairman at the earliest opportunity and reported to the Board at the following meeting. The Society Seneschal’s rulings will stand until and unless overruled by the Chairman or the Board. The Society Seneschal is also responsible for reviewing all sanction related activities.

C. Laurel Sovereign of Arms and The College of Arms

Laurel Sovereign of Arms

The Laurel Sovereign of Arms (Laurel) is the principal heraldic officer of the Society and the head of the College of Arms. Laurel is responsible for fostering the study and practice of heraldry, and for establishing rules and making determinations regarding names and armory, royal and noble titles, and geographical designations to be approved for use in the Society.

College of Arms

The College of Arms of the Society consists of the Principal Heralds of the kingdoms and such other persons as Laurel may deem to be of assistance. It aids Laurel in studying historical heraldic usage, developing heraldic rules for the Society's use, and reviewing individual items prior to their registration for use in the Society.

Heraldic Administration

Standards of difference and other rules: Laurel shall define standards suitable to the type of item to be registered, and apply them uniformly to all such submissions. These standards shall be designed to support the historical re-creations of the Society and to provide sufficient difference from names and armory registered within the Society to avoid undue confusion, to avoid the appearance of unearned honors or false claims, and to provide sufficient difference from historical or fictional personages to prevent offense due to obvious usurpation of identity or armory. Members are encouraged to develop unique, historically valid names and armory.
Any item once registered shall remain registered unless the owner requests its release, and shall be accepted in the Society for the person for whom it was registered without regard to changes in the rules and standards applied to future submissions, or to the membership status of the owner.
The standards and rules employed by Laurel and the College of Arms shall be published so that participants in Society activities can obtain copies for their own reference. The Ordinary and Armorial listing registered names and armory shall also be made available to the membership.
Laurel shall ensure that fees for the Society‘s heraldic publications and for its services in registering names or armory are sufficient to cover the cost of such services, both at the corporate level and within the kingdoms.

D. Society Marshal

The Society Marshal's area of authority is all martial and related activities practiced in the Society both those described by the handbooks approved for the office and proposed as additions to those handbooks. The Society Marshal will work to encourage the participation of all in the Society's martial activities and strive to expand and improve those activities for the benefit of the Society and its members. The duties of the office also include:

directing the Kingdom Earls Marshal in matters concerning the supervision of the martial and related activities at Society events;
overseeing the manner and conduct of duties of all marshals throughout the Society;
working to promote and improve the safety of the Society’s martial activities;
working with the Minister of Arts and Sciences to encourage and facilitate research in armor, weapons, and the practice of historical martial arts. The non-competitive study and controlled demonstration of historical martial arts, systems, and principles shall be regulated by the Ministry of Arts and Sciences.

The Board authorizes the Society Marshal to make interpretations and clarifications regarding the ules of the Lists and the Society handbooks for martial activities, with the proviso that such rulings must be reported to the Board at the next regular quarterly meeting. The Marshal’s rulings will stand until and unless overruled by the Board, and upon approval must then be incorporated into the relevant handbooks.

The Board specifically authorizes the Society Marshal to conduct well documented and monitored experiments with new weapons, armor materials and martial formats in order to advance martial activities in the Society. The Society Marshal will keep the Board informed regarding these experiments in their quarterly reports.

E. Minister of Arts and Sciences

The Minister of Arts and Sciences is responsible for fostering the study of period culture and technology, and of methods for producing historically accurate artifacts and performances. Duties include coordinating the efforts of kingdom officers in the field (regardless of whether or not the functions related to “Arts” and “Sciences” are combined in one job or kept separate); promoting the dissemination of accurate information about the fields under study; and assisting the Chronicler of the Society and the editors of the corporate publications in confirming the validity of research presented to the membership.

F. Chronicler of the Society

The Chronicler is responsible for overseeing the production of kingdom newsletters, local branch newsletters, and any other publications the Board may designate. In addition, the Chronicler establishes overall policies for Society-sponsored event and branch-related paper publishing at all levels, and serves as a source of publishing expertise and advice for the benefit of the Society.

G. Society Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Society Chancellor of the Exchequer reports directly to the Treasurer as identified in the By-Laws.
The Society Chancellor of the Exchequer shall cause to be kept and maintained adequate and correct accounts of the properties and business transactions of all branches and divisions of the Society except those controlled by the Treasurer and the Corporate Office. Such accounts shall include records of assets, liabilities, receipts, disbursements, gains, losses, capital, retained earnings, and other matters customarily included in financial reports.
This officer accomplishes this directly, through the Kingdom Chancellors of the Exchequer, Kingdom Chroniclers (for regional corporate publications), or through other special deputies. The Society Chancellor of the Exchequer additionally collects and compiles reports on all such accounts for the Society’s tax returns and other financial reports.

