Imperial Nobility

Ranks and Titles

The lowest noble rank is knight; the highest level is archduke. Above the archdukes is the special station accorded members of the Imperial family, but they are not formally considered part of the nobility.

The standard ranks of Nobility are:

Imperial Gentry

Esquire or Gentlesophont (Gentleman or Gentlewoman)

Not actually a noble rank, but a courtesy title for the gentry. The title survives in some planetary nobility and still serves as an honorific designation of status on some worlds.

Knight or Dame - Kiduunuuzi (Anglic: Kiduunuuzi)

The lowest rank of Imperial Nobility granted by either the Emperor or an Archduke. Widely granted as an honor or ceremonial rank for service to the Imperium. All knights are members of one of the Imperium's numerous orders of knighthood. Knighthoods are not generally hereditary, the exceptions normally being for those Knights who act as the formal Imperial representative to a world. Fiefs almost never accompany knighthoods, but when included are always on a single world and are generally small. Other knights receive cash stipends or other financial rewards. Knights do not hold seats in the Moot, though some are present as proxies for other nobles.

Baronet or Baronetess - Iishakkunek (Anglic: Iishakkunek)

The next rank of Imperial Nobility granted by either the Emperor or an Archduke. Usually granted as an honor or ceremonial rank for service to the Imperium. The title of baronet is hereditary. Like knights, baronets often do not receive fiefs or specific responsibilities and are not members of the peerage. In general only Archdukes create Baronets, usually awarded to planetary nobility as a means of enhancing off-world prestige. Baronets (along with Barons) belong to the Baronage associated with the noble overlord to whom they owe fealty. There are thus eight Baronages, one for each of the seven Domains of the Imperium, as well as the Imperial Baronage associated with the Emperor personally as Emperor. Those baronets elevated as landed baronets by the Emperor in his role as Emperor are usually afforded representative and voting rights in the Moot, though they are still not properly considered peers. Such landed baronets generally are associated with worlds with the potential to become rich worlds or agro-production worlds. A landed baronet who manages to raise the trade-status of their pre-rich or pre-agricultural fief-world to that of rich or agricultural trade-status will often be elevated to Baron with the seigniorial land-grants of their baronetcy being directly converted and expanded into a baronial land grant (their seigniorial baronetcy title becoming submerged within the baronial title). Some lower Imperial admirals and generals are granted the honorary title of baronet without a fief or duties.

Baron or Baroness - Iishakku (Anglic: Iishakku)

The lowest rank accorded membership in the peerage and participation in the Moot, though only in the case of those Barons elevated by the Emperor as Imperial Barons, as opposed to those Barons elevated by Archdukes. Barons (along with Baronets) belong to the Baronage associated with the noble overlord to whom they owe fealty. There are thus eight Baronages, one for each of the seven Domains of the Imperium, as well as the Imperial Baronage associated with the Emperor personally as Emperor. A baron in the landed nobility usually has a grant of land on a single world. Such landed barons generally are associated with rich or agricultural worlds. Planetary nobility who rule a world are sometimes granted a barony on that world, partly as a courtesy and partly to give them a stake in the ruling of the empire. Ceremonial and Honour Nobility Barons typically serve in Imperial administrations or planetary governments. Higher Imperial admirals and generals are often granted the honorary title of baron without a fief or duties.

Marquis, Marchioness or Marquesa - Sarriiu (Anglic: Sarriiu)

An intermediate rank of nobility, a landed marquis is normally granted a fief associated with a world with the potential to become an industrial powerhouse with proper long-term oversight. Landed marquises' associated land grants can extend to a few other worlds within their local subsector. A landed marquis who manages to raise the status of their pre-industrial fief-world to that of full industrial trade-status will often be elevated directly to Count (skipping over Viscount altogether), with their marquisate land-grants being directly converted and expanded into a comital land grant (their marquisate title becoming submerged within the greater title). Ceremonial and landed marquises are sometimes found in minor leadership roles in local subsector bureaucracies. The title of Marquis has not been applied uniformly throughout the history of the Imperium. Historically the title was granted for different and varying reasons as compared to today, and at one time held precedence above that of Count.

