Editing Marquis

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A [[Marquis]] is a noble rank within the system of [[Imperial Nobility]] in the [[Third Imperium]]. 
* The [[Vilani (language)|Vilani]] term for Marquis is ''[[Sarriiu]]''.  

== Description ([[Specifications]]) ==
Worlds with the potential to become significant centers of industry with proper long-term oversight are assigned to a Marquis.
* Equipped with enough of a land grant to theoretically kick-start an industrial surge all by themselves, ''Landed Marquises'' are also given control of enough off-world territory to see to supply chains where those are necessary. 
* ''Ceremonial Marquises'' have administrative duties that generally encompass a [[Subsector]] or smaller grouping of worlds, depending upon the nature and importance of the office.  
* The Vilani term for ''Marquis'' is variously rendered either ''Sarriiu'' or ''Shakkanakhu''.
* The land grant of a ''Marquis'' is known as a ''Marquisate''.

=== Entitlement Synopsis ===
The third level of noble rank is the [[marquis]]. A Landed [[Marquis]] is associated with a single world (generally a pre-industrial one with a good starport). When a [[marquisate]] includes a fief, then the title is generally followed by the fief's or world's name, as in the ''[[Marquis of Aramis]]'' (or, alternatively, the ''Marquis Aramis'').  An individual accorded a [[marquisate]] may receive a grant of land on a single world and possibly a few minor territorial grants on other worlds in the same subsector. This generally amounts to no more than 1000 km<sup>2</sup>, and/or 8 terrain hexes primarily on the fief-world, and a few other mainworlds within the fief-world's subsector, with an associated non-mainworld terrain hex for each mainworld hex in the same respective system(s) if he has an appointment as an Imperial Landed Noble. Landed [[Marquis]] fiefs are generally granted to pre-Industrial worlds. <sup>*</sup>

: '''<sup>*</sup>''' - ''<small>It is an accepted expectation that a Marquis who raises a world from Pre-Industrial status to Industrial status will be elevated to Count (jumping over Viscount), with their marquisal land-grants being directly converted and expanded into a comital land grant (their marquisal title becoming submerged within the greater title). </small>'' <ref>T5 Noble Patent 8.5" x 11" forms (reverse side)</ref>

== History & Background ([[Dossier]]) ==
=== The Ziru Sirka ===
Under the [[Ziru Sirka|Old Vilani Imperium]], a ''Sarriiu'' was normally found as a governor in control of a number of lesser ''Shakkanakhu'' (literally "provincial governors"), and as a result ''Sarriiu'' is often translated “over-governor” or “supreme governor” by modern scholars.  Historically on [[Vland (world)|Vland]] there were never more than fifty ''sarriiu'', and although the colonization of other worlds increased the number of ''sarriiu'' dramatically, they were still often referred to collectively as ''The Fifty''. Their historical role on ancient [[Vland (world)|Vland]] was significant, since they formed one of the two major assemblies of nobles, the ''Dagiia'' (the "Council of Fifty") which assisted the kings who ruled ancient [[Vland (world)|Vland]].  

By the end of the [[Ziru Sirka|Vilani Imperium]], a ''Shakkanakhu'' or “provincial governor” was responsible for governing between one and twelve worlds. Modern authorities traditionally equate the [[Vilani]] ''shakkanakhu'' with a modern Imperial [[viscount]] or [[count]], although this is not entirely accurate. The only thing that can be said for certain is that several ''shakkanakhu'' were under the general authority of the next highest noble rank.  

The [[Vilani]] title ''sarriiu'' or “over-governor” is somewhat difficult to translate as there is no direct modern Imperial equivalent to the title. Various authorities have historically translated it as “[[marquis]]” or "[[viscount]]"/“[[count]]” depending on the magnitude of the fief or degree of authority involved, but both renderings are generally considered controversial.