H. Web Minister

The Web Minister is responsible for overseeing the websites of kingdoms, local branches, and any other website the Board may designate. In addition, the Web Minister serves as a source of web publishing expertise and advice for the benefit of the Society. The Web Minister of the Society is responsible for collecting reports from Kingdoms, be they Greater or Lesser Officers.

I. Chatelaine

The Chatelaine is responsible for promoting and supporting recruitment initiatives and guiding retention practices.

J. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer

The Society DEIB Officer is responsible for overseeing the development, implementation, and maintenance of game-facing DEIB initiatives and education.

K. Reservations to the Board

The board reserves the right to appoint and remove Society Officers.

VII. KINGDOM, PRINCIPALITY, AND LOCAL OFFICERS

A. General

Officers assist Royalty in the administration of the lands and branches of the realm. Each officer has a specific area of specialization, and a defined geographic scope. Within those bounds, an officer coordinates branch activities, and may supervise deputies or lesser officers.
Kingdom Great Officers are responsible directly to the Crown, but also report to a corresponding Society officer if such a Society officer exists. Each Kingdom’s Great Officer corps must include the Seneschal, the Principal Herald, the Earl Marshal, the Minister of Arts and Sciences, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and the Chronicler. No person may hold more than one of these Great offices at a time. The Crown may create additional Great Offices. Kingdom Lesser Officers and deputies are created by the Crown according to the needs of the kingdom. These officers may be supervised directly by the Crown, or be placed under the jurisdiction of a Greater Officer, and report accordingly. However, Great Officers retain ultimate responsibility for delegated functions.
Principality Great and Lesser Officer structure and duties generally parallel that of the Kingdom, with the Great Officers responsible to the Coronet and corresponding superior kingdom officer. Lesser officers may be supervised directly by the Coronet, or be placed under the jurisdiction of a Principality Great Officer. Specific reporting requirements are established by Kingdom and Principality law or custom.
Local officers are responsible to a superior officer, and possibly Royalty or a Territorial Baron and/or Baroness, depending on the particular administrative structure of that area.
Kingdom and Principality Officers may impose Administrative Sanctions within their area of authority, in accordance with Corpora X.
The duties of the Kingdom Great Officers are defined below:

B. The Seneschal

The Seneschal is the chief administrative officer of the Society for the kingdom, which includes coordinating the other kingdom officers as required for the smooth operation of the kingdom and for its relations with outside agencies. The Seneschal is responsible for assisting new branches and for branch elevations.
The Seneschal shall review all proposed changes to kingdom law to determine compliance with the governing documents of the Society and advise the Crown accordingly. The Seneschal shall with due promptness either acknowledge the propriety of the changes by signing them, prior to the Crown's enacting them, or shall state any conflicts in writing to the Crown and to the Great Officers of the kingdom. Once the law has been enacted, the Seneschal shall ensure that the Society Seneschal and the Board ombudsman for the kingdom receive current copies, which must include the Seneschal's opinion regarding apparent conflicts, if any.

C. The Principal Herald

The Principal Herald is the head of the kingdom’s College of Heralds and is responsible for supervising field heraldry and court heraldry at events within the kingdom, and for College of Arms activities within the kingdom, including the timely processing of submissions for names and armory.

D. The Earl Marshal

The Earl Marshal’s area of authority is all martial and related activities practiced in their Kingdom, both those described by the Society handbooks approved for the office and proposed as additions to those handbooks. The Earl Marshal bears primary responsibility for promoting both the safety and the authenticity of the martial and related activities in the kingdom but works with other officers in their areas of mutual interest. The Earl Marshal is responsible for issuing and maintaining authorizations for all participants and warranting marshals for their kingdom.

E. The Minister of Arts and Sciences

The Minister of Arts and Sciences is responsible for supporting the study of art forms, technologies, and those aspects of culture relating to their use, both in period and in Society activities.

F. The Chancellor of the Exchequer

The Chancellor of the Exchequer is responsible for maintaining the financial records of the kingdom, supervising the finances of the kingdom, and assembling financial reports and submitting them to the Society Chancellor of the Exchequer in a timely fashion.

