Lorsh
Varlot
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Royalty & Nobility
The King is the highest authority in the land, and grand ruler of Carmondy. The senior caste of nobility is known as the peerage, who hold land (feodums) directly from the king. Peers are referred to as 'my lord', with the exception of dukes, who are 'your grace'. The Dukes are the top figures of the peerage, and are almost always of at least some royal blood. The kingdom is separated into the capital, and the north, middle, east and west duchies. Within the duchies are several Earls who control administrative divisions known as shires, which have the rest of the old landowning Barons (though Barons may vary greatly in measure of actual importance. Baronies in Midduch are known for being disorganized and scattered, while they are laid out in orderly fashion in Wessuch). Though all of these ranks hold land directly from the king, the barons usually report to their earls, and the earls report to their dukes for most matters.
The lowest-ranking nobles are not members of the peerage, and carry no substantive rank beyond the title of 'lord'. For all intents and purposes, they are referred to as Lordlings, though the term is informal at best and insulting at worst. Lordlings serve as the direct vassals of more powerful lords, usually earls and barons, and pay taxes and services to them. They may rule over a sub-feodum, land that has been meted out to them by their liege lord. A lordling may be a Knight Banneret, who is commander of several knights and/or the war advisor to a baron.
Gentry
The Gentry do not have a title of nobility, but they are high-born and well-bred regardless, possessing a family coat of arms. They are usually the younger sons of lordlings, or distant relatives to lower-ranking peers. Many members of the Gentry are Knights and are therefore referred to as 'sir'. At a minimum, the knight is expected to be turned out to his lord (when called upon) with proper weapons, armor and a war horse, as well as a few similarly equipped squires. Powerful knights, especially bannerets, are usually expected to bring archers, footmen, wagons, camp followers, etc. A soldier belonging to the gentry who is not a knight is called a man-at-arms.
Urban Classes
Most (walled) cities and large towns are protected under royal charter, and are guaranteed several liberties that rural areas lack. They generally have the freedom to manage their own affairs, free from the meddling of local nobility. In the early Human Age, the freemen living in walled settlements, mostly artisans, merchants and craftsmen, swore mutual defense pacts to ward off outlaws and lawless nobles. These townsfolk would eventually petition the king for protection and independence from his lords. The ancient kings typically took up these offers, as it centralized their power, and gave them the right to exact a royal tax in exchange for the towns' freedoms. An elected official generically known as the townmaster rules the town with the king's consent, usually holding the title of Lord-Governor (city) or Burgomaster (town), though many towns have their own variations on titles for their townmaster. The townmaster is assisted by several other officials, such as a watch captain, chamberlain, secretary, etc. These men are typically Burghers, a class comprised of the most powerful merchants, guildmasters, and members of the town's urban gentry. They form a Burghal Council in most towns, and heavily influence the townmaster. Chartered towns and cities may have either a professional town guard, or a general militia comprised of the citizens who are required to bear arms.
It should be kept in mind that feudal towns exist (though they tend to be smaller), and are usually ruled by an earl or baron. The inhabitants are almost always freemen, but they lack chartered protection from the king, and are answerable to their lord. The lord, however, usually grants them some degree of license in order to prevent migration to other areas. Burghal Councils usually exist even in feudal towns.
There are also some towns that are somewhat of a mix of feudal and chartered. Over time, some urbanities have seen the rise of town-specific dynasties, separate from the rural barons, but still styling themselves as hereditary nobles in charge of the town and its people. This is usually the result of a lordling being better suited to protect the town, or if the townmaster is overthrown or replaced by the king. These Townlords hold no domains other than their town and its hinterland, and either serve as vassals to another lord, or as vassals to the king and members of the peerage. Even though the nobility rules these dynastic towns, many of the citizens' rights are unchanged, and the Burghal Council heavily influences the townlord. Sometimes, a townmaster is still elected, more as a figurehead.
Rural Classes
Yeomen are freemen who are particularly well-to-do freeholders, usually with a decent amount of land and a stately country home to their name. They make up the rural middle class, and often serve in local manorial positions such as steward, bailiff, or captain of militia.
Rural folk who are not bound to a master are known as Free Peasants, a type of freeman. Like serfs, they often live as a tenant to a local manor, except they pay fewer taxes, lower rents, and are bound by fewer laws. They do not need permission to get married, or to travel between villages. Free peasants can grow whatever crops they please. Though they are free, they are still often poor. Sometimes (although rarely) a serf will even become wealthier than a free peasant. Military drafts are often imposed on free peasants, unless they are too poor to provide arms or armor to themselves. The local lord usually appoints a captain of militia or steward to inspect free families for this reason.
