This item was on the 05-2009 LoAR

1: Aktay al-Firas ibn Abdallah al-Jarakisa - New Name Change From Holding Name

Old Item: Aktay of Grey Niche, to be released.
Submitter desires a masculine name.
Language (13th-15th C Turkish/Muslim/Arabic) most important.
Culture (13th-15th C Turkish/Muslim/Arabic) most important.
Meaning ('the shrewd' and 'the Circassian') most important.

Listed on the LoI as <nameref>Aktay al-Firas ibn Abdallah al-Jarakisa</nameref>, the LoI noted that the name had been changed from the form <nameref>Aktay al-Firaas Ibn Abdallah al-Jarakisa</nameref> so that the laqab matched the documentation. However, the name appears on the form as <nameref>Aktay al-Firas ibn `Abdullah al-Jarakisa</nameref>, and no mention of the change to the patronym was made on the LoI. We are pending this so that Ruby can supply the reason that the change was made, so that the commenters can comment on the name with its full submissions history.

His device was registered under the holding name <nameref>Aktay of Grey Niche</nameref>.

The LoI originally provided the following information:

Submitter desires a male name.

Culture (13-15th C Turkish/Muslim/Arabic) most important.

Meaning (white colt, the shrewd & the Circassian) most important.

This first three elements of this name, Aktay al-Firas ibn Abdallah, are part of an Academy of Saint Gabriel report, #2901. (<http://www.panix.com/~gabriel/public-bin/showfinal.cgi/2901.txt>)

Aktay - one of several anglicized spellings of a Turkish masculine given name. May derive from Turkish word <aq-tay> meaning "white colt". Dated to 13th century.

al-Firas - is a laqab meaning "the shrewd".

ibn Abdallah - a nasab, meaning "son of the servant of Allah"

References used in this article pertaining to the name were:

[1] Ayalon David, "Names, Titles, and 'nisbas' of the Mamluuks,' inThe Mamluuk Military Society (London: Variorum Reprints, 1979).

Ayalon notes in a footnote that he did not include "nicknames" in his discussion; we assume that refers to laqabs.

[2] Ayalon [1] writes: "In a comparatively small number of cases the name of the Mamluuk's "real" father is known (that is to say, mentioned in the sources). To the overwhelming majority of the Mamluuks a fictitious father was attributed, who was always the same: `Abdallaah. Thus each of these Mamluuks was Ibn `Abdallaah."

[4] J. Sauvaget, "Noms et Surnoms de Mamlouks," Journal Asiatique, No. 238, pp. 31-58, 1950.

[5] Amina Elbendary, "Metamorphoses of a mosque" (WWW: Al-Ahram Weekly Online, 21-27 2000), issue no. 500.

<http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2000/500/feat1.htm>

[6] "Sultan Zahir Baybars Mosque" (WWW: ArchNet Digital Library, accessed Nov 2004).

<http://archnet.org/library/sites/one-site.tcl?site_id=2109>

[7] Jehans de Joinville, "Livre des saintes paroles et des bons faiz nostre roy saint Looys", ch. LXIX (WWW: Antoine Mechelynck, accessed Nov 2004).

<http://users.skynet.be/antoine.mechelynck/chroniq/joinv/JV000.htm>

In this 13th century Old French chronicle, the name of the official appears as <Faraquataye> and <Faracataie>. The editors gloss it <Furas-ad-Din Aq tai>. A modern French translation of the same chronicle translates the name <Faress-Eddin Octay>. De Joinville, Jean, Histoire de Saint Louis, M. Natalis de Wailly, ed. (Paris, 1874), ch. LXIX, section 353 on pp.192-3.

[8] <Firaas> (in its most precise transcription) was a given name [8a] and also appears in the kunya <Abuu al-Firaas>, used by several people in the 8th to 10th centuries [8b, 8c, 8d].

[8a] <Bayharah b. Firaas> is named as someone who knew Muhammad. Another source glosses his name as "son of Firas".

<http://answering-islam.org.uk/Shamoun/antagonizing.htm>

<http://www.islamic-paths.org/Home/English/Muhammad/Book/Millennium_Biography/Chapter_043.htm>

[8b] "Egypt and Syria", The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition, ed. Peter N. Stearns, (2001, Houghton Mifflin Company), AD 945-967 (WWW: bartleby.com, accessed Nov 2004).

