Gravio

Let us now turn to the station of Gravio (variously spelled grafio and graphio, meaning “count”) within the Farbond of Thia Frankisk Aldsido. It can be said that the Gravio is the natural progression of the Litus, once they have been awarded their Kwik and Aureus. As explained previously, Kwiknussi or “quickness” is the recognition and ability for a modern Frank to affect executive change in council to the development of TFA. Prior to this the Litus is bound to work within the established usages and customs of the tradition without the ability to legitimately cause improvements. The Aureus or “golden/beautiful thing” is the process the festuca undergoes to become a symbol of the rights and privileges of the station. After a predetermined period, between the Litus and their lord, they may be granted the station of Gravio and their festuca is returned to their lord for the embellishments and soon after, with a new charter, returned to them. These embellishments are cryptic in nature and only those instructed in their meaning may fully appreciate the importance of their aureus. Most importantly is the seal which is granted to the Gravio which we will discuss further below. It must also be stated that the Gravio must maintain their duties as ascribed them in their state of Litus.

Historically the station of the Gravio is confused by a vast array of difficult to interpret sources. What is known to some degree of certainty is that the Gravio and Comes (count) were at one time separate stations which progressively became confounded and in time equated. In the South of Gaul the Comes was the natural title, while in the North the title of Gravio was preferred. The Gravio (and Comes) were magnates or Antrustiones of the Kuning and were appointed to a given territory to oversee the administrative duties of the kingdom on behalf of the royal court. These duties related to levies and taxation as well as the administering of justice and the collection of fines. In TFA however, since the civil administration is conducted by various local officials, the Gravio is responsible for the administering of religious duties to the benefit of the tradition in their region.

The territory of the Gravio was known variously as a Civitas (in the South), Pagus or Gau (in the North). It was comprised of a principle city/large town and the surrounding land fell under the purview of that Civitas. In TFA, the Civitas is the designated term for the territory of a Gravio and the Pagus are lands which are related to the Civitas, but not directly attended to in their duties. Made simpler, the Civitas is the whole district, but the Pagus is held for future religious development as places of significant interest to the Gravio. In elder times the Pagus and Civitas could be directly administered by a Centenarius or Thunginus (under the Count), but until such time as the current Civitates of the Regnum Francorum Novum become larger and more difficult to manage these duties fall under the scope of the Gravio proper.

The modern Civitas is to be travelled and religiously administered by the Gravio, each constituent territory, on a yearly basis. If a Gravio enjoys a dozen sub-districts, they must visit these places and offer cultus at a significant place deemed holy at least once a year. Another important aspect of the Gravio is that they are responsible to provide munera (munificence, gifts) to the territory at an established sum pre-determined by the Kuning (via the Siniskalk). This sum is divided in two parts, one half to the fisc and the other to the populace as charity. The fisc portion does not go to the Kuning via the Siniskalk (no money transferred), but rather it is offered through a ritual tribute or the Gevol to the benefit of progressing the tradition in the Gravio’s Civitas. This may be in procuring ritual items or the maintenance of their Scriptorium (stationary), Heiligduom (temples) or other such things which bring glory to the Kuning and TFA. The second charitable portion may be in the form of funds to a local charity or labour  for the betterment of the Civitas’ populace. An example of current Civitates can be viewed here: Civitas Ottavaiorum and Civitas Luzerneorum.

As part of establishing the Civitas, the Gravio is to make principle offerings to determined local holy sites in the form of coins or other riches (included in the overall munera) in a form of “land-taking”. In this ritual the beginning of the gifting cycle with that land is established and a mutual recognition is commenced between the Gravio and the Hêlen, including the Kuning and the Gêstos.

The munera-sum is calculated using a formula which takes into consider a number of factors, but namely the population of Walaleodi (non-Franks, general citizenry) over the given territory. Due to this formula and the need to travel and commit cultic services as well as charity, the natural size of the Civitas will be reasonable. In this way none can legitimately claim an exorbitant land for their personal ego. It must also be mentioned that as the Kuning grants the rights and privileges of a Gravio, the same can be revoked or changes can be brought to the nature of the Civitas by the Kuning (through the Siniskalk) to ensure no abuse or dereliction of duties are the result. This same ability to amend and rescind status has historical precedent.

The Gravio is said to establish or make claim to the powers of the Frankish Hêlen in that territory. The Goda, Wîhta and the Kuning are granted the ability to bring their will into effect over the land, to the benefit of all residing there. Thus, the Gravio is the intercessor who enters into a do ut des relationship with those powers. As a civic tradition TFA does not look to consolidate the favour of the Hêlen to its members to the exclusion of Walaleodi, rather the success of all citizens is the principle goal. The Gravio therefore entreats these divinities and local powers to look favorably upon their own deeds to bring about effective benefits to the land and people.

