Oath of Fealty

[Muzhik]

I’m a history geek, and I’ve been getting into the nuances of life in a monarchy. Part of this is because of the great number of Catholic traditions and practices that spring from out belief that Jesus Christ is King and is physically present in the tabernacle. (I have frequently complained to non-Catholics that we recognize G_D as King and treat Him as such, while they seem to believe that G_D is the CEO of their body of believers; and since they’re sitting on the parish board (so to speak) they get to vote on doctrine.)

In any case, I have a question about fealty. In a monarchy, you generally don’t pledge allegiance as we do in America. You take an oath of fealty. Pledging fealty to a lord means that there are obligations on both sides, but generally the lord pledges to protect you and you pledge to come to the lord’s aid when called.

In reading about this I found myself asking a question: Imagine pledging an oath of fealty before G_D to a Catholic monarch. A good portion of this oath involves loyalty to the monarch. The monarch is overthrown, and the new monarch demands that you pledge fealty to him. You refuse, because that would be breaking an oath you took before G_D to be loyal to the old monarch. You are executed for your refusal.

Since your refusal and consequent execution are based on your refusal to break an oath taken before G_D (i.e., based on your faith) would your execution make you a martyr?

 

[Mount_Carmel]

My personal answer is that it could be a cause of/for martrydom - kind of comes down to the politics and spirituality of the specific situation. An oath of fealty is only to the monarch as long as that monarch is alive, and so long as that monarch has not by his own actions excluded God from the equation.

Henry VIII, for instance, excluded God from the core issue when he chose have ‘The Man for all Seasons’ tried, condemned and executed.

 

[Petaro]

I’m a history geek, and I’ve been getting into the nuances of life in a monarchy. Part of this is because of the great number of Catholic traditions and practices that spring from out belief that Jesus Christ is King and is physically present in the tabernacle. (I have frequently complained to non-Catholics that we recognize G_D as King and treat Him as such, while they seem to believe that G_D is the CEO of their body of believers; and since they’re sitting on the parish board (so to speak) they get to vote on doctrine.)

In any case, I have a question about fealty. In a monarchy, you generally don’t pledge allegiance as we do in America. You take an oath of fealty. Pledging fealty to a lord means that there are obligations on both sides, but generally the lord pledges to protect you and you pledge to come to the lord’s aid when called.

In reading about this I found myself asking a question: Imagine pledging an oath of fealty before G_D to a Catholic monarch. A good portion of this oath involves loyalty to the monarch. The monarch is overthrown, and the new monarch demands that you pledge fealty to him. You refuse, because that would be breaking an oath you took before G_D to be loyal to the old monarch. You are executed for your refusal.

Since your refusal and consequent execution are based on your refusal to break an oath taken before G_D (i.e., based on your faith) would your execution make you a martyr?

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