The lowest folk on the social ladder are the Serfs (with anyone who is not a serf being a Freeman). The serfs are bonded to a particular landed gentleman, knight, or lord, who rules out of the local manor and acts as the serfs' master and protector. The serf cannot leave the land without their master's permission, and must pay him taxes in crops. Serfs are permitted to sell surplus crops to the market, and although they are more or less owned by their master, they are sometimes able to accumulate personal property and wealth regardless. Because serfs have the right to protection from their master, and are generally too poor to acquire arms or armor, freemen are actually much more likely to be drafted as soldiers. If serfs must be raised as soldiers, it is almost always as a temporary militia and nothing else. Serfs can be appointed to the position of village reeve, which acts similar to a foreman and supervisor in the fields. The reeve is also in charge of keeping track of supplies using tally marks (since they are often illiterate).
Misc. Appointments & Titles
Lord High Constable: The commander of the royal armies in times of war.
Lord High Corporal: The deputy of the Lord High Constable.
Lord Admiral: The commander of the royal naval fleet.
High Alderman: A member of the King's inner council.
Sheriff: A royal official in charge of justice in an earldom or shire. They usually cooperate with an earl or baron.
Constable: Lower-level constables act as the war advisors to earls, and the men in charge of rallying the troops in his domains.
High Reeve / Portreeve / High Magistrate: Alternate townmaster titles.
Watch Captain: The commander of the guards and local militia of a town or city.
Captain of Militia: An appointment to a rural feodum, usually held by a yeoman. They are in charge of inspecting the weapons of local freemen, and determining who is fit to serve in the militia.
Steward: The right-hand-man of a master, in charge of his estates. The steward may have to manage multiple feodums at once, so he works closely with the bailiffs.
Bailiff: An employee of the feodum's master who holds the manorial court, serves as a clerk, collects fines and rents, and looks after the village buildings.
Reeve: The chief serf of the manor who is responsible for meeting quotas and managing the villagers.
Royalty & Nobility
The King is the highest authority in the land, and grand ruler of Carmondy. The senior caste of nobility is known as the peerage, who hold land (feodums) directly from the king. Peers are referred to as 'my lord', with the exception of dukes, who are 'your grace'. The Dukes are the top figures of the peerage, and are almost always of at least some royal blood. The kingdom is separated into the capital, and the north, middle, east and west duchies. Within the duchies are several Earls who control administrative divisions known as shires, which have the rest of the old landowning Barons (though Barons may vary greatly in measure of actual importance. Baronies in Midduch are known for being disorganized and scattered, while they are laid out in orderly fashion in Wessuch). Though all of these ranks hold land directly from the king, the barons usually report to their earls, and the earls report to their dukes for most matters.
The lowest-ranking nobles are not members of the peerage, and carry no substantive rank beyond the title of 'lord'. For all intents and purposes, they are referred to as Lordlings, though the term is informal at best and insulting at worst. Lordlings serve as the direct vassals of more powerful lords, usually earls and barons, and pay taxes and services to them. They may rule over a sub-feodum, land that has been meted out to them by their liege lord. A lordling may be a Knight Banneret, who is commander of several knights and/or the war advisor to a baron.
Gentry
The Gentry do not have a title of nobility, but they are high-born and well-bred regardless, possessing a family coat of arms. They are usually the younger sons of lordlings, or distant relatives to lower-ranking peers. Many members of the Gentry are Knights and are therefore referred to as 'sir'. At a minimum, the knight is expected to be turned out to his lord (when called upon) with proper weapons, armor and a war horse, as well as a few similarly equipped squires. Powerful knights, especially bannerets, are usually expected to bring archers, footmen, wagons, camp followers, etc. A soldier belonging to the gentry who is not a knight is called a man-at-arms.
