Proposed Knight Rankings

Marshal: Officer of the Guild Master’s household, the officer in charge of
the guards or archers. In times of war there were other military duties
associated with the office, the office was originally the keeper of the
royal stables but gradually evolved into a high military office. The highest
marshal in England, originally known as the Great Marshal of England, was
customarily known as the earl Marshal, not because that was the title of the
office, but because the holder was generally an earl. The marshal, ranking
just under the constable, served with him in English courts of chivalry,
after Edward III established the court as a formal body.

The marshals are responsible for the safety of the lists. They are the
representatives of the Guild Master, serving in his stead as his
representative on the field of honor. Additionally, they administrate to the
Knights by recording authorizations and other documents required by legal
constraints.

Constable: The chief military officer of the English crown, the Marshal's
lieutenant, known respectively as the 'lord high constable' and the
'earl marshal.' Their authority extended to all affairs relating to
relations between soldiers and merchants, and in relations between soldiers.
During the 16th century, the two presided over courts of chivalry.

(Possible Functions in the Knight Clan:
The two positions can function as the right hand and left hand of the GM.
Or if that is not desired, one office will function as the Deputy GM and
the other would simply be the next in line for the Deputy GM position. One
position would eventually be assigned as Deputy GM so that if anything
shall happen to the GM, someone can take over. However, in practice, they
would function as equals. )

Admiral: Derived from an old Saracen term ‘emir,’ meaning prince. Sometime
during the late 13th century it became used as naval term of rank as leader
for a fleet of ships possibly ‘prince of the sea.’

Almoner: Member of the priest’s staff in court or in a castle, responsible
for offerings to the poor. The almoner made gifts of cloth and tallow to the
poor.

Arma Patrina: (Latin): Squires who had either grown too old to qualify for
knighthood or who had forgone the expense of knighthood but who were allowed
to carry a lance and shield even though these were generally restricted by
the customs of war to the chivalry.

(Possible Function in Knight clan: Honorary Knight?)

Armiger: The Norman predecessor of what came to be known as squire, young
men who were in training to be knights, a term popular during the 13th
century.

(Possible Function in Knight Clan: Those that are training before they are
actually clanned may use this title. For those that do not want to be known
then they will not have the position and title.)

Bachelier: Bachelor knight. Before a knight settled and attracted followers,
they held the rank of bachelier. They might then go out at war or tourney or
just adventuring, similar to the errant knight of romantic history. See also
knight banneret.

(Possible Function in Knight Clan: Anyone can this position. It really has
no effect as far as ranks go)

Bailiwick: The area of responsibility for a sheriff, responsible for keeping
the peace and for enforcing the royal laws.

(Possible Function in Knight Clan: Responsible for keeping the law and order
within the clan. Possibly also interfering in events out side of the clan
when it seems fitting.)

Bannerette, banneret: The rank of a knight just above the bachelier, or
bachelor knight. The knight banneret was a unit leader of a group larger
than a lance (ten or less).

(Possible Function in Knight Clan: None. Merely a title anyone can have)

Chancellor of England: Originally a clerk and chaplain, the chancellor
gradually evolved into one of the most powerful offices in England,
keeper of the king's secretariat. The chancellor, well schooled, was to keep
the king's seal and authenticate important state documents. The chancellor
was the 'king's conscience' and the appeal of last resort in legal cases not
covered by common or statute law.

Chancery: From the late 10th century, the English office responsible for
writing the king's charters, writs and letters. In the late 12th century,
under Hubert Walter, archbishop of Canterbury and Chancellor of England,
the office began recording letters in long rolls; these rolls have proven a
valuable historical record for the study of English history. The chancery
issued three main types of documents-charters (making permanent grants of
land or privileges); letters patent (making temporary privedges); and
letters close (bearing secret instructions for royal officials).

Paladin: One of Charlemagne’s twelve peers, and by a similar description
King Arthur’s knights of the Round Table. The word has been extended to be
applied to any medieval champion or knight of distinctive virtue.

Sans Reproche: From the French, literally ‘without reproach’. During the
15th century this became a common tag to attach to knights of very high
reputation--in the ideal, a knight should bear a renown such that no stain
could be said to cloud a knight’s character. Because of the idealistic
nature of the phrase, I see the phrase as a literal invocation of the ideal
image, a useful tool both as a check on reality (see how far from the ideal
we really are) and as a way to refocus the activities on the ideal rather
than on the gritty reality. Chivalry always sought perfection, even if it
always failed; ‘sans reproach’ was one way of shorthand reference to
that ideal.

Squire: A young man in training to become a knight. During the 14th century
arming squires often joined their knights in battle, a part of the knight’s
household unit or lance.

(Possible Function in Knight Clan: Those that are training before they are
actually clanned may use this title. )

Viscount: The name given to officers William I chose to replace the English
Sheriffs, eventually growing in stature in the peerage to follow counts and
earls, superseding the rank of baron.