Difference between revisions of "Imperial Nobility"
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The third level of noble rank is the marquis. A marquis is associated with a single world (generally a large and important one with a type A or B starport). The title consists of the world name after the title, as in the Marquis of Aramis (or, alternatively, the Marquis Aramis). | The third level of noble rank is the marquis. A marquis is associated with a single world (generally a large and important one with a type A or B starport). The title consists of the world name after the title, as in the Marquis of Aramis (or, alternatively, the Marquis Aramis). | ||
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| − | The fourth level of noble rank is the | + | The fourth level of noble rank is the viscount, and is assoicated with two or three worlds within a subsector. The cluster of star system rarely contains any important, high population worlds. The title of Viscount is not used everywhere in the in the {{Imperium}}. It is most common in the Imperial core, and is rare in more recently settled regions such as the [[Spinward Marches Sector|Spinward Marches]]. |
====Count==== | ====Count==== | ||
Revision as of 00:34, 14 April 2008
The Imperial Nobility is a narrow class of persons at the upper strata of society who hold, either personally or through their family line, noble rank from the Emperor. All but the highest noble ranks (count, duke, archduke) can be awarded in recognition of achievement or preeminence in a field of endeavor.
The nobility includes within it a subset called the peerage, which consists of all nobles except knights and baronets. Except in extraordinary situations, to hold high office in the Imperial bureaucracy, a person must be a peer. Collectively, the peerage constitues the Moot, the Imperial government's only deliberative body.
Nobility is usually hereditary. Once confirmed by the Moot, a title continues to be passed down to succeeding generation. Titles need not pass through the first born (although this is the accepted practice), and individuals with several titles may devide them among their children as they see fit.
Noble rank can be revoked by the emperor, personally or thought the Moot. Reasons for such revocation are treason, murder, kidnapping, and extortion as well as other felonies. Incompetence can also be a reason. Occasionally, a noble rank will not be confirmed upon inheritance. All noble ranks within the peerage come from the emperor. The ability to create knights and baronets, however, is shared with the Archdukes of the Imperium.
Types of Nobles
Nobles in the Third Imperium can be divided into three types: honour (achievement), rank (position), and high (service). In general a noble's status is lower when he leaves his sphere of influence.
- Honour Nobles recieve patents from the emperor for heroism in the military, success in civil or commercial enterprise, or innovation and discovery in the sciences. Only patents for knights, baronets, barons and marquis may be issued for achievement.
- Rank Nobles are given because of a citizen's position. Rank nobilty belong to one of two subtypes.
- Local Nobility: Serve as Imperial representatives in systems that have a government somehow not conductive to administration by high nobility. Patents for rank nobles are typically hereditary, and are equivalent to barons and knights
- Administrators: Citizens who hold Imperial Office. Often they are administrators of worlds or territories with no formal Imperail representation. These patents are not hereditary as they are tied to a position. If they retire from that position they are allowed to continue to use the title, but it does not pass down.
- High Nobles are the smallest segment of the peerage, consisting of people beloning to old and powerful families. High noble titles are given for: "Political support in office, victory in the military, or contributions or economic assistance from the commerical sector" beyond any reasonable expectation. These nobles directly administer Imperial territories and are personal representatives of the Emperor. They manage and direct the Imperial Bureaucracy. Hereditary, high nobles are trained from birth to lead. High peers have precedence in the peerage, and even their barons are immensely powerful.
Noble Ranks
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 considered part of the nobility.)
Several aspects of noble rank are governed by a strict protocol, including title (the formal reference to the person in print or by reference), style (the method of addressing the individual personality), and precedence (the relative seniority of the individual among others). In addition, customary perquisites for each noble rank vary widely.
The noble title includes the allowed prefixes (such as Sir) and suffixes (such as "of Yori") to a name, and the order in which they are presented. The noble style dictates the manner in which a noble is addressed, including such honorifics as "Your Grace" or "Your Majesty".
Precedence is accorded strictly on the basis of government position, with seniority by date of patent following. The date of noble rank is taken from the date of confirmation when an inherited rank is assumed.
Noble ranks are generally conferred for achievement, service, or position. Ranks for achievement (heroism in the military, success in civil or commercial enterprise, innovation and discovery in the sciences) customarily carry no special reward beyond the noble title itself. Ranks for service (political support in office, victory in the military, contributions or economic assistance from the commercial sector) often carry with them fiefs. Enfeoffment is, however, a different process, and is granted by a separate letter of enfeoffment.
Ranks for position (occupying specific governmental offices) carry with them special privileges such as pensions. The specific perquisites, however, vary widely, often at the whim of the Emperor.