G. The Chronicler

The Chronicler supervises all publishing activities of the kingdom and is the editor or supervises the editor of the kingdom newsletter, which is responsible for all required announcements and notices of Society events, kingdom law, and other kingdom business. The Chronicler works with the Society Registrar on matters of mailing and circulation. The Chronicler is also responsible for accounting for the corporate stipend and other kingdom newsletter income, and reporting all such income and expenditures to the Society Chancellor of the Exchequer as required by that officer.

H. Duties of Other Officers

Specific duties of Kingdom Lesser Officers, deputies, Principality Officers, and Local Officers are defined by Royalty and the appropriate superior officer.

I. Appointment to office

Kingdom Great Officers of State are appointed by the Crown after due consultation with the outgoing officer, the Seneschal, and any other appropriate Great Officer. The appointments take effect when and if ratified by the corresponding Corporate Officer by countersignature of the warrant. If there is no Corporate Officer, the Crown shall act unilaterally.
Kingdom Lesser Officers are appointed by the Crown in a parallel manner, where the Great Officer takes the place of the Society Officer.
Principality Great and Lesser Officers are appointed in a similar fashion, although the specific details are governed by kingdom law or custom.
Local officer appointments are usually done by the next superior officer, and confirmed by Royalty, according to kingdom law and custom. Local officers must not be substantively opposed by the people of the branch, but the final decision remains with the superior officer and Royalty.

J. Warranting / Rosters

Kingdom Great Officers' appointments are confirmed by a signature from the Corporate Level and the Crown, on the standard warrant form. All other Officer appointments may be listed on a roster that includes the legal and Society names, address, phone number, and the appointment and expiration dates for each officer. It must be signed by the appropriate Royalty and the responsible superior officer, and be updated regularly. The roster must contain a statement that it is the current roster of (office) for the (kingdom, principality) of the Society as of (date).
Local Branch officers may be officers in their own right or be deputies of officers of an administering branch. Until a branch is proclaimed by the Crown, its officers must be deputies of their counterparts in the administering branch.
Before a proposed officer can be placed on a roster or warrant, they must have a membership that provides immediate access to the corporate newsletter for their area. This also applies to deputies designated as an officer’s successor.

K. Ending a term of office

All office terms end upon the expiration date listed on the warrant or roster. Officers are normally responsible for presenting a potential successor to the appropriate Royalty before their term expires. Where a good-faith effort to fill the office is in progress, the Crown may authorize a Kingdom Great Officer to continue in office for up to 45 days after the expiration of the warrant. Officers may serve successive terms only as kingdom law and custom permit. Officers must turn over all office related materials to their successor in a timely and organized fashion when their term ends.
All officers may resign by sending written notice to the people who signed their warrant or roster. Kingdom law may include provisions regarding levels of inactivity or non-reporting as equivalent to resignation.
Officers may be removed for just cause, stated in writing to the officer, by joint action of the Crown and the corresponding superior officer. If there is no superior officer, the Crown may act unilaterally, in accordance with law and custom. An officer so removed may appeal to the Board.

L. Suspension of an officer

Officers may be suspended by either the appropriate Royalty or the superior officer for just cause, stated in writing to the officer. Suspensions by the Royalty are for not more than the duration of the current reign. Suspensions by the superior officer are for not more than 90 days. A suspension takes effect upon declaration to the officer, but the Royalty or the superior officer must be informed as soon as possible. The suspension of a kingdom or principality great officer must be announced in the next available issue of the kingdom or principality newsletter.
If a deputy has been designated as successor for the post, the deputy shall automatically assume the duties of the office at the moment of such suspension and shall continue fulfilling said duties until the suspension is terminated. If no designated successor exists for the post, the Royalty and superior officer (if any) shall reach an agreement as to how to carry out the duties of the post. The suspension stands until and unless overruled by the Board.

VIII. PERSONAL AWARDS AND TITLES

A. Patents of Arms

General Requirements

Candidates for any order conferring a Patent of Arms must meet the following minimum criteria. Additional requirements may be set by law and custom of the kingdoms as deemed appropriate and necessary by the Crown.

