Please help understand this. I've tried a bit of research online but I fail to find anything satisfactory.

Anyway, I'm in the Boy King Period, but I think this applies to earlier periods. Earl Robert goes on his Progress that takes him all around Salisbury. Taking the example from the rulebook, it takes the better part of a year. He returns to Sarum quite a few times.

1) When does he have the time to visit King Arthur's court, say, in Carlion?
2) Does a baron/duke/what have you go on a progress EVERY year? If so, does he interrupt his progress to leave his County to go to the Royal Court?
3) It's fair to assume King Arthur passes once a year by Salisbury on his Royal Progress but I'm more interested in the Pentecost court as mentioned by GPC. If Earl Robert goes there, does he leave someone in charge of the county? Who would that be?

I also understand the OK can visit the Royal Court whenever they want as long as it doesn't conflict with their vassal duties, so my interested is about the barons and dukes.

1) Whenever he wants to. The Progress is just a typical one, and he doesn't need to stick to it. He can easily spend a few weeks less in various towns and still get business done, and have time for travel and war if necessary.

2) It is good for him to check his estates now and again, but no, he doesn't have to go everywhere every year, and yes, he does interrupt his progress to go to the Royal Court or War. Those trump the Progress.

3) I would say that Robert would definitely go to Pentecost each year, as would most of the other barons, too, if they can. Robert lives just a two day's ride from Camelot, so he can easily pop in every time that he has something he needs to talk with the King. There is no need for him to 'leave someone in charge': his officers (or their deputies, if he takes some of the officers with him) would continue their customary duties and so forth. Seneschal would continue running the administration, etc. If something happens that needs the Count's decision, then it is put aside until the Count comes back and decides on it. If it is urgent, a messenger can be sent to the Count to inform him and ask for instructions. If it is time-critical (Levcomagus is raiding NOW!), then the appropriate officer (Marshal or deputy Marshal) takes charge and deals with it, and hopes that the Count will be pleased.

Other Barons, especially those who live farther away, might only visit Camelot during Pentecost. Like said, I would expect Robert to visit more often, since it is not much of a bother. Depending when Arthur is in residence, of course.

As far as I have always understood the Lord's Progress:
In essence this is a sort of administrative tour. It is a way for the Lord to check upon his vassals and his estate. The Progress consists mostly of officials and such.
It is like getting audited.
Of course when the Lord holds court it is together with the Lord's progress. So when he is present he will hold court at the location the Progress is currently at.

Since it is mainly an administrative affair the Lord does not need to be present. In fact he does not do much, but probably shake hands and smile (or not). All the day to day decisions are made by his officials. He only needs to focus on the important things. He can also have duties elsewhere (summons from the king, war, etc). In that case his officers and officials will see to all the decisions, unless they feel that it is something the lord needs to know or to decide.

Also as Morien said the Progress does not need to visit all the estates, in fact it is also a way to keep vassals in check who's loyalty is in question.

Well, I would expect the Lord to take a bit more of a personal interest, when he has time. After all, these people are his subjects and he owes them leadership and justice. Of course, it is up to the Lord how conscientious he is in these duties. And definitely, when visiting a vassal, the personal touch is important, to strengthen the bonds of loyalty or to evaluate the said loyalty up close and personal. And most day to day stuff would be handled by the officials, fully agreed there.

There is also the fact that the progress is partially also to get the people where the food is, rather than needing to transport the food where the people are. In Salisbury's scale, though, this (and communication with and inspection of the farther away estates) is less of an issue than it would be for the King of Logres.

As far as I have always understood the Lord's Progress:
In essence this is a sort of administrative tour. It is a way for the Lord to check upon his vassals and his estate. The Progress consists mostly of officials and such.
It is like getting audited.

Personally, I feel that underrates the personal nature of feudal loyalty and ties. A lord's vassals aren't just administrative underlings. They are colleagues, often relatives and ideally friends. A knight follows his lord out of love, as much as for a promise of reward... and a lord rewards his knights because they are his friends and companions, willing risk life and limb beside him.

So, the progress is really a combination of administrative tour and a visit to old friends. I envision the lord embrace his vassal, laughing and sharing old stories... while his clerks and the vassal's clerks go over the books and handle the other matters of feudal bureaucracy. Of course, conflicts between a lord and his vassals are of an equally personal nature. A lord who isn't smiling and laughing is more than just an unhappy boss... he's an angry friend who a personal falling out between friends, when one has power over the other, is a nasty situation indeed. Thereby hangs many a tale...

Just mt $.02... for whatever it's worth.

It's probably a little of both. Some of the places are locations preferred by the lord to relax, go hunting, or visit friends. Some of the places are a few days to check on a unruly vassal or ongoing project, both to assess the situation and do the political thing. If a sheriff is reporting unrest, or maybe word reaching him that a sheriff is misbehaving an appearance to *directly* oversee a review might be just the thing.

Such would probably vary by the personality and effectiveness of the lord. Some care to spend the time and effort carrying out their duties. Others prefer to drink, hunt, and spend all their time with their favorites while the administrative work is left to others.

Remember, too, that the count's progress would include all his properties, not just those in Salisbury.
A list of them is in BoW