Nobility
Ruling King / Queen
The ruler of the entire realm, with authority to command anything to happen in his Kingdom. In practice, a King always rules at the sufferance of his senior nobles. Much of the job involves keeping them contented enough so that they don’t attempt an assassination or coup. Inheritance of the title descends upon their eldest legitimate children, be they male or female. If there are no surviving children, then a vote of the Crown Council determines the successor. The King or Queen can elect to remove one of their children from the succession if they feel them to be unfit. Be they King or Queen, the ruler must be possessing of the blood of the Arilanian line unless no such person exists.
King / Queen Consort
The spouse of the ruling King or Queen holds the title of King or Queen consort, and has no ruling authority except as Regent in the event that the ruler dies and the child is not yet of age. However, they hold the highest social esteem in the realm other than the ruler, and it is generally considered best to accommodate them whenever possible. Sometimes, the ruling King or Queen will assign them subordinate duties and even give them some official title or position within the realm.
Dowager King / Queen Consort
If a ruler dies, his King or Queen consort gains the title of Dowager King or Queen Consort once the succession or Regency is settled and concluded. They become a living memorial of the ruler who has passed. Although this title carries no special powers, it is considered to be a high social status position, and the Dowager King or Queen will often be allowed to live at the palace and be granted a number of servants and guards, while conducting the remainder of their lives in the lap of luxury. If they choose to remarry, they lose this exalted social status.
Prince / Princess
Children of the King and Queen. May or may not have additional duties, or may be idle nobles waiting for their turn to inherit. The eldest is usually well protected as they are next in line to the throne. The younger princes and princesses will often be utilized in political marriages to cement alliances or curry influence with foreign nations or powerful Dutchies that the King wishes to cement the allegiance of.
Duke / Duchess
The rulers of the Great Houses, each commanding a Dutchy, which is a formidable tract of the Kingdom with subordinate Marches, Counties, and Baronies. Dukes or Duchesses will often have palaces that are only rivaled by the Royal palace of the King and Queen. A Dutchy may employ up to 200 knights, along with up to 20,000 soldiers (not including house guards, town guards, and constables.) In practice, the employment of soldiers is usually reserved for times of war, and standing armies of notable size are only maintained at Marches by the Marquis or Marquessa who rule it. Dukes are taxed ten percent of their income to provide for the realm’s upkeep.
Marquis / Marchioness
The ruler of a 'March.' Marches are Counties of elevated significance because they hold defense importance. They often border other nations, or control major points of ingress or egress that will prove vital in a time of war. A March will have its headquarters in a grand castle with a military bent, and may control additional subordinate fortifications. Marches vary in size depending on the defensive needs of a realm. Often, adjacent Counties are required to pay a tribute to Marches for the protection the March offers, as the March is often not in a position to provide an income sufficient to its defense needs. Marches may employ significant military or navy forces (under the watchful eye of the King and his Chancellor.) A March may contain up to 50 knights and up to 1,000 soldiers in a standing army, not including constables, house guards, and other armed civilian forces who keep the peace at all times. They may recruit an additional 5,000 soldiers in a time of war. Marches are unique in not being taxed due to the costs they incur in the defense of the realm.
Count / Countess
Rulers of a County, a tract of territory which is not a prime military target or defense zone. Often less military in nature, Counties will tend to be geared primarily for economic benefit. Counts will often hold castles which are more cosmetic than practical. A County may maintain up to 25 knights at all times and up to 1,000 soldiers in a time of war, in addition to constables, guards, and other armed civilian forces who keep the peace at all times. Counties pay 10% of their income to adjacent Marches and 10% of their income to their Duke or Duchess.
Ritter / Rittess
A heritable Knighthood, and the lowest rank of heritable nobility. The creation of a Ritter is within the power of nobles of higher rank, and their number counts against the number of Knights a territory may command. Ritters are not elevated lightly. Creating a heritable knighthood implies a great deal of faith in the loyalty and capability of a particular family. Ritters often command important keeps and manage towns or resources like forests or mines. They may employ town guards, or hire guards for their keeps, and might raise a force of up to 100 soldiers from the local peasantry in times of war. Ritters receive 10% of the taxes from the region they are assigned to manage and protect. The remainder goes to their Lord.
Lord / Lady
A generic noble title granted to the sons and daughters of nobles, who have not themselves ascended to or earned a title of their own. They technically outrank any knight because their nobility is inherited. These nobles may have small personal security forces or bodyguards, and guards for their homes or estates if they have them. If they earn a personal income from some source, they owe half of it to their parents’ estate. More often, they are ‘takers’ who receive a stipend from their parent and attend social functions as needed to uphold family honor.