They shall have been obedient to the governing documents of the Society and the laws of the kingdom.
They shall have consistently shown respect for the Crown of the kingdom.
They shall have set an example of courteous and noble behavior suitable to a peer of the realm.
They shall have demonstrated support for the aims and ideals of the Society by being as authentic in dress, equipment and behavior as is within their power.
They shall have shared their knowledge and skills with others.
They shall have practiced hospitality according to their means and as appropriate to the circumstances.
They shall have made every effort to learn and practice those skills desirable at and worthy of a civilized court. To this end they should have some knowledge of a wide range of period forms, including but not limited to literature, dancing, music, heraldry, and chess, and they should have some familiarity with combat as practiced in the Society.
They should participate in Society recreations of several aspects of the culture of the Middle Ages and Renaissance.

Order of Precedence Within the Peerage

The Crown may establish the order of precedence within the peerage according to the laws and customs of the kingdom. However, the Chivalry, the Laurel, the Pelican, Defense and Mark are of equal precedence and must be considered as one group.

Departure from the Peerage

Any member of an order conferring a Patent of Arms may resign from that order. To leave a Patent Order, the member must send a written resignation to the Crown, the Principal of the Order (if any), the Principal Herald, and the Board. The Crown bestows membership in Patent Orders. No ‘interchangeability’ exists from one order to another (as Knight to Master or Laurel to Pelican), and the acceptance of a person who has so resigned an order into any other order is solely at the discretion of the Crown according to the laws and customs of the kingdom.

Patent Orders

The following institutions are established for all kingdoms in the Society. A Patent of Arms may be conferred only upon a person being admitted into one of these orders. Each candidate for a patent order must satisfy the general requirements listed above in A.1., as well as the specific requirements listed here.

The Chivalry

The Chivalry consists of two equal parts: Knighthood and Mastery of Arms. No one may belong to both parts of the order at one time. When a member is admitted to the Chivalry by the Sovereign, the choice of which part of the order to join is made by the new member. The candidate must be considered the equal of his or her prospective peers with the basic weapons of tournament combat. To become a Knight, the candidate must swear fealty to the Crown of his or her kingdom during the knighting ceremony. Masters of Arms may choose to swear fealty, but are not required to do so.
The duties of the Chivalry are as follows:
1. To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct on and off the field of honor.
2. To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the laws of the kingdom and Corpora.
3. To enrich the kingdom by sharing his or her knowledge and skills.
4. To support and uphold the Crown of his or her kingdom.
5. To enhance the renown and defend the honor of the peer’s Lady or Lord.
6. To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates for the Chivalry.
7. To bestow the Accolade of Knighthood upon a candidate for the Order of Knighthood, by sole right as both Sovereign and knight, or acting directly for a Sovereign who is not a knight.

The Order of the Laurel

Members of the Order of the Laurel may choose to swear fealty, but are not required to do so. The candidate must have attained the standard of excellence in skill and/or knowledge equal to that of his or her prospective peers in some area of the Arts or Sciences. The candidate must have applied this skill and/or knowledge for the instruction of members and service to the kingdom to an extent above and beyond that normally expected of members of the Society.
The duties of the members of the order are as follows:
1. To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct.
2. To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the laws of the kingdom and Corpora.
3. If in fealty, to support and uphold the Crown of his or her kingdom.
4. To enrich the kingdom by sharing his or her knowledge and skills.
5. To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates for the Laurel.

The Order of the Pelican

Members of the Order of the Pelican may choose to swear fealty, but are not required to do so. The candidate must have attained the standard of service to the Society or any of its branches equal to that of his or her prospective peers, which is above and beyond that normally expected of members of the Society.
The duties of the members of the order are as follows:
1. To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct.
2. To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the Laws of the kingdom and Corpora.
3. If in fealty, to support and uphold the Crown of his or her kingdom.
4. To enrich the kingdom by sharing his or her knowledge and skills.
5. To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates for the Pelican.

The Order of Defense

Members of the Order of the Defense may choose to swear fealty, but are not required to do so. The candidate must be considered the equal of his or her prospective peers with the basic weapons of rapier and/or cut-and-thrust combat. The candidate must have applied this skill and/or knowledge for the instruction of members and service to the kingdom to an extent above and beyond that normally expected of members of the Society.
The duties of the members of the order are as follows:
1. To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct on and off the field of honor.
2. To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the Laws of the kingdom and Corpora.
3. If in fealty, to support and uphold the Crown of his or her kingdom.
4. To enrich the kingdom by sharing his or her knowledge and skills.
5. To enhance the renown and defend the honor of the peer’s Lady or Lord.
6. To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates for the Order of Defense.