Within the charter of the Gravio, beyond the definition of their duties and the description of their Civitas, they are awarded two additional functionary titles: Magister Officiorum and Comes Sacrarum Largitionum. The first was historically an office created under Diocletian and refined by Constantine I as an office which handled and produced official correspondence and documents as well as established missions to foreign courts. The purpose here in TFA is that the Gravio, charged with a seal, is permitted to administer the affairs of their region and establish edicts which may be necessary to progress the tradition. The second which was also largely established in the Eastern Empire, provided the authority to administer territory on behalf of the Emperor as well as take responsibility in matters of fiscal and judiciary import. In TFA this is the real responsibility for the Gravio to ensure they are committed to fulfill their obligations with regards to the Civitas as a whole. It should be clear that these privileges are in fact sacred duties and any edict/charter or munera must be compliant to the spirit of the Kuning and the tradition.

Once the Litus has transitioned to Gravio, their charter will be granted to such an effect and inscribed therein will be an awarded personal Frankish name. The purpose of the name is to reflect their commitment to the tradition and their Kwiknussi within it. The Frankish name is imbued with powerful symbolism and an inherent reflection of attained nobless. Metaphysically speaking, the name conjoins their person to the sacral societal bonds shared between fellow Franks and the Kuning. The name is crafted by their bonded lord with the assistance of historical precedence and a hint of divinatory art. Similar to the baptismal name of the new Catholic convert, as was common and conferred by the godparent in elder times, the name is a manifestation of the Declaration of Reversion inculcated within.

The Gravio may, once they feel ready and a candidate has presented themselves, take on the duties of a lord to a Litus. They will then be responsible, through their Scriptorium, for drafting a charter in the established form and to cut a festuca from a local alnus source (If no alnus is present, then another betulacae species) to the measurement of their cubit. They will then see to their education and are to be responsible for their development. The charter, sealed by the lord is to be sent to the Siniskalk for the seal of the Regnum Francorum Novum, or Rîksaiel. When the time comes for the Litus to attain greater heights on their own, their lord will propose them to the Siniskalk (and the Kuning in ritual) for favour. Although the festuca is cut and the name granted by the Gravio (or Dux, if such is the case), the aureus is completed by the Siniskalk through the appropriate ritual form. As such, a Litus may be said to be of a certain Gravio, but a Gravio is said to be of the Kuning.

Aureus

To surmise, the Gravio is granted a territory to administer the affairs of the Kuning and Thia Frankisk Aldsido in a way reflective of their particular region. This gives each Civitas its own distinct sacral terroir, best developed by the Gravio who is also a product of that place. The sacred stones, waterways, trees and crossroads of the Civitas are determined by the Gravio and cultic practices are to be realized there. A special relationship is also developed between the members of the Farbond under the aegis of the Kuning. The scriptorium is essential to the Gravio as it is their means to make formal declarations and record the histories of the tradition in their lands. On a yearly basis, the Siniskalk collects the various Gesta (records of deeds) for each Civitas and conjoins them into a general chronicle of the Regnum Francorum Novum for posterity. It can be said that the life of the Gravio is one devoted to resacralizing the civic arena to the glory of the Kuning and the grandeur of the Hêlen and Farbond as a whole.

Duties of the Gravio in TFA:

• To continue to fulfill their previous duties as a Litus
• To act in all ways as the Hêmahêto of their Hêm
• To erect a Godesbeddi within their Civitas for the benefit of the Franks therein, so that they may enjoy a communal place of shared worship
• To be an exemplar of Frankishness to all within their Civitas (Frank and Walaleodi alike)
• To support the local economy of their Civitas and ensure that a significant percentage of food, drink and religious things (offerings, icons, etc.) are produced in the Hêm or Civitas
• To take counsel from the Franks in their Civitas and report matters to the Siniskalk
• To convey misimus from the Siniskalk (on behalf of the Kuning) to their folk and v.v.
• To provide the munera on behalf of their territory at the known rate
• To operate a scriptorium for the purposes of formalities necessitating such
• To take on a retinue and foster such with care
• To lead important religious and civic celebrations to the benefit of the Civitas as a whole

Etymological note:

Gravio (grafio, graphio) is the Frankish equivalent gloss for the Latin comes. It is derived from  Gravio is derived from the OFrk *grâvo or “count, earl”, ultimately from the Greek γραφεύς meaning “scribe”.