=== The Third Imperium ===
Under the [[Sylean Federation]] the title of [[marquis]] was rather rare, and was little used during the early centuries of the [[Third Imperium]]. Most of the earliest [[marquis|marquises]] were actually [[Vilani]] ''sarriiu'' who were given the rank to distinguish them from [[baron|barons]]. The rank became more common during the fourth and fifth centuries [[Third Imperium|Imperial]] when the high-population worlds of the [[Old Expanses Sector|Old Expanses]] and [[Solomani Rim Sector|Solomani Rim]] sectors were being absorbed into the [[Third Imperium|Imperium]] in significant numbers. Today the rank remains somewhat of an oddity within the [[Third Imperium|Imperial]] system of nobility, and there are large regions of the [[Third Imperium|Imperium]] where there are fewer [[marquis|marquises]] than [[count|counts]].  

The [[marquis|marquises]] of the [[Third Imperium]] were virtually all landless in Year 0, often serving the [[Third Imperium|Imperium]] as diplomats or in middle management positions within the Imperial Bureaucracy or upper ranks in the newly formed [[Imperial Navy]].  As the early years of the [[Third Imperium]] drew on, the [[marquis]] eventually became associated with a primary world (generally a reasonably important one with industrial potential and a good starport) residing within a cluster of associated worlds, while a [[count]] (and later the reintroduced title of [[viscount]]) was often associated with a single reasonably important world or a scattering of backwater worlds. During this period the titles of [[viscount]] and [[count]] were generally considered somewhat inferior to that of [[marquis]]. However, as the [[Third Imperium|Imperium]] expanded, the [[viscount|viscounts]] and [[count|counts]] became increasingly important, especially as the importance of their associated worlds grew, and as they were given increasing authority over the administration of new associated territories. In particular, the old [[Vilani]] ''shakkanakhu'' families were critical to the continued functioning of the Imperium during the [[Civil War]].  [[Emperor]] [[Zhakirov]] conceded the realities of the situation that had evolved regarding the relative importance of the [[Imperial Nobility|noble titles]] in question, and reformed the [[Imperial Nobility|Imperial nobility]] in [[669]], promoting [[Third Imperium|Imperial]] [[viscount|viscounts]] and [[count|counts]] in precedence to a rank senior to that of [[marquis]]. 

In the [[Third Imperium]] the title of ''sarriiu'' has largely been replaced by [[marquis]], or in some cases [[viscount]] or [[count]], except in the oldest core sectors of [[Vland (world)|Vland]]. Even there, it is more common as a title conferred to one’s heir on his coming of age, rather than the main title of nobility; however, it is still not uncommon to hear of a [[marquis]] or [[count]] being referred to as ''sarriiu''. Interestingly, many worlds have adopted the term "''The Fifty''" as a modern term for “high society.”

==Astrography==
{{ClusterWorlds2}}

== See Also ==
{{:Referral-Tree-Imperial-Nobility}}
{{Referral-Tree-Third-Imperium}}

== References & Contributors (Sources) ==
{{Intermediate}}
{{Detail}}
{{Sources
|S1= {{Ludography cite|name= Library Data (N-Z) |page= 34-37}}
|S2= {{Ludography cite|name= Nobles }} 
|S3= {{Ludography cite|name= Imperial Encyclopedia }}
|S4= {{Ludography cite|name= Milieu 0 }}
|S5= {{Ludography cite|name= T5 Core Rules }}
|S6= {{Ludography cite|name= Imperiallines 7 |article= Nobility in the Third Imperium (Part One)|page= 4-7}}
|S8= {{Ludography cite|name= Library Data |version= Mongoose Traveller| page= TBD}}
|S9= {{Ludography cite|name= Agent of the Imperium }}
|S10= [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mRGZE7RZZJrchoaudEX9-wXeZTTJves6ohYiigK2STU/edit#gid=0 T5 Noble Patents List] [http://www.travellerrpg.com/CotI/Discuss/ CotI]
|S12= Author & Contributor: Lord (Marquis) and Master of Sophontology [[User:Maksim-Smelchak|Maksim-Smelchak]] of the [[Ministry of Science]] 
}}


{{LE|Imperial Nobles|Marquises}}