Memory Monday (Annual Knight's Meeting)

A new week on a rainy morning. I am looking forward to this week's blogging and can't wait to see how the Syldavian Investiture turns out. Let's get to today's history report.

In the heyday of monarchy, before the 1996 Revolution or even the Great War, it was not just tradition but also a practical necessity for the various Orders of Knighthood to have regular meetings to discuss matters and organise their efforts. However there would be one meeting in a year that was most significant for each individual Order and that would be the one where new knights were created.

The custom of official meetings, along with many other traditions and trapping were more than just affected by the war and revolution. After 1996, all Knight’s meetings were ceased indefinitely, even in the countries that retained their monarchies. Knighthoods originally spanned national borders and in the post revolution became a kind of an embarrassment as what used to be an honour now was seen by the newly created democratic nations as a reminder of a bygone “tyranny”. Another sad reality was the fact that these organizations also did valuable international work which now also became practically impossible and it all seemed entirely obsolete.

The Prince Imperial’s Birthday Ball in 2009 revitalized the concept of monarchy and even before the first restoration of the Kingdom of Normadia was set in stone, the old Knights of the various Orders decided to hold their first meeting. They decided that due to so many of their ranks being lost that all the various Orders should have a combined meeting annually until they grew to a level where the individual Orders could meet separately as of old. 

The first Knight's Meeting held in 2009 in the United States of Americania of all places. The meeting was sparse as some were still apprehensive to appear in a public meeting espousing monarchy. However the influential presence of  two governing Heads of State namely, The Duke of Swann and The Duchess of Aragon (representing the Queen of Spain) gave the meeting more credence on an international and genuinely diplomatic level. From left we see, The Count von Bismarck at that stage still a Knight of the Ublient, Princess Isabella of Hispania, The Duke of Swann, The Prince Karageorgevic, The Crown Prince Imperial, Princess Augusta, The Duchess of Aragon, The Baron d'Rothchild and The Grand Duchess Xenia of Ruskiana.

We have seen three such meetings and expect our fourth in mid 2012. At first, re-establishing a base, setting clear goals and reorganizing some members was necessary. Knighthoods are attached to certain countries and dynastic Royal Houses and so we have seen the official resurrection of those attached to Normandia and Syldania only since 2011. Some members needed to change their Order allegiances due to dynastic shifts as for instance, King Nikolas III of Syldavia had to do. All in all, things have become more solid and the various Orders seem to now be in full swing, growing and beginning to function in fields of charity and service as before. The combined meeting is also unique in setting a precedence of accountability as the members from different Orders keep each other encouraged and in check.

The meeting of 2010 was held in the Grand Duchy of Hanoveria. Empress Crystobel was at this stage revealed to be alive and Hispania's government was not officially represented by the Duchess of Aragon anymore. Her Knighthood was never officially bestowed as she was merely a representative. This meeting saw the appointment of the Crown Princess Imperial and also in expectancy of  future restorations, the Orders of Normandia and Syldavia were reintroduced on an honourary basis. 

The 2011 meeting was obviously the largest to date. At this stage the Princess of Wallachia officially joined the ranks and was appointed to the Order of the Syldav Cross to honour her and to strengthen the possibility of a Syldavian restoration. The meeting was also held in the capital city of the new Kingdom of Normandia. Queen Gloria of Normandia had only been restored for a few months at that time and decided to strengthen the monarchic atmosphere in her country by hosting the meeting. Two matters of contention was resolved at this meeting, the headship of the Order of the Ublient, which was in dispute between the Princess of Wallachia and the Prince Karageorgevic and the Headship of the Order of the Polar Star, which was in dispute between the Grand Duke of Hanover and his cousin the Grand Duchess Xenia. These details will be discussed when we deal with the various Orders in separate detail. 

I hope to discuss the various Orders by themselves over a couple of Fascinating Fridays so won’t deal with that detail now. This was just a brief introduction to the concept of the Annual Knights Meeting as we have now come to know it since 2009. I might also deal with the three meetings more specifically once the fourth meeting took place, then we can see who attended these meetings and discover the intriguing politics, controversies that had to be dealt with and the work the Orders partake in.