Generations/Lore/Realms

Division of Land and Rulership

Different cultures divide and rule the land differently. I am going to employ a simplified and unified format for royalty, nobility, and land division to keep things relatively simple and uniform across similar cultures. I will now go into the royal and noble ranks, and what land divisions they rule over, for purposes of the story, by culture.

Western Rulership

The format for titles below is: Masculine Title / Feminine Title / Neutral Title

• Emperor / Empress / Empressor: An emperor rules over an empire. They are imperial, and thus higher in status than royals. An empire is composed of multiple kingdoms. Not all kingdoms belong to empires.
• King / Queen / Quing: A king rules over a kingdom. They are royal, and thus higher in status than nobles, but lower than imperials. A kingdom is composed of multiple duchies. Imperial princes and princesses may rule a kingdom, in which case they are called king, or queen. Kings are greater in status than imperial princes, unless that prince is also a king, in which case they are lower in status.
• Imperial Prince / Princess / Princeor: An imperial prince is the child of an emperor. They often don't rule over anything, instead they await their time as emperor. They are imperial, and thus higher in status than royals.
• Duke / Duchess / Duch: A duke rules over a duchy. They are royal, and thus higher in status than nobles, but lower than imperials. A duchy is composed of multiple counties. A very large duchy may be ruled by an archduke, who is higher in status than a duke. Royal princes and princesses may rule a duchy, but they keep their title as prince / princess. Dukes are greater in status than princes, unless that prince is also a duke, in which case they are lower in status.
• Royal Prince / Princess / Princeor: A royal prince is the child of a king. They often don't rule over anything, instead they await their time as king or queen. They are royal, and thus higher in status than nobles, but lower than imperials. The prince or princess due to inherit the throne is referred to as the crown prince or crown princess.
• Ducal Prince / Princess / Princeor: A ducal prince is the child of a duke. They often don't rule over anything, instead they await their time as duke or duchess. They are noble, and thus higher in status than freemen, but lower than royals.
• Count / Countess / Counteor: A count rules over a county. They are noble, and thus higher in status than freemen, but lower than royals. A county is composed of multiple baronies. A small county with no baronies is ruled by a viscount / viscountess / viscounteor, which is a lower rank than count. Some kingdoms use the title marquis / marchioness / marquiseor in place of count. Some kingdoms use the title earl / countess / earleor in place of count.
• Baron / Baroness / Baroneor: A baron rules a barony. They are noble, and thus higher in status than freemen, but lower than royals. A barony is generally defined by a town of size and it's surrounding land and villages. Small towns and villages may be within the lands of a large town's barony, and thus under its rule.
• Lord / Lady / Laerd: A lord rules a town that is not large enough to support a barony. They are minor nobles, and thus higher in status than freemen, but lower than nobles.
• Knight: A knight doesn't rule unless they are also a lord. They are minor nobles, and thus higher in status than freemen, but lower than nobles.
• Mayor: A mayor is a freeman that rules in villages. They are usually either appointed by the local baron or lord, or they are elected by the citizenry, depending on the kingdom.
• Freeman: A freeman owns land.
• Surf: A surf doesn't own land, and usually works the land for others. They are almost slaves.
• Slave: A slave has little to no rights, and is the property of their master. Not all kingdoms permit slavery.