I note that when someone is knighted these days, they are provided with a little stool with an attached handle to facilitate kneeling before the monarch.
It seems like a nice touch; personally, I would have some difficulty in going down to a full kneel and then getting upright. It would certainly be an awkward maneuver for me, and I suspect for many who receive the accolade.
Accolade was first used in 1611 and is French, from the Occitan acolada. This, in turn, came from the Latin ad ("to") + collum ("neck") and in Occitan originally meant "embrace". From about 1852, the meaning of "accolade" was extended to mean "praise" or "award" or "honor.I tried to search for more information on that little stool, but can't find a discussion or even whether it has a proper name.
The blow, or colée, when first utilized was given with a naked fist. It was a forceful box on the ear or neck that one would remember. This was later substituted for by a gentle stroke with the flat part of the sword against the side of the neck. This then developed into the custom of tapping on either the right or left shoulder or both, which is still the tradition in Great Britain today.
Addendum: A hat tip to Ran, whose search revealed that the press sometimes refer to this as a "knighting stool," but the royal family's website calls it an "investiture stool" (and they keep a spare one on their yacht).
Photo of Sir Patrick Stewart via TrekMovie.com.
I think it's simply called a knighting stool.
ReplyDeleteI found an old article with a knight stool anectote. http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1243&dat=19830713&id=V5FTAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1YYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5180,1216600
"Those about to be knighted by the Queen of England traditionally kneel on a small wooden padded piece of furniture called a knighting stool. Queen Elizabeth II has one such on the Royal Yacht "Britannia" just in case she wants to knight somebody on the high seas."
Picture of said stool (2nd row, 2nd column): http://blog.modernmechanix.com/2012/04/05/when-royalty-goes-to-see/1/#mmGal
http://www.royal.gov.uk/LatestNewsandDiary/Mediaguidelines/Investitures.aspx
DeleteThe official British Monarchy website calls it an Investiture stool.
"Those who are to be knighted kneel on an Investiture stool to receive the 'Accolade', which is bestowed by The Queen using the sword which her father, George VI used when, as Duke of York, he was Colonel of the Scots Guards. The Queen then Invests all recipients with the Insignia of their award."
Thank you, Ran, for searching that out. I've added your information to the post.
DeleteThat image of Sir Patrick Stewart was photoshopped! You can find the original here:
ReplyDeletehttp://tinyurl.com/3acamks
Hahahahahaha! Ben!
ReplyDeleteI came to the comments to find out if that was indeed Patrick Stewart and got a great laugh in the process. Thanks!
Is it me or the dress Beth was using is absolutely tasteless? Was she trying to mock him?
ReplyDeleteYou ain't been watching then - Brenda's dresses have been dreadful for years - the sorts of things someone in their 80s would wear.
DeleteThe temptation to lop somebody's head right off must be hard to keep down.
ReplyDelete