<http://www.bartleby.com/67/317.html#c3p00445>

[8c] "Dai Abu Firas is one of the most eminent figures in Syria. His name was Abu Firas Shihabuddin bin al-Qadi Nasr bin al-Jawshan bin al-Hussain al-Daylami al-Maynaqi. His father was a native of Daylam, who migrated to Syria in 859/1455, and settled down in the fortress of Maynaqa. Dai Abu Firas was born at Maynaqa in 872/1468. He acquired his education in Aleppo and served the Syrian community to great extent. He became a chief dai of Syria, and died in 947/1540 at

Maynaqa. He was a prolific writer, and his "Qasidat al-Nasab" deals with the lineage of the Imams. He had a son, called Ibrahim Abu Firas, who died during his lifetime."

<http://www.ismaili.net/histoire/history07/history730.html>

[8d] Tammaam Ibn Ghaalib Abuu Firaas - an Arab poet who died in either 728 or 730. Encyclopedia Britannica Online, s.n. Farazdaq, al-

<http://www.britannica.com/eb/article?tocId=9033727>

[9] Hamid, Azieza, The Book of Muslim Names (London: MELS, 1985), s.n. Firas.

[10] Anahita bint `abd al-Karim, "The Bahri (Turkish) Period - 1250-1390" in "Mamluk Textiles" (WWW: Medieval Middle Eastern Textiles, accessed Dec 2004)

<http://home.earthlink.net/~lilinah/Textiles/mamluk.html>

[11] David Ayalon, "Notes on the Furuusiyya exercises and games in the Mamluk sultanate" in The Mamluuk Military Society (London: Variorum Reprints, 1979).

[13] "Egyptian History in the Bahri Mameluke Period". (WWW: Tour Egypt).

<http://www.touregypt.net/hbahrima.htm>

[14] "Egypt and Syria: 1174-93". The Encyclopedia of World History, Sixth edition. ed. Peter N. Stearns. Houghton Mifflin Company. (WWW: The Encyclopedia of World History, 2001).

<http://www.bartleby.com/67/319.html>

[15] Goitien, Solomon D, A Mediterranean Society: The Jewish Communities of the Arab World as Portrayed in the Documents of the Cairo Geniza, 3 volumes (Berkeley: University of California Press,1978), vol. 2, p. 506.

al-Jarakisa - a nisba, meaning "of the Circassians". It is found in the article The Circassians in the Mamluk Kingdom by Amjad Jaimoukha. Found in reference to the Sultan Barquq, who led the Mumluks in a coup against the Turks in 1250 (al-Qa'im Bi-Dawlat al-Jarakisa - head of the country of the Circassians). (<http://geocities.com/jaimoukha/circinmamluk.htm>).

Also found in The Cambridge History of Africa, Volume 3, c.1050-1600, J. D. Fage, Roland Anthony Oliver, Cambridge University Press, 1975, pg 53, "...Their place was taken more and more by slaves of Caucasian origin, commonly called Circassians (al-Jarakisa)."

It appears in the title of an article on an Arabic manuscript in the John Rylands Library, Qahr al-wujūh al-`ābisa bi-dhikr nasab al-Jarākisa min Quraysh. This work is referenced in an article (#12), The Exhalted Lineage of Ri{.d}wān Bey: Some Observationson Seventeenth-Century Mamluk Genealogy, found in the book "Studies in the History of the Near East", P.M. Holt, Frank Cass & Company Limited, New York, 1973.

Ruby note: This anglicized name is the desire of the client. Originally submitted as Aktay al-Firaas Ibn Abdallah al-Jarakisa, the Gleann Abhann College of Heralds changed the laqab to reflect the anglicized version from the Academy's report. We believe Aqt.aay al-Firaas ibn `Abd Allaah al-Jaraakisa (using the Academy's transliteration system) to be the fully Arabic name.

This item was on the 05-2009 LoAR

2: Charges for Laurels - New Other

OSCAR is unable to find the name, either registered or submitted.

SCA Corpora states that all of the peerages are and must remain equal. We note that this policy is intended to mean in rank, but we feel that keeping them equivalent in privilege is also important. Royal peers, Pelicans, and Chivalry all may register symbols of their rank in their armory. Since Laurels can not use laurel wreaths, there is nothing for Laurels to incorporate into their armory. If this situation is to be remedied by the addition of a reserved charge for Laurels, as opposed to removing restricted charges for individuals of the other peerages (as discussed above), we need to have something to represent the members of the Order in armory.

In the previous discussion, several people suggested a "laurel chaplet", the same as a wreath, but closed at the top. This suggestion shows a misunderstanding of the terms 'wreath' and 'chaplet'. The presence or absence of a gap at the top is not the difference.

