Chivalry Vision
The Chivalry Department of The Augustan Society, Inc., would engage in the following activities:
Contents
Recognition of Orders of Chivalry
Presently, the Chivalry Committee will consider recognition of Orders (and organizations of a chivalric nature) only when presented with a petition and payment. Delistings (and occasionally listings) are done motu proprio.
While it seems that the Chivalry Committee has a very clear idea of what qualifies or disqualifies an Order from respectability, this needs to be documented for the guidance of those who follow. These standards should also be published, so as to offer perspective on our list of recognitions.
Proposal: The Society should maintain and publish the criteria by which the Society will judge Orders of Chivalry (and organizations of a chivalric nature) worthy of Society recognition.
Proposal: The Society should document the appropriate process (preferably within this Wiki) for reviewing Orders of Chivalry (and organizations of a chivalric nature) as a byproduct of such reviews to serve as a model for future reviews.
Proposal: The Society should maintain and publish a comprehensive and public List of Recognized Orders (of Chivalry and organizations of a chivalric nature) which the Society has judged worthy of recognition.
Proposal: The Society should maintain and keep private a list of those Orders of Chivalry (and organizations of a chivalric nature) that we have examined and found unworthy, along with the disqualifying conditions, so as to speed reconsideration should those change, and so staff can answer questions about them appropriately.
Recognition of Membership in Orders of Chivalry
Presently, the Chivalry Committee will consider recognition of membership and rank in recognized Orders only when presented with a petition and payment. Delistings are done only under exceptional circumstances, usually involving deliberate fraud by the individual. Such recognitions are not withdrawn by a subsequent disqualification of the Order (save in exceptionally fraudulent circumstances).
While it seems that the Chivalry Committee have a very clear idea of what constitutes adequate evidence of membership and rank, this needs to be documented for the guidance of those who follow. It is recognized that Orders vary from very public notice to secretive about their memberships, so it won't be a "one size fits all" approach.
Proposal: The Society should maintain and publish the standards by which they judge membership and rank in recognized Orders of Chivalry (and organizations of a chivalric nature) worthy of recognition.
Proposal: The Society should document the appropriate process (preferably within this Wiki) for reviewing membership and rank in recognized Orders of Chivalry (and organizations of a chivalric nature) as a byproduct of such reviews to serve as a model for future reviews.
Proposal: The Society should maintain and publish a listing of those chivalric memberships recognized, both for present Augustans and for others.
Orders Qualifying for Crusader Membership in the SDKLJ
Membership in the Society of Descendants of the Latin Kingdom of Jerusalem in the Crusader Class requires a recognized membership in an Order of Chivalry which fought in the Holy Lands during the Crusades. To administer this condition, staff need a clear list of which Orders qualify.
Proposal: The Society should maintain and publish a list of those Orders of Chivalry which the Society recognizes, and which the Society accepts as having fought in the Holy Lands during the Crusades, or is a legitimate descendant of such an Order.
List of Postnominals
There is presently a list of postnominals (and their definitions) on the main website at <augustansociety.org/cpage.php?pt=44>. It is inadequate in scope, undocumented in source, and comes without the full support of the Chivalry Department (it being a Webmaster project).
This list needs to be expanded to include all postnominals:
- Recognized by the Society, now or in the past;
- Used in Society publications past and present;
- Used by Recognized Orders of Chivalry, etc.; and
- Such others as are likely to be encountered in the course of Society business.
The list should indicate which are currently valid and recognized by the Society. Obsolete and currently unrecognized postnominals need to be included for this list to have optimal utility.
The list must, as a result of the above, include a substantial and unavoidable disclaimer disavowing recognition of those postnominals not so marked.
Proposal: The Society should maintain and publish a List of Postnominals used in Society publications, recognized by the Society at any time, granted by the Society, or likely to be of value to members. This list should include postnominals not recognized by the Society for historical purposes, and these should be so flagged.
