(Compagnia homework from Jib. I'm just now getting around to it. Feel free to comment. It helps the brain think things through.)

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[[Since I'm the only guy on the list...I can say Queen... ;) ]]

Sooo ladies...here's a little homework for you...to be completed between now and the time that you really do become Queen. *heh*

Read through the West Kingdom Royalty Handbook: http://www.westkingdom.org/files/RoyaltyHandbookRev9.PDF

I'd like to hear your thoughts on what you would do if you were Queen. I'd like to hear ideas of what you'd want for largesse, what style of scrolls you'd want, etc. etc. ad nauseum. This is basically a chance for you to put on the fantasy hat and think about everything that you would want or need to be Queen.

I'd like this to be an open discussion for you to contemplate things and ponder what it would mean to be Queen.

Until the next time,
Jibra'il.

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I figured I better get around to it.

I think a lot would depend on who my King was. I'm all for the Byzantine Coronation in purple and gold (yeah, that's pretty damn nifty), but I'm all for bringing in influences from his persona's culture, especially if it's one that would have had contact with the Byzantines.

I've been joking about making my reign a full family affair with the Compagnia, but honestly, I'd seek out dependable, organised people to do their jobs. I'm keen to have my Chamberlain and Herald to be close, but distant enough to keep themselves occupied properly. Possibly even people who had done the job before, and had done it well.

I'd style myself as Queen in the proper Greek way: Basilissa.

As for tokens, I'd love etched beads or even pewter coins. If I could wrangle some kind of small pectoral pendant with an angel* on it...yeah, I'd be one super-happy camper. Hell, even little pewter or brass repoussé angel pins or pendants done in the style of an icon would make me super, super happy.

Largesse is hard for me to figure out, as I'm one of those pragmatic people when it comes to gift-giving a large amount of the time. I'd love to be able to give things that the reigning monarchs of kingdoms could get great use out of (the stationery idea is awesome!), but I also want to make sure that it's also going to be able to get several uses out of it. I might have to come back to this.

Scrolls would be partially dependent on my King. I love C&I, and I love the idea of an early period scroll and an later period scroll, depending, of course, on how late later period is.

I'm not sure who I'd have make my county coronet. TE Jane and Angelo have amazing coronets, but I'm far too rough and tumble, I think, to handle the nice pretties for long. I love TG Valens and Susannah's leather coronets, and that's something I could handle. (Maybe, eventually, one of each?) Then again, Drachenstein Treasures does amazing work, and I might be convinced to not be quite so rough and tumble for one. For a metal one, I'd be happy to see lapis or amethyst or even moonstones on it, maybe with angel wings around the brim.

Stepping down, I would style myself again in Greek: Komitissa.

As for stepping down, I think it'd be cool to see the individual devices of the outgoing King and Queen. I'd also adore having a heraldic surcote for that occasion, even if it is just -slightly- out of period for me. Or at least, something to change into afterward. (No, I'm not a garb whore. Really.)

I think that's all I've figured out. A lot of it's up in the air, I know, but I'm more apt to not stand out too much, especially in the role of Queen. It's a partnership, as far as I see it.

-Constantia

*per device acceptance. Yes, I'm thinking about an angel on my device. It's my own little way to cant the crap out of it, given my name ("Constantly of good character"). Angels also show up a ton in Byzantine artwork. (Yes, I went to Einarr's class on heraldry for non-heraldic cultures. Fascinating stuff. God, I'm such a herald.)

I now officially love the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Byzantine Art!

If only you could see how far my jaw has dropped. I am squeeing now. And this is why I chose what I did. It purty.

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Of course, ask the history major this question.

If we had a way to magically transport the SCA's ethos and philosophy into the real middle ages or Renaissance, I would so be there. Unfortunately, most people in that time period, generally speaking, didn't have it quite so easy, and we can probably conjecture that on the whole, life was pretty stinkin' miserable. That, and I rather like bits of technology. No lie.

Being enough of a feminist...barely, though, the late-1960s might have been interesting to visit, I don't think I would last long. That, and polyester. My skin is crawling as we speak. Mom, how on earth did you survive?

The very last one I'd even be remotely consider would be ancient Greece, but even that's a stretch. With my luck, I'd be considered a lower-class woman, and that just doesn't appeal to me. Women so weren't treated that well.