What are all the titles about? Do I have a title? Who are the people wearing crowns?

One of the ways we recreate and reimagine medieval society is with a system of titles, some of which are linked to awards, and some of which are connected to our ceremonial leadership. As a newcomer to the Society, you don’t have a title yet, but we do use the courtesy address terms ‘milord’ and ‘milady’ in the same way ‘sir/madam’ are sometimes used in the modern world, and you will hear people address you that way.

Lord/Lady So-and-so

The titles ‘lord’ and ‘lady’ are very common in the SCA, as they are granted as part of our most common award, the Award of Arms . This is granted to people who have contributed significantly to our Society, and is often the first award people receive. In Lochac, it’s common for people to only use the title in formal or official contexts.

Master/Mistress So-and-so (or Sir/Dame So-and-so)

The titles ‘master’ and ‘mistress’ are granted to recipients of the highest class of awards in the SCA: the peerages. These acknowledge people who have achieved mastery in their field, consistently embody the values of our Society, share their knowledge with others, and work to support the kingdom. There are four peerage orders, given for heavy combat, rapier combat, arts & sciences, and service. Ex-royalty are also considered peers, but have different titles (see below).

Baron/Baroness So-and-so

The titles ‘baron’ and ‘baroness’ are granted to two different groups of people. ‘Landed’ baron/nesses are the ceremonial leaders of a barony, such as the Barony of River Haven. (See The Baron & Baroness.) Their titles are temporary. ‘Court’ Baron/nesses are granted their title directly by the Crown (the king and queen) in recognition of unique and significant contributions to the kingdom. Both landed and Court Baron/nesses are addressed as ‘your Excellency’, and both wear a coronet.

Count/Countess So-and-so

The titles ‘Count’ and ‘Countess’ are granted to an ex-king or queen after their first reign. At this point, they are considered ‘royal peers’, and the Queen (or King, if the Crown Tourney was won by the queen) becomes a member of the Order of the Rose. Count/esses are addressed as ‘your Excellency’ and wear a coronet.

Duke/Duchess So-and-so

The titles ‘duke’ and ‘duchess’ are granted to an ex-king or queen after their second reign. Dukes/duchesses are addressed as ‘your Grace’ and wear a coronet decorated with strawberry leaves.

King/Queen So-and-so

See ‘The King and Queen’

Awards Without a Title

There are many more awards given out within Lochac, to acknowledge service, skill, courtesy, and many other things. You can read more about kingdom awards in Lochac here:

How do people get awards?

Awards are given out by the ceremonial leaders of a group – the Baron and Baroness at the local level, or the King and Queen at a kingdom level. They decide who should receive awards based on recommendations from the populace, so if you’ve seen someone doing great things and want them to be recognised let the Baron and Baroness or the King and Queen know.