MK Marshal's Handbook - Fully-Warranted Marshals

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See Marshal's handbook

Fully-Warranted Marshals

A. The Kingdom Earl Marshal (KEM) The Kingdom Earl Marshal holds the final authority, under the Crown and the Society Marshal, to regulate Society martial activities within the Middle Kingdom. The Kingdom Earl Marshal and the Crowns sign warrants for all marshals in the Kingdom. The Earl Marshal is under no obligation to sign the warrant of any individual that the Earl Marshal feels will not work in the best interests of the Kingdom and/or the Marshallate. Decisions of marshals may be appealed to him or her. Decisions made by the Kingdom Earl Marshal are limited by the necessity of obtaining consent from the Crown of the Middle Kingdom and the requirement that the decisions be consistent with the decisions of the Society Marshal and the Board of Directors of the SCA, Inc. The term of service includes a probationary period of six months; after that period is over it is customary to extend the warrant for a total of two years. The Kingdom Earl Marshal may not serve more than three consecutive calendar years. Kingdom Earl Marshal responsibilities and prerogatives include:

1. Communicate with and forward information from the Society Marshal.

2. Maintain a full complement of warranted marshals at all levels throughout the Kingdom.

3. Keep an accurate list of authorized participants in the Midrealm and make this list available to the Marshallate.

4. Supervise the offices of the:

a. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Target Archery

b. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Rapier

c. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Youth Combat

d. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Siege Combat

e. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Combat Archery

f. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Thrown Weapons

g. Dean of the Equestrian College

h. Dean of the Coursing College

i. All other assigned or special duty Deputy Marshals

5. Determine and enforce the Rules of the Lists and Conventions of Combat of the Middle Kingdom.

6. Determine and enforce the armor and weapons standards of the Middle Kingdom.

7. Determine and enforce the qualifications necessary for warranting as a Marshal.

8. Find and train people suitable for his office. Recommend to the crown a suitable replacement.

9. Grant authorizations in the Middle Kingdom.

10. Revoke authorizations and warrants and ban persons from martial participation, subject to appeal to the Crown.

11. Be the Marshal-in-Charge of the Middle Kingdom Crown Tournaments, or to designate an alternate.

B. Regional Deputy Marshal (RDM) The Regional Deputy Marshal is an important link between the Earl Marshal and the local Knight Marshals. Each Regional Deputy Marshal is responsible for an extended geographical area; within that area the Regional Deputy Marshal has primary responsibility for the day-today supervision of SCA, Inc. armored combat and the supervision and development of the marshallate. A Regional Deputy Marshal must first serve a probationary period of six months after which the warrant may be extended for a total of two years. A second warrant may then follow the first, extending the Regional Deputy Marshal's tenure to a maximum total of three years. The responsibilities and prerogatives of the Regional Deputy Marshal include:

1. Report quarterly to the Kingdom Earl Marshal on the status of SCA, Inc armored combat in the region, the status of the marshallate, any actions of Marshal's Court, and any questions of special importance.

2. Be familiar with all the local Marshals within the region.

3. Train and supervise the marshallate in the region, and has the right to veto the warranting of a candidate for advancement from Marshal-in-Training status. NOTE: The Regional Deputy Marshal can be overruled by Kingdom Earl Marshal or Crown.

4. Ensure observance of the rules and conventions for armored combat.

5. May suspend authorizations for up to six months. Such suspensions must be immediately reviewed by the Kingdom Earl Marshal.

C. Deputy Earl Marshals (DEM)

1. The Deputy Earl Marshals are primarily responsible for their own offices and deputies, each covering a clearly defined martial activity. They have a primary obligation to advise the Kingdom Earl Marshal and the Crown on matters concerning their area of expertise. Each ranks as a Deputy Earl Marshal but may not act as a fully warranted Marshal for any other SCA, Inc martial activities unless they have been specifically warranted for that purpose under the standards set for that activity. The Deputy Earl Marshals must be warranted as Marshals within their domains before assuming the office.

The currently recognized offices include:

a. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Target Archery

b. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Rapier

c. Dean of the Equestrian College,

d. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Youth Combat

e. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Siege Combat

f. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Combat Archery

g. Kingdom Deputy Earl Marshal for Thrown Weapons

2. The responsibilities and prerogatives of the Deputy Earl Marshals include:

a. Supervise the development of their martial art.

b. Enforcement of the rules governing participation in their martial activity.

c. Report quarterly to the Kingdom Earl Marshal concerning their activities.

d. Train, select, and supervise their Marshals (including the creation and maintenance of a Marshals handbook according to Marshallate guidelines);

e. Create and revise the participation rules for their respective activities within the limitations set out by the SCA, Inc and such other duties as the Kingdom Earl Marshal shall direct them to perform.

D. Special Deputy Earl Marshals (SDEM)

Special Deputy Earl Marshals are appointed by the Kingdom Earl Marshal with the same prerogatives as the Deputy Earl Marshals except that Special Deputy Earl Marshals are responsible primarily for their specific area in marshallate activities, unless otherwise directed by the Kingdom Earl Marshal. Special Deputy Earl Marshals are equal in rank but subordinate to a Deputy Earl Marshal in decisions regarding the activity where the other officer has primary jurisdiction. This appointment can be for special projects or applied to the Kingdom Earl Marshal's designated successor and/or emergency deputy. However, the Kingdom Earl Marshal may designate the Earl Marshal of another Kingdom as a deputy Earl Marshal of the Middle Kingdom. The warranting of a Deputy who resides in another Kingdom must be approved in writing by the Crown of that kingdom. It is customary to warrant the Earl Marshal of the East and the Earl Marshal of Aethelmearc as Deputy Earl Marshals for the period of Pennsic War.

E. Local Marshals

Local Marshals at the group and baronial level are the backbone of the marshallate. Group Knight Marshals (GKM) and Knight Marshals of the Field (KMF) are warranted on an annual basis and serve at the pleasure of the Earl Marshal. All Group Knight Marshals or Knight Marshals of the Fields acting as Marshal-in-Charge of an event may suspend an authorization or warrant for the period of the event. If such action is taken the Regional Deputy Marshal and Kingdom Earl Marshal must be notified immediately.

1. Group Knight Marshals foster and encourage local participation in armored combat, and where interest and participants create the demand, secure for the group the services of an Archery Marshal if those activities are to take place in armored combat. The responsibilities and prerogatives of the Group Knight Marshal include:

a. Report on a quarterly basis and as otherwise required to the Regional Deputy Marshal concerning local activities.

b. Maintain accurate records of local authorized and training armored combatants.

c. Communicate armored combat and marshallate information within the local group, and between the group and the Regional Deputy Marshal and Kingdom Earl Marshal.

d. Train new combatants, and/or insure that a qualified, experienced individual is found to support this duty.

e. Ensure observance of the rules and conventions for armored combat.

f. Supervise all events with armored combat participation hosted by their group and submit all required reports to the appropriate superior officers. The Group Knight Marshal is strongly encouraged to coordinate with autocrats to insure that there is a warranted Chirurgeon at their group's events where martial activities are taking place. The Group Knight Marshal is still responsible for coordination and reporting even if they are not acting as the Marshal-in-Charge of the event.

2. Knight Marshals of the Field are fully warranted Marshals who are not responsible for a specific group, but perform all the field duties of a Marshal. They do not submit group reports unless they act as Marshal-in-Charge at a tournament or other fighting event, but are responsible for reporting as individuals annually at Domesday to their Regional Deputy Marshal.