Knight / Dame
A non-heritable Knighthood, and the only rank of non-heritable nobility. Knights are elevated for their lifetimes, often because they have proved themselves worthy in some particular. Knights will sometimes be placed in command of small keeps or fortifications overlooking villages or important roads, and are tasked to keep order in their communities when other duties do not call them away. They may employ village militia or guards for their keep, and might raise a force of up to 50 soldiers from the peasants of their community in times of war. Knights receive stipends from their lords sufficient for the maintenance of their weapons, armor, a squire, and two horses. Any income they earn is otherwise taxed at 50%, granted to their Lord.
High Office
Chancellor
The most significant administrative office of the realm, the Chancellor manages much of the Kingdom's operations for the King, and heads the King's Council, which is filled with Dukes and Duchesses or their appointed representatives and advises the King on important matters of state. The Chancellor is often, but not always, a Duke or Duchess of the realm himself. In cases where the Chancellor is a Duke or Duchess, they will often leave the administration of their Dutchy to an elder child who may also sit on the Council to represent the Dutchy while the Chancellor represents the King's interests. This is obviously a potentially lucrative position for one of the Dutchies to be in.
Royal Counselor
The members of the Royal Council are either Dukes and Duchesses or the appointed representatives of Dukes or Duchesses. They advise the King on matters of state, and also vote in matters where succession is uncertain. In addition to these duties, they are each assigned one additional role: Treasurer (ensures the collection of taxes and advises on the spending of the realm’s funds), Minister of War (advises on matters of defense, and will often help direct an overall strategy of the realm’s forces), Minister of Trade (assures favorable trade agreements and trade tariffs for the realm), Minister of Peace (manages diplomatic envoys and negotiations with foreign lands, and Minister of Secrets (manages a nationwide spy network, and the spies who penetrate foreign territories, as well as efforts to resist the spies of foreign nations.) They are all managed by the Chancellor, who directs their efforts on behalf of the King. Royal Counselors carry a special authority according to their role, and a high social status on account of their position and the fact that they have the ear of the highest power in the land.
Royal Guard
The King typically maintains a Royal Guard of 100 knights elevated from among the knights of the realm, often chosen for winning tourneys, or to honor loyal lords by having a member of their House elevated into the esteemed position. Knights of the Royal Guard are sometimes deployed on special assignments for the sovereign, and sometimes muster as an elite force in the field, fighting under the King’s Banner and/or in his company. To be a Knight appointed to the Royal Guard is among the highest stations a Knight can hold. Knights of the Royal Guard receive a stipend from the crown for the maintenance of their weapons, armor, a squire, a servant, and four horses. Knights of the Royal Guard are not expected to earn other income, but if they do, it is tax-free… a loophole sometimes abused.
Succession
For nobles other than the ruling King or Queen, succession passes from the ruling parent to their eldest child. In the event that there is no surviving child, succession passes to the eldest Aunt or Uncle on the ruling parent’s side of the family. The spouse of the ruling parent will often act as regent until succession can be officially enacted. If the ruling noble must be away, they will often pass a chancellorship of House operations to their spouse. In any event, the spouse of a ruling noble is typically accorded a degree of respect and obedience unofficially even when they hold no official authority.
Commoners in Brydd
Appointed Freemen
Appointed Freemen have been fortunate enough to be appointed to a civil service position by a Lord. This allows them to ‘borrow’ authority from the Lord they serve. Their appointed position may include being Magistrates in a region where the Lord chooses not to hear legal petitions personally, Bailiffs, Constables, Town Guardsmen, and Recorders, or any other position a Lord may invent to suit his needs. An appointed freeman may leave his position at will, but such positions are highly coveted and are likely to be the most lucrative position most freemen will ever achieve. Appointed Freemen are seldom asked to attend the social functions of the elite, but they do regularly associate with their Lords professionally in the course of their duties. Generally, Appointed Freemen are only employed when a suitable low-ranking noble is not available to perform a particular service, or the service required is considered beneath them.
Freemen
This is a commoner who is tied to no Lord by a term of service, though they are of course subject to the rulings of any Lord’s land in which they find themselves. Freemen may purchase leases of land in a Lord’s territory, or even own land outright if a Lord decides to sell it to them. By custom, landed freemen gain a social standing beyond that of other commoners, and may even associate with nobles at some social functions without causing scandal. Often, freemen are professionals or merchants.
Peasant / Smallfolk
A peasant is the lowest class of commoner, other than a common prisoner. They promise themselves to a Lord’s land for a number of years, and are thereby leased a tract of land which they work for the Lord and hand over 50% of its product every year. The remainder they may use or trade as they see fit in the markets. Peasants have few recognized rights beyond choosing which Lord’s invitation to accept, or to leave service at the end of their promised time. Crimes between peasants are adjudicated by the local Lord, or the particular freeman assigned to the role of local Magistrate. Crimes against peasants by Nobles tend to go unpunished except in the case of a peasant rebellion. Crimes against peasants by Freemen are considered a crime against the Lord to whom they are promised.