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Not regalia

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Kings wear regalia because, well, regis. It's in the word.

So, what's the word for the official costumery of a duke? Ducalia? Probably not!

And while we're at it, what about marquis (or margragve), count, baron, or earl. Oh how I'd love for it to be earlalia, which sounds like an infection of the ear.

File this under Things That Profiteth Not to Ask Google
 

Mad Swede

Auror
The word you want is regalia. Yes, its original meaning was the emblems and insignia of royalty, but now the meaning is broader and includes the distinctive clothing worn and ornaments carried at formal occasions as an indication of status. So dukes, earls, barons, bishops, kings etc all wear regalia at formal occasions.
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
wrt robes: that works for early modern France. I was looking for something specifically medieval. More broadly, robes only works if the nobles in Altearth wear robes as a mark of status. That removes them from mages wearing robes. I'm still kicking that one around.

wrt regalia: that's modern, so I don't think I'll use that. Also, one has to be mindful that readers will misinterpret and might find "regalia" distracting, thinking it *must* means kings only. Eh, *shrug*.

Right now I'm thinking of either using a bit of Latin--something like pallium but not that. Or, taking a cue from the ring-and-staff of the Investiture Struggle. Could be something like sword-and-globe.
 

Aldarion

Archmage
wrt robes: that works for early modern France. I was looking for something specifically medieval. More broadly, robes only works if the nobles in Altearth wear robes as a mark of status. That removes them from mages wearing robes. I'm still kicking that one around.

wrt regalia: that's modern, so I don't think I'll use that. Also, one has to be mindful that readers will misinterpret and might find "regalia" distracting, thinking it *must* means kings only. Eh, *shrug*.

Right now I'm thinking of either using a bit of Latin--something like pallium but not that. Or, taking a cue from the ring-and-staff of the Investiture Struggle. Could be something like sword-and-globe.

Pallium won't work. It was a term actually used in Middle Ages, but turns out it was used specifically for clerical robes.

Anyway, I found a few glossaries of medieval clothing. Might be useful... or not.
List of Medieval Clothing (91 terms!)
Rosalie's Medieval Woman - Glossary
 

skip.knox

toujours gai, archie
Moderator
Good suggestions all. One benefit to come from threads like this is to prompt the OP to be a bit more inventive. In addition to all the foregoing, I've also thought of being quite specific, as in
the ebony mantle of Duke Gerulf
or
the marquis donned the winged helmet that was the symbol of his office.

Specifity over generality!
 
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