The following chart shows the ranks of political power within the city. In general, the higher up on the list, the more powerful the individual within the city. However, the Nobles will always have special favors and connections that others will not have.
Nobility
King (Sovereign)
The king of Aldhaven is the de facto, autocratic ruler of the city. His word is absolute law. The king is always male, and the nobility will not allow this tradition to be altered for any reason. The king’s wife is titled queen, but she has no legal political power beyond her personal influence as queen.
He has no direct control of lands by virtue of his title, though he may personally own lands. However, in the case of transition from another noble position to king. For instance, at the end of a dynasty, the ascending king must forfeit all hereditary lands and titles, and his former position is assumed by the next in line, barring immediate descendants who become part of the royal family.
While the king and his family own no hereditary lands, he holds the city of Aldhaven itself in his personal control, much like landed nobility. He also has direct control of any vassal city-states in a similar though less prominent way. The Council Chairman of each city’s council reports directly to the king.
The king and queen are addressed as “your majesty.”
Prince/Princess
This title is held in reserve for the descendants of the king. The wife of the heir apparent receives the title of Princess as well; however, the spouses of the children who are not the immediate heir to the throne do not. A princess born to the king is never in the line for succession, and her husband never receives the title of prince. The children of princes and princesses do not receive titles through birth, unless their father ascends to kingship. The families lacking titles are entitled to the honorific of Lord or Lady, as all nobility may be called.
The royal family does not own hereditary lands, but the children are often highly involved with the governance of the city as well as functioning as diplomats to allied cities and working closely with the Alliance Council and Aldhaven city council.
Princes and Princesses, as well as their spouses and children, are addressed as “your royal highness.”
Archduke
The ruler pro tempore of Aldhaven. The archduke personally rules over the lands immediately surrounding the city, the titular Archduchy of Aldhaven. The city itself is ruled by the royal family, but the remaining lands by the archduke. As ruler pro tempore, the archduke serves in the position of king in the king’s absence and is the heir apparent in the cases where a natural born heir of the king is nonexistent or otherwise incapable of assuming the throne.
The archduke and archduchess are addressed as “your grand ducal highness.”
Duke/Duchess
The dukes of the nation hold large areas of land, generally with at least one large town or small city serving as the duchy’s seat. Though typically smaller than real world historical duchies, they still control vast areas of land and many small villages. Most of the ducal families are descended from the sons of the first king of Aldhaven, and as such are in the line of succession should something dire occur. However, their chances of taking the throne are rather low, as all of the king’s male children as well as the archduke and his male children must be exhausted before the dukes have any chance at succession.
Dukes are addressed as “your grace.”
Marquis/Marquise
Marquis hold the same position as counts; however, the marquis’ lands are on the outer borders of the nation. Therefore, they have higher prestige honors in the nation and stronger legal and military powers in their own lands as they serve as the first line of defense against invasion. Within the noble council, however, they hold only the same political power as a count. A marquis’ lands usually contain a few baronies, and he has direct command over those barons during times of war though not at other times.
Marquis are addressed as “my lord” or “your lady,” never “my lady” unless the speaker is directly and closely related.
Count (Earl)/Countess
Count and Earl are the same title, coming from different original languages. They hold small tracts of hereditary land, generally no more than a single town or collection of villages and surrounding lands. They have limited political power within the noble council, generally requiring a number of them to work together to equal the influence of a duke. The title of count is often hereditary, but this is not guaranteed. The king may, at any time, remove a count’s title and lands to bestow them on another.
Counts are addressed as “my lord” or “your lady,” never “my lady” unless the speaker is directly and closely related.
Viscount/Viscountess
A viscount usually holds only a very small tract of land, generally a small village or hamlet. They usually function more as a mayor rather than as a lord. Most viscounts have to work with a village reeve or a small council of elders in their town to run it effectively, though there is often very little for them to do. Their primary job is to collect taxes in their viscounty and forward the funds to the king.
Viscounts are addressed as “my lord” or “your lady,” never “my lady” unless the speaker is directly and closely related.
Baron/Baroness
A baron holds the smallest tract of hereditary land conferred by a noble tile, usually limited to a single fortress or other stronghold and the surrounding farmlands which directly support the stronghold. Baron is more of a military title than one of true nobility, and one is usually charged with holding a small standing military force of armored knights and other heavy warriors for defense of the nation. They hold very little political power outside of their own estates.
Barons are addressed as “my lord” or “your lady,” never “my lady” unless the speaker is directly and closely related.
Baronet
A baronet is exactly the same rank as baron, except that the title is non-hereditary. It is typically earned through a distinguished military career as is the lowest rank of nobility with the power to vote on the nobles’ council.
Knight/Dame
This is a non-hereditary title conferred as an honor by the king (or sometimes archduke with the king’s approval) on someone who has distinguished himself in service of the crown. A knight is entitled to attend the noble’s council but may not vote or even speak out during such unless directly addressed. No lands or other benefits are associated with the title.
A knight is addressed as “Ser [name]” or “Dame [name],” never lord or lady.