The Order of the Mark

Members of the Order of the Mark may choose to swear fealty, but are not required to do so. The candidate must have attained the standard of excellence in skill and/or knowledge equal to that of their prospective peers in a pre-17th century ranged martial pursuit as practiced in the SCA. The candidate must have applied this skill and/or knowledge for the instruction of members and service to the kingdom to an extent above and beyond that normally expected of members of the Society.
The duties of the members of the order are as follows:
1. To set an example of courtesy and chivalrous conduct on and off the field of honor.
2. To respect the Crown of the kingdom; to support and uphold the laws of the kingdom and Corpora.
3. If in fealty, to support and uphold the Crown of their kingdom.
4. To enrich the kingdom by sharing their knowledge and skills.
5. To enhance the renown and defend the honor of the peer’s Lady or Lord.
6. To advise the Crown on the advancement of candidates for the Order of the Mark.

Royal Peerages

The titles assumed by former Crowns and Coronets may convey Patents of Arms if the laws and customs of the kingdom so provide. However, in order to receive a patent with the title, the recipient must meet the general requirements listed for peerage.

The Order of the Rose

The Order of the Rose consists of former Royal Consorts of a kingdom. It is specifically charged with encouraging chivalrous and courteous behavior among all members of the Society. It may be non-armigerous, or it may be defined as a Patent Order according to the laws and customs of the kingdom. In the latter case, the general requirements for peerage must be met.

Other Awards

The title of Baron or Baroness, whether territorial or of the court, shall carry at least an Award of Arms if the recipient is not already armigerous.
Kingdoms may establish awards and orders conferring Awards or Grants of Arms, and the Crown may award membership in such orders according to the laws and customs of the kingdom. The names and armory of these awards and orders must be approved by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms. The order of precedence among orders conferring Awards or Grants of Arms shall be established according to the laws and customs of the kingdoms. Principalities may establish their own awards and orders, whose names and armory must be approved by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms, but the approval of the Crown is required before these awards and orders may convey Arms.
An armiger may resign any award or order. To do so requires a written statement, sent to the current royalty of the level which bestowed the award, the Principal of the Order, if any, the Principal Herald and the Board.
Non-armigerous awards and orders may be established by a kingdom, principality or barony, according to the laws and customs of the kingdom. The names and insignia of these awards and orders must be ratified by the Laurel Sovereign of Arms. Below kingdom level, orders may not convey Arms, unless specifically delegated by the Crown. The Crown must approve any non-armigerous award or order before it may be recognized by the College of Heralds of a kingdom and given a place in its Order of Precedence.
Only royalty and territorial Barons and Baronesses may bestow awards. If an award is established for a specific branch, only the royalty or Baronage of that branch may bestow the award, unless the power is specifically delegated in a manner consistent with Corpora and kingdom law and custom.

Membership Requirements for Receiving Awards

The Board authorizes each Kingdom to determine if they require paid membership in the Society for any of the following:
1. receiving a Patent of Arms;
2. receiving a Grant of Arms;
3. receiving an Award of Arms;
4. admission to an armigerous order.
Such requirements must be written into Kingdom Law and may not imply or state that a person must remain a member to retain such awards or titles once given. A Kingdom which establishes such laws must ensure that its populace is informed of these requirements, and said Kingdom is responsible for their enforcement.

D. Titles

“Landedness” in the Society is an attribute of the Crown, the Coronet, and the territorial Barons and Baronesses. Other titles within the Society do not confer land, and no form of any title shall be taken or used which states or implies ownership or control of any geographic, demographic or sociographic area within or external to the Society in any sense, medieval or otherwise.
The Society’s standard titles are defined in (4) below. The Society recognizes that equivalent titles from other cultures may be more appropriate for individual members. Such alternate titles may be used by those entitled to the rank or award associated with them, provided the College of Arms has ruled that the title in question is an equivalent for the rank or award in question. All standard and alternate titles are specific to the Society, and convey no rank or precedence outside it. They may be used in a Society context only by those who have achieved the appropriate rank or award within the Society.
Names and terms that imply relationships between Society members (such as apprentice, page, squire, etc.) or that carry vocational connotations (religious, military, scholarly, etc.) may be used in the Society on an informal basis, subject to the following restrictions: They must not assert or imply noble rank or territorial jurisdiction. They must not be offensive in themselves or in the context in which they are used. They may carry no precedence and must not be used in any manner which would suggest that they do so.
The titles listed here are considered standard and may be used by those who have earned or been granted the appropriate rank or award within the Society. The College of Arms publishes a more extensive list of titles and alternative forms, which may also be used freely by qualified persons. In addition, the College of Arms has full approval authority over new alternative titles, which must be added to their list before being released for use in the Society.

