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littlemanpoet · 11-03-2010, 04:04 PM

Okay, Foley, just let me know the Post number you want me to look at - or PM me.

By the way, it just so happens that Rohan is NOT FEUDAL in its governmental structure. It's Pre-Feudal. Feudalism means that anybody who is not a lord is a serf; serf = not free. Pre-feudalism means that everybody who is not a lord is probably a farmer working his own land. Back in the old days they were called "wights" until the Normans took over England in 1066. It didn't mean "undead" back in the day; it meant "human". But we can just call them either "freemen" or "farmers".

Feudal term - - Pre-Feudal (Rohan) term:

Knight - - - - Eorling (wealthy landholder, breeds & owns his horses)
Lord - - - - Eorl (there are 3, over East, West, & Middle Emnets)
Vassal - - - no such thing
Fief - - - no such thing

So the class structure in "The Mark" (their own name for their lands - Rohan is what the Gondorians call it) is:

King - ruler
Eorl - general in war, judge in his Emnet
Eorling - owns his horse, local judge for freemen nearby
Freeman/Farmer - owns & works his own land, not wealthy enough to own a horse

Suggestion:
The way things have become structured in the Middle Emnet, the three "lords" besides Athanar are particularly wealthy land holders who wield more power locally than the usual Eorling; this is, perhaps, due to the fact that laws have been, shall we say, cavalierly observed of late; and the new Eorl is there to re-establish a more just observance of the law, and maybe even return lands to freemen who have lost theirs to unjust Eorlings.

Just a note on the above: Nogrod and I have been discussing how this is supposed to work, and it has been a very interesting process. The above paragraph is strictly a suggestion by way of explaining how things have gotten to the almost Feudal condition in the Middle Emnet compared to how they are supposed to be in Pre-Feudal Rohan - and this suggestion is mine and only mine, and it's entirely up to Nogrod and others whether to accept it. It was really a bit of a brainstorm. Far be it from me to tramp on toes!

11-03-2010, 04:04 PM	#2755
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	Okay, Foley, just let me know the Post number you want me to look at - or PM me. By the way, it just so happens that Rohan is NOT FEUDAL in its governmental structure. It's Pre-Feudal. Feudalism means that anybody who is not a lord is a serf; serf = not free. Pre-feudalism means that everybody who is not a lord is probably a farmer working his own land. Back in the old days they were called "wights" until the Normans took over England in 1066. It didn't mean "undead" back in the day; it meant "human". But we can just call them either "freemen" or "farmers". Feudal term - - Pre-Feudal (Rohan) term: Knight - - - - Eorling (wealthy landholder, breeds & owns his horses) Lord - - - - Eorl (there are 3, over East, West, & Middle Emnets) Vassal - - - no such thing Fief - - - no such thing So the class structure in "The Mark" (their own name for their lands - Rohan is what the Gondorians call it) is: King - ruler Eorl - general in war, judge in his Emnet Eorling - owns his horse, local judge for freemen nearby Freeman/Farmer - owns & works his own land, not wealthy enough to own a horse Suggestion: The way things have become structured in the Middle Emnet, the three "lords" besides Athanar are particularly wealthy land holders who wield more power locally than the usual Eorling; this is, perhaps, due to the fact that laws have been, shall we say, cavalierly observed of late; and the new Eorl is there to re-establish a more just observance of the law, and maybe even return lands to freemen who have lost theirs to unjust Eorlings. Just a note on the above: Nogrod and I have been discussing how this is supposed to work, and it has been a very interesting process. The above paragraph is strictly a suggestion by way of explaining how things have gotten to the almost Feudal condition in the Middle Emnet compared to how they are supposed to be in Pre-Feudal Rohan - and this suggestion is mine and only mine, and it's entirely up to Nogrod and others whether to accept it. It was really a bit of a brainstorm. Far be it from me to tramp on toes!