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The following is an archived discussion of a featured article nomination. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the article's talk page or in Wikipedia talk:Featured article candidates. No further edits should be made to this page.

The article was promoted by Ian Rose via FACBot (talk) 31 December 2022 [1].

Dish-bearers and butlers in Anglo-Saxon England

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Nominator(s): Dudley Miles (talk) 12:54, 16 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Dish-bearers and butlers were officers at Anglo-Saxon royal feasts. Dish-bearers are usually described as seneschals by historians, and Bazza 7 commented that it was unclear what "seneschal" means in the Eadwig article, so I have created this article to explain. Bazza and Mike Christie have given helpful comments. Dudley Miles (talk) 12:54, 16 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Image review

Support by Unlimitedlead

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Hi, Dudley Miles. Nice seeing you here. I have some feedback that I hope you will find useful:

  • "Feasts played an important role in consolidating community and hierarchy among the elite, and dish-bearers and butlers served the food and drinks.": the latter half of the sentence sounds awkward. Maybe try adding something like "at these functions" or "at these gatherings" at the end?
  • "...and Northumbrian thegns in the king's entourage got drunk.": I think "intoxicated" would be more appropriate language to use here. However, that's up to you.
  • "...In the later Anglo-Saxon period, queens and æthelings...": Is there a link that would be appropriate for "queens"?
  • Is it possible to find perhaps just one more image for this article? There might be a miniature somewhere of a dish-bearer.

Unlimitedlead (talk) 13:22, 17 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Many thanks for the review Unlimitedlead. Dudley Miles (talk) 09:47, 18 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Comments from Mike Christie

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  • "Dish-bearers and butlers probably also carried out diverse military and administrative duties as required by the king, and some went on to have illustrious careers as ealdormen, but most never rose higher." Can we break this after "king", like so: "Dish-bearers and butlers probably also carried out diverse military and administrative duties as required by the king. Some went on to have illustrious careers as ealdormen, but most never rose higher."?
  • "dish-bearers and cup-bearers (butlers) served at the table, playing a major role in helping to make them political successes": I think the syntax is a little imprecise here -- the subject of "playing" is "dish-bearers and cup-bearers" but it really should be the act of serving. How about "dish-bearers and cup-bearers (butlers) served at the table, a role which could play a major part in helping to make them political successes"?
  • You use "biriele" in the "Status" section which is not one of the spellings given in the "Etymology" section.
  • "The butler and dish-bearer of Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor, remained with her when he died rather than moving to serve the new queen." Suggest "The butler and dish-bearer of Edith, wife of Edward the Confessor, remained with her when the king died rather than moving to serve the new queen."

The article is concise and, as far as I can tell, thorough. Just these minor points. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 17:36, 17 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Support. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 11:55, 18 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Source review

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  • You give the publisher and location for the online charters, but omit a location for the online OED and ODNB, and give neither for ASE 10.

That's everything I can see to complain about -- sources are all reliable and the links all work. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 17:36, 17 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Many thanks for the review Mike. All fixed I hope. Dudley Miles (talk) 11:11, 18 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Pass. Mike Christie (talk - contribs - library) 11:55, 18 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Support from Iazyges

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  • "occupied the third lay rank in English society" laymen (ironically enough) may not understand the usage of lay here, perhaps "occupied the third rank of laymen (non-religious figure)"or something similar.
  • In the status section it does not indicate that the thegns were third in rank so clearly as the lede, but only by order of elimination, which seems odd. Perhaps "The offices were held by thegns, who were members of the aristocracy" could be modified to "The offices were held by thegns, who were members of the aristocracy and occupied the third rank of laymen" or something similar.
  • Article seems complete and very well put together for such a niche topic, and all of my suggestions are minor adjustments for readability. Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 04:07, 20 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Excellent, happy to support. Iazyges Consermonor Opus meum 15:36, 20 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Support from Gog the Mild

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Recusing to review.

  • "also called cup-bearers". By whom?
  • It is the dictionary definition. A pincerna is defined as a butler or cup-bearer. I originally had "butler or cup-bearer", but an editor objected that it was unclear whether I meant one office or two. Would "butler (or cup-bearer}" be better? Dudley Miles (talk) 20:48, 21 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]
Hmm, I see their point. Yes, "butler (or cup-bearer}" would be better.
  • Perhaps link "lay" to Laity?
  • "but most never rose higher." Than thegns or than ealdormen?
  • "several stigweard (subordinate officer". Should "officer" be plural?
  • "the king ordered that the mead should flow plentifully". Upper case K.
  • "showing that junior æthelings also had ..." What is it that makes Edmund a "junior ætheling", rather than just an ætheling?
Ho hum. Perhaps "brothers of the king"? I think that "younger" will be understood, and even if not, is not strictly relevant.
  • "a man had to own substantial land in one or more counties". What does "in one or more counties" add? If the land could be owned in a either a single county or several I am not sure what information is being communicated.
If that is what you understand it mean it would be best to use that form of words. Which makes perfect sense to me, while the current phrase, frankly, doesn't.
  • Changed to "In order to be a thegn, a man had to at least be a substantial local landowner, and he could be a major magnate owning estates in several counties." It is a bit SYNTH as the source just says in one or more counties, but I don't think too much. Dudley Miles (talk) 21:31, 21 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]
  • Would it be possible to briefly explain what an attestation was? Either in line or in a footnote.
I did wonder why you hadn't done that already.
  • "her when the king died". Upper case K.
  • "History" is fairly chunky. Would it be possible to break the paragraph?
  • "and promoted to ealdorman by his successor". Should that be 'and were promoted to ealdorman by his successor'?

Gog the Mild (talk) 18:09, 21 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Many thanks Gog. Replies and queries above. Dudley Miles (talk) 20:48, 21 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]
A couple of responses. Gog the Mild (talk) 20:59, 21 December 2022 (UTC)[reply]
The above discussion is preserved as an archive. Please do not modify it. No further edits should be made to this page.
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