Urban Classes
Most (walled) cities and large towns are protected under royal charter, and are guaranteed several liberties that rural areas lack. They generally have the freedom to manage their own affairs, free from the meddling of local nobility. In the early Human Age, the freemen living in walled settlements, mostly artisans, merchants and craftsmen, swore mutual defense pacts to ward off outlaws and lawless nobles. These townsfolk would eventually petition the king for protection and independence from his lords. The ancient kings typically took up these offers, as it centralized their power, and gave them the right to exact a royal tax in exchange for the towns' freedoms. An elected official generically known as the townmaster rules the town with the king's consent, usually holding the title of Lord-Governor (city) or Burgomaster (town), though many towns have their own variations on titles for their townmaster. The townmaster is assisted by several other officials, such as a watch captain, chamberlain, secretary, etc. These men are typically Burghers, a class comprised of the most powerful merchants, guildmasters, and members of the town's urban gentry. They form a Burghal Council in most towns, and heavily influence the townmaster. Chartered towns and cities may have either a professional town guard, or a general militia comprised of the citizens who are required to bear arms.
It should be kept in mind that feudal towns exist (though they tend to be smaller), and are usually ruled by an earl or baron. The inhabitants are almost always freemen, but they lack chartered protection from the king, and are answerable to their lord. The lord, however, usually grants them some degree of license in order to prevent migration to other areas. Burghal Councils usually exist even in feudal towns.
There are also some towns that are somewhat of a mix of feudal and chartered. Over time, some urbanities have seen the rise of town-specific dynasties, separate from the rural barons, but still styling themselves as hereditary nobles in charge of the town and its people. This is usually the result of a lordling being better suited to protect the town, or if the townmaster is overthrown or replaced by the king. These Townlords hold no domains other than their town and its hinterland, and either serve as vassals to another lord, or as vassals to the king and members of the peerage. Even though the nobility rules these dynastic towns, many of the citizens' rights are unchanged, and the Burghal Council heavily influences the townlord. Sometimes, a townmaster is still elected, more as a figurehead.
Rural Classes
Yeomen are freemen who are particularly well-to-do freeholders, usually with a decent amount of land and a stately country home to their name. They make up the rural middle class, and often serve in local manorial positions such as steward, bailiff, or captain of militia.
Rural folk who are not bound to a master are known as Free Peasants, a type of freeman. Like serfs, they often live as a tenant to a local manor, except they pay fewer taxes, lower rents, and are bound by fewer laws. They do not need permission to get married, or to travel between villages. Free peasants can grow whatever crops they please. Though they are free, they are still often poor. Sometimes (although rarely) a serf will even become wealthier than a free peasant. Military drafts are often imposed on free peasants, unless they are too poor to provide arms or armor to themselves. The local lord usually appoints a captain of militia or steward to inspect free families for this reason.
The lowest folk on the social ladder are the Serfs (with anyone who is not a serf being a Freeman). The serfs are bonded to a particular landed gentleman, knight, or lord, who rules out of the local manor and acts as the serfs' master and protector. The serf cannot leave the land without their master's permission, and must pay him taxes in crops. Serfs are permitted to sell surplus crops to the market, and although they are more or less owned by their master, they are sometimes able to accumulate personal property and wealth regardless. Because serfs have the right to protection from their master, and are generally too poor to acquire arms or armor, freemen are actually much more likely to be drafted as soldiers. If serfs must be raised as soldiers, it is almost always as a temporary militia and nothing else. Serfs can be appointed to the position of village reeve, which acts similar to a foreman and supervisor in the fields. The reeve is also in charge of keeping track of supplies using tally marks (since they are often illiterate).
Misc. Appointments & Titles
Lord High Constable: The commander of the royal armies in times of war.
Lord High Corporal: The deputy of the Lord High Constable.
Lord Admiral: The commander of the royal naval fleet.
High Alderman: A member of the King's inner council.
Sheriff: A royal official in charge of justice in an earldom or shire. They usually cooperate with an earl or baron.
Constable: Lower-level constables act as the war advisors to earls, and the men in charge of rallying the troops in his domains.
High Reeve / Portreeve / High Magistrate: Alternate townmaster titles.
Watch Captain: The commander of the guards and local militia of a town or city.
Captain of Militia: An appointment to a rural feodum, usually held by a yeoman. They are in charge of inspecting the weapons of local freemen, and determining who is fit to serve in the militia.
Steward: The right-hand-man of a master, in charge of his estates. The steward may have to manage multiple feodums at once, so he works closely with the bailiffs.
Bailiff: An employee of the feodum's master who holds the manorial court, serves as a clerk, collects fines and rents, and looks after the village buildings.
Reeve: The chief serf of the manor who is responsible for meeting quotas and managing the villagers.
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this is nice.
