The Meaning of Fealty: Exploring the Symbolism of Beads of Fealty
Fealty and the Fabric of Bonds The bead felt cold in the palm, a smooth, polished stone. It represented a bond, a sworn oath, a tangible connection to a king, a cause, or a code. But what does it truly mean to swear fealty? And what physical representations have societies, both real and imagined, used…