Knight
The lowest of noble ranks is knight, awarded as an honorific rank in recognition of achievement or service. A knighthood entitles the individual to use the prefix Sir (some females prefer Dame, but such usage is obsolete) before the name, and to suffix the initials of the order of knighthood after the name. Knighthood is awarded within an order. Several dozen orders of knighthood exist within the Imperium. Some are restricted to specific classes of individuals, such as members of the Imperial Family, racial Aslan, racial Vargr, or other special groups. Others are awarded for specific achievement or service, or for holding specific positions within the government. Still others are broadly based orders into which most new knights are inducted.
The most common orders of knighthood in the Imperium are the Order of the Emperor's Guard, established in 52 and originally limited to the Emperor's personal retainers but now of wide and diverse membership, and the Order of Starship and Crown, established in 17. More exclusive orders have also been established: the Order of Hlyuea (established to honor loyal Aslan citizens), the Order of Gvadakoung (established to honor loyal Vargr citizens), and the Honorable Order of the Arrow, (established to recognize interstellar explorers). The domains each have orders named for them: The Order of Antares, the Order of Vland, the Order of Sylea, the Order of Sol, the Order of the Gateway, and the Order of Deneb. Of these, the Order of Sylea is administered by the Emperor himself (as de facto Archduke of Sylea); the Order of Deneb has never been used, as no Archduke of Deneb has ever been named.
Baronet
Intermediate between the first and second level of noble rank is the baronet. Baronet is a special form of baron awarded by an archduke of one of the domains of the Imperium. Baronets rank below barons in seniority and precedence. Although the Emperor can create baronets (either as Emperor or in his capacity as Archduke of Sylea), in practice they are created only by the archdukes. A baronetcy entitles the individual to use the prefix Baronet before the name.
Baron
The second level of noble rank is the baron, the lowest level accorded membership in the peerage. Barons are referred to in several different styles including the use of prefixes to the surname (such as von, haut, or hault) and or the title Baron (or Baroness for females). An individual accorded a barony for service may receive a fief of land on a single world, generally not more than 100 square kilometers. When a barony includes a fief, then the title is generally followed by the fief's name (such as Baron Solvenos).
Marquis
The third level of noble rank is the marquis. A marquis is associated with a single world (generally a large and important one with a type A or B starport). The title consists of the world name after the title, as in the Marquis of Aramis (or, alternatively, the Marquis Aramis).
Viscount
The fourth level of noble rank is the viscount, and is assoicated with two or three worlds within a subsector. The cluster of star system rarely contains any important, high population worlds. The title of Viscount is not used everywhere in the in the Imperium. It is most common in the Imperial core, and is rare in more recently settled regions such as the Spinward Marches.
Count
The fifth level of noble rank is the count, and is associated with two or three worlds within a subsector. Counts are referred to by their title followed by the individual's surname or by the name of one of the worlds within the county.
Duke
The sixth level of noble rank is the duke, and is associated with a subsector. The noble is referred to by the title followed by "of" and the subsector name. The power of the duke depends on circumstances and the situation within the sector, but generally one duke within a sector rises to power and comes to be the sector duke, the ruler of that sector. No special title is awarded to a sector duke.
Archduke
Each of the six original domains has an archduke exercising overall control and acting as an intermediary between the Emperor and the other levels of nobility (except for the domain of Sylea, where the Emperor is the archduke). They are referred to by the title Archduke followed by the title of the domain. An archdukedom includes a fief consisting of an entire world, generally retained as a private reserve.
Emperor
Above the range of noble ranks is the Emperor and the Imperial family. The Emperor is the ultimate object of thousands of oaths of loyalty and fealty.
Fiefs
Patents of nobility, especially for service, may include fiefs of land. Fiefs are granted in a Letter of Enfeoffment separate from the patent of nobility. Fiefs are granted to the individual at the discretion of the Emperor and remain the Emperor's possessions. However, the fief conveys the right to use the land, to rent or lease it out and collect income from it. The fief is a convenient method for the Emperor to reward certain nobles. The size of the fief depends upon how great an income the Emperor wishes to award a noble, and the location of the fief itself. A knight with a fief consisting of several hundred square kilometers of sparsely settled wilderness and one with a single hectare of the business district of a city can be considered to hold equal fiefs. Hereditary nobles have often had the fief in their family for generations, and have built it up in value and income potential. Some sites at the capital generate considerable income each year. Other fiefs have been administered with great care to ensure that the territory be not only valuable, but also tastefully used. Still others have been exploited ruthlessly in mining or industrial pursuits. Completely separate from fiefs, a noble may own land obtained from other sources (inheritance, purchase, and so forth). These lands remain the property of their owner even if his title is revoked, and can be disposed of separately from fiefs.
The Nobility Lists
The bulk of patents of nobility are published on one of two lists annually. The Holiday List is published on Holiday, the first day of the new year, and covers awards for achievement. The Birthday List is published on the Emperor's birthday (Strephon's is day 202) and covers awards for service. Continuing awards for position are given out as called for by circumstances.