In mundane blazon, a wreath is what we most commonly think of as a torse - Parker, in A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry, says it is the "twisted band composed of two strips of gold or silver lace and silk by which the crest is joined to the helmet; though some wreaths of the fifteenth century were of four tinctures. It is sometimes, but improperly, called a roll, at others a torse." Chaplets are, by the same source, "a garland of leaves with four flowers amongst them, at equal distances...it is more usual to designate the material of which the chaplet is composed. It may be of roses (and this, perhaps, is the most frequent) or of flowers generally, or it may be of leaves, and often of laurel leaves."

In Society blazon, the twisted band of cloth is blazoned a torse, while wreath refers to a full circle or near-circle of foliage; chaplet is frequently a synonym for wreath, though we note early precedents (oft-disregarded), ruling that chaplet of roses refers to the garland with four roses in cross, as described by Parker.

We request suggestions as to what charge could be used to represent Laurels if charges continue to be reserved for the peerages. The limitations are that it must be a period charge, and it must be a charge that has never been registered in the SCA. While this second requirement may seem insurmountable, Baron Bruce Draconarius has been making a study of just this subject, and we have asked him to provide the fruits of his labors for these suggestions.

This item was on the 05-2009 LoAR

3: Unrestricting Chains and Pelicans - New Other

OSCAR is unable to find the name (Unrestricting Chains) , either registered or submitted.
OSCAR is unable to find the name (Pelicans) , either registered or submitted.

In the discussion of Laurel Wreaths for Laurels, many commenters and several Companions of the Order of the Laurel mentioned that restricting charges in the shield for the use of members of a particular order is not a period heraldic practice. This is correct.

It is not a common SCA practice, either. There are roughly 2000 members of the Order of Chivalry. Approximately 30 of them have registered a closed loop of chain in their armory. There are probably a like number of members of the Order of the Pelican. Exactly one of them has registered a pelican in its piety as part of his armory.

Period practice would have the charge indicating membership in the order depicted as part of the achievement around the shield, not as a charge on the shield. A chain, or a laurel wreath, would be placed around the outside of the shield, as is seen in achievements of members of the Order of the Garter throughout its whole history. This can be seen in the modern display, as well: http://www.royalinsight.gov.uk/files/images/MTnew_public_honours_garterii.jpg depicts former British Prime Minister Sir John Major, processing in the Garter service at Windsor Castle; http://www.familynamesonline.com/imgs/shields/queeneaoa.jpg depicts the achievement of the sovereign of the UK. Note that the garter is around the shield, not part of it.

With this in mind, we ask what the populace and the members of the peerage orders would think of removing the restriction on closed loops of chain and pelicans in their piety? We note that the use of these items as regalia would still be reserved, and we are not minded to release the tinctureless registrations of the badges. The only difference is that any member of the SCA could use these charges in their arms.

We note that some kingdoms also register and record full achievements. The SCA College of Arms does not register or restrict achievements at this time: restrictions on achievements are left to the individual kingdoms. We would expect that those kingdoms would continue to restrict closed loops of chain and pelicans in their piety in achievements to the members of those Orders.

This item was on the 05-2009 LoAR

4: Wealdsmere, Barony of - New Order Name

OSCAR finds the name registered exactly as it appears in May of 1997, via An Tir.

Order of the Azure Glove

No major changes.

The LoI cited the following precedent in support of the registerability of this order name:

Hidden Mountain, Barony of. Award name Award of the Azure Cloud (see RETURNS for badge). In general, names of heraldic tinctures are not registerable as part of order names where the language is English, because we have no examples of such usage and because the names of most heraldic tinctures were not used as ordinary adjectives in English until the very end of the 16th C. Azure appears to be the exception. According to the OED, the noun azure, meaning "A bright blue pigment or dye; ellipt. a fabric dyed of this colour", dates to at least the late 14th C. Chaucer mentions a figure "Cloothed in Asure". This and the citations provided by the submitter are sufficient to give them the benefit of the doubt that azure (like crimson) is used as an ordinary color name and hence is registerable as part of an order name. [LoAR 06/2006, Atlantia-A]

However, the August 2005 Cover Letter discussing patterns of period order names gives a stricter criterion for the use of color terms in order names:

