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The Aristocracy of the Coeur d'Ennui


The Coeur aristocracy is by far the smallest and most tenacious of the three broad social classes. It is also, by most measures, the most powerful. But it is on the decline. Only the Gildorath family still possesses wealth on par with that of the great merchant families, and money continues to flow toward the Coeur's docks at the expense of the surrounding countryside. For now, it is only money; but few doubt that prestige will follow it.

There are, in general, only two ways to become a member of the aristocracy. One must either be born to an "old family," or he must be given a title by the Duke. The former is considerably more common; though the Duke creates several titles each year, these are typically granted as subsidiary titles to those already among the nobility.

An aristocrat may only take up a career in what is considered the public service. He may serve in the military, the Great Temples, or the government, or he may become a scholar or a lawyer. Alternately he may simply rely on the fees paid to him by his vassals, which is usually enough to support even the most profligate lifestyle. Still, the aristocrats work hard to project the image of a benevolent elite.

The Nobility

The nobility is perhaps the most clearly defined segment of Coeur society: it consists of those who have been awarded titles by the Duke, and of their blood relatives. Though the wife of a nobleman is always referred to by a title, she cannot actually hold that title unless she is herself of noble birth.

It is common for a noble to accumulate several titles over the course of his life. The most prestigious title, his principal title, is the one by which he is known. The others are subsidiary titles. When he dies, his principal title is assumed by the next in succession, and his subsidiary titles are distributed among his children. Often he will cede his subsidiary titles to his children during his lifetime, so that each of his children holds at least one title.

The Duke will, on occasion, create a new title and award it to one not already among the nobility -- usually a knight, gentleman, or a merchant of unusually good breeding. Even more rarely, he will promote a petty-noble title to the prime nobility. This last occurred in the year 1209, when the Bluvair holding was elevated from a barony to a viscounty.

By the laws of Calantyr, all nobles must be human.

The Prime Nobility
The prime nobles are the sixteen earls, countesses, and viscounts who preside over the major landholdings of the Duchy. They alone are eligible for the highest government positions, the Chancellorships of the Grand Chamber, and they must all serve on the Peer Council. All knights and landed gentry are vassals of the prime nobles. Their fiefs -- known as either "counties" or "viscounties" -- typically cover several hundred square miles.

The Petty Nobility
The petty nobles are, for the most part, the junior siblings of the prime nobles, and the descendants of those siblings. They are of noble birth, but they do not necessarily hold a title. Their fiefs measure in the thousands of acres, and typically contain a manor house and a small village in addition to farmland. Their vassals consist mainly of yeomen and peasants. There are over 600 petty nobles.

Noble Ranks
The noble titles, in order of rank, are as follows:


Earls are necessarily members of the prime nobility, and barons and baronets are necessarily of the petty nobility. Viscounts may be of either class.

The Gentry

The gentry families are those without titles that are still considered "old" -- i.e., those that have held a large estate over many generations. Whether a family belongs to the gentry is, therefore, a matter of opinion. As a general rule, if a family can make a comfortable living by renting their land instead of tending it themselves, they can safely be considered of the gentry.

The typical gentry estate covers anywhere from a few hundred acres to a thousand.

The Knights

As the Duchy's greatest warriors, the knights are in some corners afforded as much respect as the prime nobility. Knighthood is not hereditary; it is awarded only if it is earned, and though there is certainly some favoritism in awarding the title, there are no knights who would be considered weak by the standards of the Parthenon. Those noblemen who are fit for knighthood nearly always become knights themselves, such is the prestige of the title. Of the prime nobility, the Viscount of Bluvair, the Earl Alsmoor, the Earl of Westshore, and the Earl Ravenrose are all knights.

Upon receipt of his title, a knight is awarded a keep and a fief of one- to two-hundred acres, provided that he does not already have a larger fief. He is also paid a fee of 30 shields per month. In exchange for this, he is expected to train and provide arms and horses for himself and a group of men-at-arms, usually numbering between four and ten. He is also expected to train a page or a squire, to administer his fief, and to ensure the safety of those dwelling within his fief. Most importantly, he is expected to fight when his lord calls upon him.

A knight who lives beyond fighting age is awarded the title of knight-honorific. This carries a larger fief, typically with a manor instead of a castle, and effectively elevates him to the gentry. Particularly distinguished knights become baronets.

The knights of the Coeur number slightly less than one thousand.

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