The Free Griffin?

[jducoeur]

Okay, here's a question for the old-timers. I'm gradually pushing my way through the OP, getting everything to parse, much of which is about adding awards that I don't yet have in my configuration files. And I just got to the record for Chaim Elihu ben Moshe, who back in February of 1973 was made a "Companion of the Free Griffin" -- of Carolingia.

What the heck is the Order of the Free Griffin?

Mind, Carolingia had existed for just about a year at this point -- this precedes the existence of the Daystar and Moon by a couple of years, and the Perseus by many. But I have nothing but guesswork of what it is. Is it a proto-Daystar? We seem to have registered the name in 1987. But I know nothing else about it, and I'm not sure there are any other members.

Anybody have the story? I'm adding lots of obscure little baronial awards right now, but I didn't expect to find one from Carolingia...

Comments

[talvinm.livejournal.com]

Interestingly, this makes no mention of the award, though it does mention that gentle receiving an AoA in February of that year.

http://jducoeur.org/carolingia/felding.asvii.html

[talvinm.livejournal.com]

Does the OP also list him as receiving an AoA at the same time? Is it possible that this was considered an Armigerous award? I ask because of the manner in which it was reported.

[jducoeur]

It does, but based on gyzki's account elsethread, I would assume that the two were given separately, since this sounds like it was a Carolingian award specifically...

[jducoeur]

Hah! Okay, points for documenting it from my own site...

[talvinm.livejournal.com]

Eh, you can't remember everything in there. :)

After reading later comments, I would assume that the omission in the report was one of diplomacy rather than error.

[etherial.livejournal.com]

It evokes a similar image as the Freedom of the Bridge to me, though that could be a coincidence.

[gyzki.livejournal.com]

[gyzki takes up his attribute of Memory of Ancient Times]

The Order of the Free Griffin was invented by Baron John of Ileway as a sort of "gold watch" award for those who retired from council-level office. That was the official version, but mostly he meant it as a bit of a sweetener when he forced Chaim out of office (as Exchequer I believe, but am not certain); it fooled no one, however. Only the one was ever awarded, and because of the circumstances it went down in popular memory as "the Order of the Bounced Turkey."

[drop ancient memory attribute]

[jducoeur]

Oh, dear -- that does account for why there never were any others. (Since nobody would want one.) Thanks for the explanation...

[herooftheage.livejournal.com]

Wasn't he actually Carolingia's "foreign minister" to the kingdom?

[gyzki.livejournal.com]

So it says in the chronicle T linked to above, and I have no trouble believing it.
(I was careful to hedge my guess of Exchequer.)

[gyzki.livejournal.com]

I didn't expect to find one from Carolingia...
Nobody expects the Free Griffin! Our chief weapon is surprise. Surprise and obscurity...

[hfcougar.livejournal.com]

I agree that it sounds like a good name for an award for people who live in other areas but serve Carolingia. But given the actual history of the name... yikes.

Besides, Carolingia doesn't seem to have any residency requirements on its current orders as they stand...

[dsrtao]

It strikes me as an appropriate name for the League of Retired Heralds Pursuivant.

"Here you go. Fly free!"

[talvinm.livejournal.com]

No, no, they already have a name for that, though DC Comics pirated it. It's named for the practices of the office.

You know, the "League of Extra Ordinary Gentlemen."

They always have an extra lying around somewhere...

[andrea habura (from livejournal.com)]

That was .... dreadful. And therefore perfect.

[hfcougar.livejournal.com]

I like the idea of using the name for retired seneschals. I would even cope with the "Order of the Bounced Turkey" nickname.

It would primarily be a drinking order.

[jducoeur]

Besides, Carolingia doesn't seem to have any residency requirements on its current orders as they stand...

Specifically not -- while it's unusual, there is deliberate precedent for inducting folks who don't currently live in the Barony...

[tomspisak.livejournal.com]

Tabitha of Wyndmoor, Carolingian pursuivant at the time, has no idea what the award was (of course, if my memory serves, she was planning her graduation and wedding that spring)
your best bet at this point would be finding John of Isleway (Baron & Seneschal), mka John Forster; or picking the memories of El of the Two Knives (EK Seneshal) or AElfgar (whose mundane name I've forgotten) (Brigantia Herald)