Copy table

E. Reservations to the Board

Degradation from the Peerage

The Board reserves the right to degrade a person from the Peerage. However, kingdom law may define conditions and procedures under which a recommendation for such action may be made to the Board. Unless stipulated otherwise by the Board, the Board’s decision in such a case applies only to the matter at hand. Nothing prohibits a person who has been degraded from any order of the peerage from being elevated to the peerage at a later date, should the Crown determine that the person in question now meets the requirements of the order to which the person is being elevated.

Revocation of Awards and Grants of Arms

As with Peerages, the Board specifically reserves the right to revoke any Award or Grant of Arms. Kingdom law may make provision for offering such a recommendation to the Board. Unless stipulated otherwise by the Board, the Board’s decision in such a case applies only to the matter at hand. Nothing prohibits a person who has had any award or recognition revoked from being bestowed the award or recognition at a later date, should the Crown determine that the person in question now meets the requirements of the award or recognition being bestowed.

Granting and creation of new titles

The Board reserves the right to define the circumstances for which new titles of rank may be granted and to coin any such titles either for general use or for specific individuals. A specific title granted by the Board upon just petition is unique to each case and does not make that title valid for any other use or person within the Society.

IX. SOCIETY COMBAT

A. Society Martial Activities

Martial activities in the Society are defined as armored combat, fencing, combat archery and thrown weapons, equestrian, youth combat and marshaling. Other activities clearly falling within the scope of the above are also to be considered martial activities. The Earl Marshal shall warrant marshals in order to conduct martial activities within their kingdom. Marshals are officers of the Society and shall be warranted in accordance with Society procedures laid down for warranting officers. In addition, marshals shall be warranted with particular authorities as defined by the Earl marshal, whether those be by discipline (e.g., armored vs. fencing), role (e.g., field marshal or authorizing marshal) or other defined roles in the chain of command (e.g., Deputy Earl Marshal). Upon warranting, that warrant shall be registered and tracked by the kingdom, and proof of warrant shall be provided to the participant. This proof may be a physical warrant, or an accessible online system which shall be available to the marshal, other marshals, and list officials in order to validate their status as needed. If a physical warrant is issued, that warrant must be shown to any marshal or lists official upon request.
A participant in any of the Society combat-related activities as defined above must be authorized by a marshal warranted and designated by the Earl Marshal of a kingdom or their representative as able to authorize individuals in the appropriate activity.
Requirements for authorization for all marshal activities are delineated several Marshal’s handbooks. Kingdoms may define such additional types of authorization (such as weapons forms) as they deem necessary.
Authorizations shall be registered with and kept on file by the Earl Marshal or other designated official of each kingdom.
Waivers, indemnities, or other required documents must be signed as appropriate before training for authorization, being authorized, or participating in SCA martial activities. Proof that the required document, if applicable, has been signed must be presented before an individual may participate in the above-mentioned activities. (For more detailed information on waivers, see Corporate Policies of the SCA, Inc., section IV – VI.)
Upon authorization, that authorization shall be registered and tracked by the kingdom, and proof of authorization shall be provided to the participant. This proof may be a physical authorization card, or a list, or an accessible online system which shall be available to the participant, marshals, and list officials in order to validate authorization as needed. If a physical card is issued, that card must be shown to any marshal or lists official upon request. The Society Marshal shall establish standards for the issuance of combat authorizations.
No person who has not attained their sixteenth (16th) birthday may be authorized in armored combat. No person who has not attained their fourteenth (14th) birthday may be authorized for fencing. These restrictions do not apply to Youth Combat, Youth Fencing, Equestrian activities, or to Target and Thrown Weapons.
Prior to the authorization of a minor in any Society combat-related activity, the parent or guardian of the minor must witness the activity, discuss it with a witnessing marshal, and execute a waiver, indemnity, or other required document for the minor. The witnessing marshal must be explicitly authorized to perform this function by the Earl Marshal of the kingdom. The marshal who authorizes a minor person for any form of Society combat-related activity must be the Kingdom Earl Marshal or the Principality Marshal or a designated deputy. This need not be the same person as the witnessing marshal.
Any minor involved in Society combat-related activities at an event must have a parent or a properly executed document designating some adult person present at the event as able to authorize medical treatment for that minor in the case of any emergency.

