This article explains the terminology used to translate the noble and royal ranks and styles of the Kingdom of Heghom.
The Heghomic nobility are, in modern times, divided into five ranks, in increasing order: Knight, Baron, Count, Duke, and Archduke. Historically, there were also non-hereditary viscounts appointed to administrate part of the realm on behalf of the crown. These crown lands were distributed to vassal hereditary nobles as the power of the crown relative to the nobility waned in the 10th century.
Knights and Barons are "minor nobles." Counts, Dukes, and Archdukes are "major nobles." Major nobles are, in modern times, entitled de jure to a seat among the Noble Council, but they can be expelled by a supermajority vote. Barons are sometimes made noble councilors as a reward for meritorious civil or military service.
Knights
Knights are the lowest rank of nobles, and they may be hereditary or non-hereditary. (In modern times, new hereditary knighthoods are rarely bestowed; the last dozen or so examples have all been on families which have repeatedly received non-hereditary knighthoods.) Knighthoods, historically and in modern times, are usually granted to military officers for meritorious military service. Although the military has been organized on a meritocratic basis since the Heghomic Renaissance of the 16th century, military officers being promoted to the rank of Commander are now routinely knighted. To be knighted, one must have a certain amount of land (currently about 40 hectares). Military officers due to receive knighthoods due to such a promotion, but lacking such lands, are given a life estate meeting the requirements on crown lands. Such lands, however, are usually not very high quality, and not actually sufficient to support the officer's household by agriculture.
In common with other nobles (but not royals), Heghomic knights are called by their last names, Sir Family-name or Dame Family-name.
Hereditary knights do not actually outrank non-hereditary knights. Precedence among knights (as among other noble ranks) is by age.
Female non-hereditary knights are uncommon, but not unheard of, especially in more recent times. The knighthood remains heavily male-dominated, however, reflecting its martial origins.
Barons
Barons are the second-lowest rank of noble, and the rank is always hereditary in modern times. Baronies usually reflect landholding and wealth more than military service, though generals and admirals who have successfully prosecuted campaigns during their career, and who are not already high-ranking nobles, frequently receive baronies upon retirement. After the 15th century reconquest of Morile, a great number of baronies were created from crown lands in Morile by subinfeudation, as an inducement to colonization by loyalists to the Heghomic monarchy. Baronies are also sometimes granted as a reward for exceptional success in the diplomatic corps or civil administration.
Barons are formally addressed as Lord/Lady Family-name, Baron of Place. This pattern holds for ranks of higher nobility as well.
Counts
Counts hold the lowest rank of major nobility, entitled to be a noble counselor of the monarch, with access to the court. Counts hold large estates, typically in excess of 20000 hectares, and most have a number of barons and hereditary knights as vassals.
Dukes and Archdukes
Dukes are the highest non-royal rank of the nobility. Some particularly large or powerful duchies are designated archduchies, lead by archdukes. Although archdukes excel dukes in precedence, no duke is a vassal of an archduke. Dukes, and especially archdukes, have large holdings, for example the entire Isle of Walby is one archduchy. Dukes have the ability to create knights, barons, and counts (providing they can meet the landholding requirements - dukes are not allowed to create "titlular" nobles, though they may take advantage of subinfeudation and grant part of their own lands to the new noble to meet the requirements.) Archdukes usually have their own parliament to create legislation and levy taxes within the duchy. These are usually modeled after the Knights Parliament, though rules about the franchise and districting vary from duchy to duchy. Smaller duchies usually have simpler structures of government.
The monarch can in theory create new dukes and archdukes, but has not done so for centuries.
Royals
Heghomic royals (legitimate descendants of the royal house of Heg who are members of the ruling house) but who are not the monarch are Prince/Princess Given-name in contrast to ordinary nobles who are identified by their family name. However, they do have last names, which are simply the name of their house. E.g. King Martenein II has the full name Martenein Cherbes.
Indigenous Title
Some nobles hold their estate under indigenous title, meaning that they held the estate (or some substantial portion of it) before the Hegian conquest. Native nobles who supported Fendic's conquest kept their lands under this arrangement. Their inheritance customs differed from those of Hegian feudalism, and some of these distinctions were retained. Most notable is that property held under indigenous title passes first to the spouse of a deceased holder, then, after the death of the spouse, to their oldest son, oldest daughter if there is no son. By contrast, under Hegian feudalism, the property passes directly to the eldest son (eldest daughter if there is no son.)
Indigenous title is the most common source of noble councilors who are women, though as can be seen above, women can also be high-ranking noble landlords under the Hegian system.