Argent Snail, in arguing for more generous interpretations of patterns notes, "since we know that there were period order names of the form color (including Gold/golden) object, any color object should be considered acceptable, and not one step from period practice, even if the submitted color was not used in a period order name." While we are unwilling to extend the interpretation of period order names to include any color (images of "Order of Dead Spaniard Lion" leap to mind--"dead spaniard" being a fabric color found in Elizabethan England), we are often far stricter in our interpretations concerning colors than we are of other patterns. Therefore, since heraldic objects may be found in any heraldic tincture, the ordinary color name for any heraldic tincture may be used as part of an order name when combined with a heraldic charge (which, if applied to the example above, gives us the "Order of the Green Lion," a perfectly ordinary name.) Following this pattern comes with no penalty; even if a particular color found in heraldry is not found in any order name, its use in an order name still follows the established pattern. This does not overturn the precedent disallowing the registration of Orders of the form heraldic tincture name + object in English, since we have no examples of English order names that use heraldic tincture names. So, for example, while the Order of the Green Lion would be held to follow demonstrated patterns, Order of the Lion Vert or Order of the Vert Lion would not...[Order names for heraldic charges] may contain the ordinary color names of any heraldic tincture [emphasis added].

The June 2006 precedent demonstrates that azure or asure was used as a color term in English, but it does not show that this term was the ordinary color term for blue, as required by the August 2005 precedent. The two precedents seem to be in conflict with each other, but since the June 2006 precedent does not specifically mention the earlier August 2005 provisions, we cannot conclude that the August 2005 precedent was overturned. We would like the College's commentary on whether there is in fact a discrepancy between the two precedents and, if so, which of the two should be upheld.

This item was on the 05-2009 LoAR

5: Wealdsmere, Barony of - New Order Name

OSCAR finds the name registered exactly as it appears in May of 1997, via An Tir.

Order of the Sable Sleeve

No major changes.

Precedent, confirmed as recently as August 2008 (v. Gleann Abhann, Kingdom Of, Order of the Sable Banner), has long held that the heraldic tincture sable is not registerable in order names because we do not have examples of order names in English using the heraldic tincture names. The LoI noted that sable was used in English as a color term outside of heraldic contexts, and that therefore this ban should be overturned on the basis of this precedent:

Hidden Mountain, Barony of. Award name Award of the Azure Cloud (see RETURNS for badge). In general, names of heraldic tinctures are not registerable as part of order names where the language is English, because we have no examples of such usage and because the names of most heraldic tinctures were not used as ordinary adjectives in English until the very end of the 16th C. Azure appears to be the exception. According to the OED, the noun azure, meaning "A bright blue pigment or dye; ellipt. a fabric dyed of this colour", dates to at least the late 14th C. Chaucer mentions a figure "Cloothed in Asure". This and the citations provided by the submitter are sufficient to give them the benefit of the doubt that azure (like crimson) is used as an ordinary color name and hence is registerable as part of an order name. [LoAR 06/2006, Atlantia-A]

However, the August 2005 Cover Letter discussing patterns of period order names gives a stricter criterion for the use of color terms in order names:

Argent Snail, in arguing for more generous interpretations of patterns notes, "since we know that there were period order names of the form color (including Gold/golden) object, any color object should be considered acceptable, and not one step from period practice, even if the submitted color was not used in a period order name." While we are unwilling to extend the interpretation of period order names to include any color (images of "Order of Dead Spaniard Lion" leap to mind--"dead spaniard" being a fabric color found in Elizabethan England), we are often far stricter in our interpretations concerning colors than we are of other patterns. Therefore, since heraldic objects may be found in any heraldic tincture, the ordinary color name for any heraldic tincture may be used as part of an order name when combined with a heraldic charge (which, if applied to the example above, gives us the "Order of the Green Lion," a perfectly ordinary name.) Following this pattern comes with no penalty; even if a particular color found in heraldry is not found in any order name, its use in an order name still follows the established pattern. This does not overturn the precedent disallowing the registration of Orders of the form heraldic tincture name + object in English, since we have no examples of English order names that use heraldic tincture names. So, for example, while the Order of the Green Lion would be held to follow demonstrated patterns, Order of the Lion Vert or Order of the Vert Lion would not...[Order names for heraldic charges] may contain the ordinary color names of any heraldic tincture [emphasis added].

The June 2006 precedent demonstrates that azure or asure was used as a color term in English, but it does not show that this term was the ordinary color term for blue, as required by the August 2005 precedent. The two precedents seem to be in conflict with each other, but since the June 2006 precedent does not specifically mention the earlier August 2005 provisions, we cannot conclude that the August 2005 precedent was overturned. We would like the College's commentary on whether there is in fact a discrepancy between the two precedents and, if so, which of the two should be upheld.