B. The Rules of the Lists

Each participant, recognizing the possibilities of physical injury to themselves in SCA martial activities, shall assume unto themselves all risk and liability for harm suffered by means of such martial activities. Other participants shall likewise recognize the risks involved in their presence on or near the field of combat or designated areas and shall assume unto themselves the liabilities thereof.
No one may be required to participate in martial activities. Any participant may, without dishonor or penalty, reject any challenge without specifying a reason. A bout or round in a tournament list is not to be considered a challenge, and therefore may not be declined or rejected without forfeiting the bout.
Participants shall behave in a chivalrous and honorable manner and shall engage in martial activities according to the appropriate Society and Kingdom conventions and standards.
All participants in martial activities shall adhere to the appropriate armor, weapons, and equipment standards of the Society, and to any additional standards of the kingdom in which the event takes place or in the negotiated agreements for interkingdom events.
No person shall participate in martial activities requiring authorization unless and until they have been properly authorized under Society and Kingdom procedures. Formal training sessions, including classes and SCA practices, do not require authorization. Experimental programs may further restrict participation.
All participants in martial activities must be presented to, and be acceptable to, the Crown or their representative(s).
The Crown or the Marshallate may bar any weapon, armor, or equipment from use upon the field of combat or designated area for martial activities. Should a warranted marshal bar any weapon, armor, or equipment, an appeal may be made via the established marshallate chain of command to allow the weapon or armor.
Fighting with real weapons, whether fast or slow, is strictly forbidden at any Society event. This rule does not consider approved weaponry that meets the Society and kingdom standards for martial activities, used in the context of mutual sport, to be real weaponry.

C. Royal Lists

Only Chivalric (rattan) combat shall be used for formal tournament lists for royal ranks.

X. GRIEVANCES AND SANCTIONS

A. General

While the Society is devoted to courtesy, trustworthiness, and personal responsibility, tensions and disputes do arise.
The Board is the final court of appeal for disputes that have escalated beyond the ability of the participants or the officers to handle. However, it is reluctant to play that role because its rulings affect the entire Society--often by restricting everyone's freedom and reducing their enjoyment of the organization. Corpora provides a right of appeal to the Board, but members should make every effort to work out their disputes at as low a level in the organization as possible.
While it is not possible to prescribe a specific list of things to do or people to consult that will serve in all disputes, the general procedure outlined here should be adaptable to most of them. If you are directly involved in a dispute, you must go through a process at least as comprehensive as this one before asking the Board for help. If you are asked to intervene in someone else’s dispute because of the office or title you hold, please don’t rush in. First, urge the principals to try all measures recommended for attempting to reach a settlement without involving your level of the organization. Then, if you do intervene, make every effort to find a resolution the participants can accept, instead of escalating the dispute to higher levels of the organization.
Hate speech is not tolerated in the Society. Hate speech is speech or symbols that offend, threaten, or insult individuals or groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or other traits. Such symbols and speech have no essential part of any discussion of ideas and are of so little value to the Society that any benefit that may be derived from them is clearly outweighed by the harm caused. The use by any participant in the Society may result in possible sanctions up to and including revocation of membership and denial of participation. Please report any possible instances of hate speech to your Kingdom Seneschal, the Society Seneschal or the President of the SCA immediately. For more information about hate speech and the reporting of same, please refer to the Society Seneschal's Handbook.

B. Sanctions

Royal Sanctions

The Crown of a Kingdom may sanction subjects, residents, and visitors within the borders of the Crown’s Kingdom for just and stated cause. Royal Sanctions take effect from the moment of proclamation but must be announced in court and also be published in the next available issue of the kingdom newsletter if the sanction is to remain in effect. Within 15 business days of the imposition of the sanction the specific cause and occasion of the sanction must be explained in writing to the sanctioned individual unless it is impossible to do so, in which case it should be done as soon as possible.

Administrative Sanctions

Officers may impose Administrative Sanctions within their areas of authority, for just and stated cause, only in accordance with the rules defined in their office handbooks or specifically granted to their offices by the Governing Documents of the SCA. Only the Society Seneschal or the Board may impose an Administrative Sanction that precludes the holding of any office including that of Crown.

Temporary removal from Participation in the SCA

Temporary removal from Participation precludes the individual from attendance or participation in any way, shape or form in any SCA activity, event, practice, or official gathering for any reason, at any time. This includes a ban on participation on officially recognized SCA social media (Facebook) sites, officially recognized SCA electronic email lists, and officially recognized SCA webpages. This sanction, once upheld by the Board of Directors, continues until the Board makes a final decision in the matter.

