Pony civilization was originally feudal, developing into several mature constitutional monarchies by the Golden Age, the most notable of which was Equestria under the sovereign princesses Celestia and Luna of the Noble House of Galaxy. After the catastrophe, the situation diverged fairly rapidly and many irregular changes in de facto noble status took place during the Dark Age.
Nobility
The pony systems of feudalism, especially since the Dark Age, are somewhat different from those known to the nearly hairless bipedal ape-creatures of Earth. Under the prevailing customs of the Isle of Yore in the present day, it is the perogative of the Count of Springvale to ennoble people, but he or she does it as a matter of course on the request of any lord considered legitimate by the court in Springvale. It should be noted that, at the time of the Catastrophe, the whole Isle of Yore was divided into three counties, the County of Springvale, the County of Docktown, and the County of Nickerby. The County of Springvale is the only one which avoided extinction in the Dark Age. Notably, there were no baronies or manors of any particular practical significance at the time. All present feudalism, with the exception mentioned above, emerged after the collapse of the Kingdom of Ponyland during the Dark Age.