A Word About Otherness in the Middle Ages

[Cearnach]

The Coronation of Richard the Lionheart's most historically resonant element was a massacre of portions of the Jewish population of England. It began with a well-intentioned and generous presentation of gifts by two wealthy Jewish men to the king, and, driven by religious strictures against Jewish participation in the coronation rites and antisemitism fueled by the blood libel and other pernicious ideas about Jews, ended in mass murder first in London, and then in several other English cities. There is historical evidence that Richard I was deeply distressed by this outcome, and one of the first royal writs intended to protect Jews was issued, but this was haphazardly enforced and earned Richard condemnation from several major church officials (who were acting contrary to the official directives of the Roman Church of the time--but then top-down discourse is often difficult to enforce against ingrained opinions, and it is clear that papal bulls, like royal decrees, designed to protect Jews had little practical effect despite persistent re-issuing and having an anti-Semitic subtext of their own).

It is not a good idea for our forum game to be playing around with antisemitism. While arguments about erasure have their place, the reality is that we are here to have fun, and players actively participating in a simulated pogrom is in pretty bad taste. I have therefore decided that this particular event will not occur. While there are limitations that historically prevented Jewish people from fully participating in society (Jewish characters cannot be knights or nobles, for example, and cannot attend the actual coronation service), any violence done to a character because of their race or religion will not be tolerated. Players whose characters engage in these activities, even if their character is on the historical record as having done so, will be banned from the game. Players should also be very cautious about expressions of antisemitism by their characters. The line between fair portrayal of a bad opinion and effectively engaging in hate speech one's self is very thin. Players should be reaching out to their counterparts in scenes about their intentions and just to check in to make sure that everyone is having a good time. If players start to get uncomfortable, please be understanding and modify your character's behavior accordingly. GMs are not going to be looking favorably on players who claim to need to express an anti-Semitic opinion in spite of other players' discomfort simply because "that's what my character would do." If it starts to detract from the community spirit, we will start banning players.

The discussion of anti-Semitism brings up other issues related to otherness in our non-egalitarian past. The treatment of women and of people with same-sex desire in the Middle Ages was very problematic, but not as cut-and-dried as pop history would have it. There are certain expectations and limitations placed on women because of their sex, particularly with regard to autonomy. In the context of the nobility, widows and heiresses came under the protection of the King, who would (often) use their inheritances and their marriageable status as ways to guarantee or reward the loyalty of a subordinate. On the other hand, several of the most powerful people in the kingdom at this time are women, including Eleanor of Aquitaine, Duchess Constance of Brittany, Isabel de Warenne, and Hawise of Aumale, all of which have experienced this sort of regal/patriarchal institutionalized usurpation by the time our game commences. These women exercise power and influence their environment in spite of the limitations placed on them in part because men and women exercised power differently in this period, at least in most cases. Exceptions like Eleanor, Empress Matilda, and Maud de Braose are few, but inspiring.

Players who choose to play female characters must be aware that not all opportunities in the game will be equally accessible to women. But then, there will be opportunities in the game that are not easily accessible to men, either.

There is no question that sexism is a pernicious issue in the modern world as well as in the Middle Ages. We are attempting to strike a delicate balance where fun and empowerment can happen in spite of challenge, but no one is made to feel compromised, harassed, or hurt. Players who cross the line into harassment with their characters will be banned. Make sure that your counterparts in scenes are comfortable as you play. Pms are the answer, here, as are direct messages on the community Discord channel. Players who are uncomfortable are encouraged to get in touch with the gm staff. We take these things very seriously.

Same-sex desire in the Middle Ages was not conceived of in the culture as belonging to a particular identity. It was also, while sinful, not a mortal sin. Same-sex desire that was acted upon was. However, an act (or ten or twenty) was not considered to be evidence of a completely corrupted person. One could always partake of the sacrament of Reconciliation and endeavor to sin no more. The concepts of "straight" and "gay" simply did not exist, and would not exist for another couple hundred years.

However, that reflects the historical record, which, as always, is limited to what people are willing to commit to paper. Paper which, it must be said, is generally found in ecclesiastical books and libraries during this time period. There is no knowing how people who experienced same-sex desire in the Middle Ages conceived of their identities or their feelings. It is a matter of historical debate whether several public figures that will appear in this game (including the Lionheart himself) experienced same-sex desire and carried on same-sex relationships, but most serious historians agree that people did have these feelings and did live lives in which same-sex desire was a feature.

For the purposes of our game, players who choose to play a character who experiences same-sex desire should understand that the character is living in a society which does not see the expression of same-sex desire as acceptable behavior. At a time when one's reputation can mean everything, your character may be severely hampered or damaged by the revelation of their desire. Or they could rise above the challenge and find romance in a world bitterly opposed. Welcome to the struggle.

As with questions of gender, this will require a level of delicacy from our player community. Characters may have problematic opinions, but players are strongly encouraged to make sure everyone participating in a particular thread is having fun. There is a line where character expression transitions into demeaning behavior that ought not to be crossed.

We're a community; let's keep it a good one.