Reservations to the Board of Directors

Sanctions on Individuals for Actions taken as Crown

The Board explicitly reserves to itself the discipline of individuals for actions taken while serving as Sovereign or Consort of a kingdom. However, the Board will not consider complaints against the Crown before the aggrieved parties have attempted to resolve their problem directly with the Crown, and then with the appropriate kingdom and corporate officers.

Sanctions upon Individuals for Actions taken as Coronet

The Board reserves to itself the final determination regarding discipline of members for actions taken while serving as Sovereign or Consort of a principality. However, the Coronet remains subject to the Crown. If the Crown believes the Coronet has overstepped the bounds of law and custom, the normal recourse should be notice to the Board. If the Board agrees, the affected parties may be subject to loss of any honors and privileges deriving from their reign, and nullification of any official acts dating back to the incident which led to the invocation of the Court. If the Crown feels that rapid action is essential to protect the SCA, it has the option of imposing an Exile from the Kingdom upon the Coronet from the realm, effectively putting the principality reign into abeyance until either conditions change within the kingdom or the Board countermands the order. However, if the Board does not agree with the Crown’s judgment regarding the urgency of the situation, the Board may choose to take action against the Crown as well as, or instead of, against the Coronet.

Degradation from the Peerage

The Board reserves the right to degrade a person from the Peerage. However, kingdom law may define conditions and procedures under which a recommendation for such action may be made to the Board. Unless stipulated otherwise by the Board, the Board’s decision in such a case applies only to the matter at hand. Nothing prohibits a person who has been degraded from any order of the peerage from being elevated to the peerage at a later date, should the Crown determine that the person in question now meets the requirements of the order to which the person is being elevated.

Revocation of Awards of Arms and Grants of Arms

As with Peerages, the Board specifically reserves the right to revoke any Award of Arms or Grant of Arms. Kingdom law may make provisions for offering such a recommendation to the Board. Unless stipulated otherwise by the Board, the Board’s decision in such a case applies only to the matter at hand. Nothing prohibits a person who has had any award or recognition revoked from being bestowed the award or recognition at a later date, should the Crown determine that the person in question now meets the requirements of the award or recognition being bestowed.

Draft Corpora

The Corpora of the Society for Creative Anchronism, Inc.

An introduction to the Society for Creative Anchronism (SCA)

Glossary

I. General

A. Precedence of Law

B. Role of Corpora

C. Role of the Board

Rules

Intervention

Publication of changes

Relationship with branches

Right of appeal

Impeachment

Communications with the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc.

Operations outside the USA

D. Membership requirements

General

Officers

Awards

E. Unofficial Entities

F. Sanctions

II. Events

A. Society Events Defined

B. Requirements for Participants at Society Events

C. Business Requiring Prior Announcement

D. Individuals in Charge of Events

E. Duty to Enforce Requirements

F. Policy on Religion

G. Waterbearing

III. BRANCHES

A. General

B. Borders

C. Branch Designations

D. Establishment and Advancement

E. Reservations to the Board

IV. ROYALTY

A. Selection

B. Qualifications

C. Duties

D. Privileges

E. Limitations

F. Kingdom and Principality Law

G. The Crown

H. The Coronet

V. TERRITORIAL BARONS AND BARONESSES

A. Appointment and Removal

B. Responsibilities

VI. SOCIETY OFFICERS

A. General

B. Society Seneschal

C. Laurel Sovereign of Arms and The College of Arms

Laurel Sovereign of Arms

College of Arms

Heraldic Administration

D. Society Marshal

E. Minister of Arts and Sciences

F. Chronicler of the Society

G. Society Chancellor of the Exchequer

H. Web Minister

I. Chatelaine

J. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Officer

K. Reservations to the Board

VII. KINGDOM, PRINCIPALITY, AND LOCAL OFFICERS

A. General

B. The Seneschal

C. The Principal Herald

D. The Earl Marshal

E. The Minister of Arts and Sciences

F. The Chancellor of the Exchequer

G. The Chronicler

H. Duties of Other Officers

I. Appointment to office

J. Warranting / Rosters

K. Ending a term of office

L. Suspension of an officer

VIII. PERSONAL AWARDS AND TITLES

A. Patents of Arms

General Requirements

Order of Precedence Within the Peerage