How much do you think the baron/ess should be involved in the running of the barony? just the "medieval bits" or other stuff as well?

Master Aleksandr Ruslanovich and Lady Morwenna Westerne (other question responses)
Mistress Caitlin Davies and Master Justin du Coeur (other question responses)
Lord Diego Mundoz and Lady Godith Anyon (other question responses)
Lady Emmanuelle de Chenonceaux and Master Seamus Donn (other question responses)
Mistress Gwendolyn of Middlemarch and Lord Kali Harlansson of Gotland (other question responses)
Seigneur Jehan du Lac (other question responses)
Master John McGuire (other question responses)
Shi Hua Fu and Lady Yelizaveta Medvedeva (other question responses)

The Baron & Baroness are the heart and soul of a barony. With any luck, if they are good, just, people then the barony is happy. If they are scheming, jealous, disorganized, or mean people, than the barony becomes an unpleasant place to be -- by varying degrees. So, I think it's impossible to limit the influence and the impact of the baron and baroness to "just the medieval bits". I think the important thing is knowing where to let the existing mechanisms do their job. We have a seneschal for a reason, just as we have a knight marshall, an exchequer, a chronicler, autocrats, a head of the cook's guild, etc. It's not the baron and baroness' job to do everything -- just to try and do the job they were elected to do as best they can.

Lady Morwenna Westerne :

I feel that the Baron and Baroness are the spiritual leaders of the barony, as opposed to the temporal. There are officers to make sure that all the paperwork is done, the taxes are paid and the insurance up to date. I'm more than happy to let them do their job.

The Baron and Baroness are highly visible personages, within the Barony, outside the Barony, and to the non-SCA world, so I feel they have a responsibility to represent the barony as well as they can. This may mean speaking to reporters or appearing at demos, which I don't consider medieval, but necessary to show the barony in a good light. One of the functions of the baron and baroness is to help citizens of Carolingia feel proud of their barony and to give those outside of it (including those outside the Society) a reason to wish they were part of the barony. I don't know if we can do that all the time, but we will try.

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Mistress Caitlin Davies and Master Justin du Coeur :

I think the Baron/ess should be sort of a "senior statesman" role -- advising when asked, but not trying to take the seneschal's role. Of course it's the baron/ess's role to hold courts and make presentations of honors and awards, but that shouldn't be all. They should be a facilitator, who can get diverse groups working together, too. The baron/ess should be leaders, not figureheads.

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Lord Diego Mundoz and Lady Godith Anyon :

The Baron and the Baroness are the ceremonial heads of the Barony. That means they don't have to do the day-to-day paperwork. However, within the social context of the S.C.A., they have a great deal of power. Their approval and encouragement can make the difference between a viable and nonviable activity. For example, when Patri was Baron, fighting was a marginal activity, but fencing was a major one. Fencers formed the Baron's guards. That guard dissolved when Patri stepped down. Aquel fights. Fighting is now much bigger and more mainstream than it used to be. Fencing hasn't gone away, but it's a lot smaller. So just the "medieval" bits is a huge job in and of itself.

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Lady Emmanuelle de Chenonceaux :

My understanding is that the Baronetcy was designed to "run" or lead the medieval (or in persona) portion of the barony. That cannot be done in ignorance of the business side, and as a member of the barony, I take an interest in the business of the Barony. There seems to be a clear division between circlet and state, if you will forgive the phrase.

Master Seamus Donn :

My Knight, Duke Sir Elffin O'Mona has reigned as Prince of Locac three times and as King of Drachenwald four times. He has kept sane through this process by keeping a firm distinction between duties of the throne and duties of the officers. I follow his opinion on this. If it has something to do with the "medieval bits" of the society, awards and such, that is the purview of the nobility. If it has something to do with the "administrative side", branch status, event organization, etc, then it is firmly up to the officers. As a voting member of council the Baron and Baroness do have a say in the business side, but in that context their views are no more important than, say, the Chiurgeon.

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Mistress Gwendolyn of Middlemarch :

I completely agree with Caleb's answer here, which I will repeat for completeness' sake.

I wouldn't say "just the medieval bits," but not (depending on what one means by "involved") in everything. The purely business aspects - no, that's the seneschal's sphere; all the various guilds, practices, orders, and other activities - in touch with, in contact with, but not *running* them; planning for events - consulting on activities, but again not running them. The only thing the baron/ess is/are actually in charge of is court and ceremony - which can in turn involve and affect lots of other people and groups and activities. So there's a lots of involvement all round, but limits to the amount of running things. Setting tone, but not setting policy.

I will only add that I think the baron and baroness should do what they can to encourage and maintain a vibrant and active barony. I think that is mostly done through some participation, encouraging people to do what they love, and providing an audience and interest when desired. Carolingia is one of the most fabulous places in the SCA in my opinion, and I love being here.

I hope these answers help to give you some idea of who we are and what we'd be like as baron and baroness. If you have more questions, or want a fuller response to one of these, feel free to ask.

ditto.

Lord Kali Harlansson of Gotland :

I hope these answers help to give you some idea of who we are and what we'd be like as baron and baroness. If you have more questions, or want a fuller response to one of these, feel free to ask.

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Seigneur Jehan du Lac :

well, corpora makes a sharp distinction between the two roles. The one thing a baron isn't allowed to do is be seneschal at the same time, to avoid conflict of interest between the ceremonial role and the business role. I still have a lot of interests, tho', and would have to find a balance between the baron job and all those other things I like to do (autocrat events, organize classes, etc.).

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Master John McGuire :

The Medieval bits are a given, you are the figurehead and have to act in a manner that brings honor and glory to the Barony while you are acting as Baron/ess.

On the Mundane side: The Baron/ess is the voice of those who for whatever reason do not feel represented by the council. As a figurehead some people will approach you who will not otherwise approach others. You act as a lighting rod for complaints and kudos. It is your duty to speak up for those people.

It is also your duty to address the Council or the Sceneshal if you see them about to do something that would reflect badly on the Barony. Once you have spoken up, it is then your duty to step aside and let the Sceneshal and the Council do as they please.

It is your duty to approve events and to make every effort to attend all Baronial events/councils and a reasonable sampling of guildmeetings so that all Baronial members have the opportunity to approach you.

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Shi Hua Fu and Lady Yelizaveta Medvedeva :

It's true that the Baronial positions are ceremonial; the seneschal actually does the work. Still, we see the role of the Baron and Baroness as examples and positive role models; not explicitly leaders as such. But the Baron and Baroness should set the pace in terms of encouraging and assisting people, either actively or passively according to their desire, in order to help them have the best experience possible in Carolingia and the Society. That will largely be seen on the medieval side of what we do, but could also show up on the business side of the barony if it's appropriate.

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