Viscount or Viscountess - Kankhu (Anglic: Kankhu)

Another intermediate rank and not used everywhere in the Imperium. Landed viscounts are generally assigned to oversee worlds whose population is sufficiently high enough that they might become major population centers and centers of trade with proper long-term oversight and development of local infrastructure. Viscounts' land grants are often found on small clusters of two or three core worlds (including the primary fief-world) and/or a few other worlds of lesser importance within a subsector. A landed viscount who manages to raise the infrastructure status of their pre-high population fief-world to that of high population trade-status will often be elevated to Count with their vice comital land-grants being directly converted and expanded into a comital land grant (their vice comital title becoming submerged within the greater title). Viscounts are sometimes assigned to a mainworld within a cluster of worlds that do not otherwise have landed-noble marquises or barons. A viscount in this situation may be the only landed noble responsible for the worlds in his demesne. Ceremonial and landed viscounts are often found in leadership roles in local subsector bureaucracies.

Count, Countess, or Contessa - Shakkanakhu (Anglic: Shakkanakhu)

The next full rank of Imperial nobility, landed counts generally oversee high population and industrial worlds. Counts' associated land grants are often found primarily on clusters of two or three core worlds (including the primary fief-world) and/or several other worlds of lesser importance within a subsector (usually including territory on at least one reasonably important or high population world), with additional territories located on a few other worlds of lesser importance scattered across the rest of the associated sector. Ceremonial and landed counts are often found in leadership roles at the core of the local subsector or sector government bureaucracies.

Duke or Duchess - Saarpuhii (Anglic: Saarpuhii)

High Landed Dukes oversee worlds that the Imperium deems Important, and/or are associated with the world designated as the Imperial Subsector Capital (and granted the Imperial governorship over the entire subsector in such cases). In subsectors with several important worlds, there is usually more than one Duke and in such cases, the one associated with the Subsector Capital is noted as the Grand Duke or Subsector Duke. Within a sector, one of the Dukes (usually a Subsector Duke) rises to the position of Sector Duke, governing the Sector as a whole. The territories of dukes' associated land grants are often found on clusters of core worlds (including the primary fief-world) and other fairly important worlds within a subsector and extend to other worlds of greater or lesser importance scattered across the rest of the associated sector. Ceremonial dukes are often found in important high leadership roles usually at the core of sector government bureaucracies, or in some domain-level bureaucracies.

Archduke or Archduchess - Kibarad (Anglic: Kibarad)

Archduke is the highest rank of nobility below the Emperor. Each High Landed Archduke oversees one of the seven Domains of the Imperium. An archdukedom includes a fief of an entire world, sometimes (but not always) retained as a private reserve, as well as associated land grants found on clusters of core worlds (including the Domain-capital) and other worlds of greater or lesser importance scattered across the associated Domain (usually including territories on various important worlds and sector and subsector capitals). Though exceedingly rare (extending back to precedents established by Emperor Cleon I), Ceremonial Archdukes can be appointed at the Emperor's pleasure to act as his personal advisors and direct (non-voting) representatives within the Moot.

Prince or Princess - Saarpu (Anglic: Saarpu) or Galinir (Anglic: Galinir)

The title of Prince is granted to some of the relatives of the Emperor. It is granted (and revoked) only by an Imperial proclamation. There is no fief associated with the title, and the Princes are not members of the Moot. The title of Grand Prince Karand (Anglic: Karand) is granted to the one person who is the designated heir for the Emperor.

Emperor or Empress - Karun (Anglic: Karun)

The ruler of the Third Imperium, and the Archduke of the Domain of Sylea. The Emperor is not a member of the Moot, indeed has no right to attend any meetings of the Moot. The Emperor has no fief (the whole Imperium is their fief), though the World of Onon is held as a personal reserve of the Crown. Most emperors hold several titles (usually including the Archduke of Sylea, Marquis of Usdiki, and Baron of Sylea) and may have fiefs inherited from these other titles and may attend the Moot using one of these other titles. In such a case the Emperor is only accorded the dignity and precedence according to the title he is using while attending the Moot proceeding.