Sue <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Actually, I think the man is only allowed to kiss her hand if she first
presents her hand.Sue Shatto
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
401 Fairview Ave.
Frederick, MD 21701
www.victorianmillinery.com
301-694-8950 Comment
Gentles of The List
What a fascinating series of questions this thread raises for our discussion
and learning!
We do know that it was proper etiquette to expect to "kiss the Rings" of our
own temporal Rulers, of all Princes of the Church and other Lords Spiritual
[Cardinals, Archibishops, and Bishops - and therfore our Religious Superiors],
during the medieval Period.
I am sure the ring-hand had to be offered first, though, and it was an
expected gesture of submissive respect.
So there was no point in offering your Ring of Office to be kissed by anyone
who was not your Subject, Liegeman, or spiritual Inferior, and thus unlikely to
naturally aquiesce to this mark of Respect.
An Ambassador might bow before a Foreign Ruler on being Presented, but - not
being a Subject of said Ruler, and being already Liege-sworn to his Own
Overlord - would the Diplomat kiss the Ring of Office of a foreign Lord
Temporal? I think perhaps not.
The kissing of Ladies hands, though - ...?
When did the custom begin?
Did this originate with the French Courts Of Love in Provence?
Since I re-enact a Senior King's Officer of the late 15th Century, I, too
would be most interested to be enlightened as to the minutiæ of this custom.
My Persona had no Social Equals in Jersey, as King's Governor, even the 5
Hauts Seigneurs ranking below the Governor in Precedence, - but might well have
been "courtly enough" to, at the least, "bow-over" the hands of local- or
visitng- high-born Ladies, out of Chivalry, and respect to their Femininity and
noble Birth.
Does any Lister know of this subject being mentioned in sufficient detail to
enlighten us further, in any medieval Book about Courtly etiquette?
Yours in Service,
Matthew
["Messire Matthew Baker", Governor & Castellan of Jersey, 1486-1497:
Motto - "Si vis pacem, para bellum" (Trans:-"if you wish for Peace, prepare
for War") ]
aka. - Julian Wilson, - late-medieval Re-enactor; Herald, Historian, &
Master Artisan to
"The Companie of the Duke's Leopards",
[the Island of "olde" Jersey's only mediæval living-history Group]
Meet us at < www.dukesleopards.org >"
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