World of Arkuth, Advanced Dungeons and Dragons

Arkuth - Precedence for Human Kingdoms

Precedence For Human Kingdoms

In every great campaign world there needs to be an order of precedence for a proper foundation in medieval societies. Men and women alike need leaders and they require some sort of sytem to distinguish who is superior in not only rank, but in title. The following tables of precedence are based loosely from european medieval times, yet have been modified to fit the world of Arkuth for a more suitable social structure.

General Precedence For Men

Rank	Title	Description	Hereditary
1	The King	Monarch, High Ruler	Yes
2	The Grand Prince	King's eldest son (heir to the throne)	Yes
2.b	Grand Duke	King's own male bloodline, that's in charge of a grand duchy	Yes
3	Princes of the Royal Bloodline	All other son's of the king	Yes
4	King's Brothers	The King's older and younger male siblings	Yes
5	King's Uncles	The Kings father's brothers	Yes
6	King's Grandsons	The King's sons, sons	Yes
7	King's Brother's or Sister's Sons	n/a	Yes
8*	Arch Priest	Head of the Clergy	No
9	Lord High Constable	Commander of the King's Army	No
10	Lord High Marshal	Highest Field Marshal in the King's Army	No
11	Lord Steward	Chief counsellor for the King	No
12	Lord Chamberlain	King's spokesman in Court	No
13	Dukes, according to their Seniority	The highest-ranking peers of the king	Possibly
14	Marquesses, according to their Seniority	A noblemen of hereditary rank	Possibly
15	Dukes' eldest Sons	n/a	Yes
17	Earls' / Counts, according to their Seniority	A member of nobility	Possibly
18	Marquesses' eldest Sons	n/a	Yes
20	Dukes' younger Sons	n/a	Yes
21	Viscounts, according to their Seniority	A member of nobility	Possibly
22	Earls' / Counts' Eldest Sons	n/a	Yes
23	Marquesses' younger Sons	n/a	Yes
24*	High Priests according to their Seniority of Consecration	Clergy	No
25	Barons, according to their Seniority	A member of nobility	Possibly
26	Viscounts' Eldest Sons	n/a	Yes
27	Earls' / Counts' younger Sons	n/a	Yes
28	Barons' Eldest Sons	n/a	Possibly
29	Counsellors	An appointed person in charge of foreign affairs	No
30	Chancellors	An appointed person in charge of local laws	No
31	Judges according to Seniority	A person who presides over court proceedings	No
32	Bannerets (ie Knight Bannerets)	Head / Lead Knight	No
33	Viscounts' younger Sons	n/a	Yes
34	Barons' younger Sons	n/a	Yes
35	Baronets	The holder of a hereditary baronetcy given by King	Possibly
36	Knights	A person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a King or Queen	No
37	Eldest Sons of the younger Sons of hereditary title	n/a	Yes
38	Baronets' Eldest Sons	n/a	Yes
39	Knights' Eldest Sons	n/a	No
40	Baronets' younger Sons	n/a	Yes

NOTES:

Peerage; A peer in Arkuth is one who holds one or more titles of nobility and the estate(s) bestowed upon him or his direct ancestor by the King/Queen. Although other members of his family might be addressed by "Lord" or "Lady", none of them are peers; their titles are all courtesy titles, including his wife's (although she is usually called a "peeress"). A duke or duchess is addressed as "Your Grace" by social inferiors, and as "Duke" or "Duchess" by social equals. (A "social equal" in Arkuth is anyone who also attains a peerage title). All other peers and peeresses are called by "Lord" or "Lady" prefixed to the title, for example, Lord Guthrom or Lady Julheim.

Life Peer; In Arkuth, life peers are appointed members of the peerage, whose titles cannot be inherited, in contrast to hereditary peers who's titles are always passed down the the next successor in the bloodline.

Bannerets; are made by the King or Queen themselves in person under the royal standard displayed in a time of war, for the term of their lives, and no longer.

*Members of the clergy

General Precedence For Woman

Rank	Title	Description	Hereditary
1	The Queen	Monarch, High Ruler, 2nd only to the King	Yes
2	Grand Princesses	King's eldest daughters (heir to the throne if no son)	Yes
2.b	Grand Duchess	King's own female bloodline, that's in charge of a grand duchy	Yes
3	Princesses of the Royal Bloodline	King's other daughters	Yes
4	Princesses and Duchesses	Wives of the King's Sons	No
5	Wives of the King's Brothers, Wives of the King's Uncles	n/a	No
6	Wives of the eldest Sons of Dukes of the Royal Bloodline	n/a	No
7	Daughters of Dukes of the Royal Bloodline	n/a	Yes
8	Wives of the King's Brothers' or Sisters' Sons	n/a	No
9	Duchesses	The highest-ranking female peers of the king	Possibly
10	Marchionesses	A noblewoman of hereditary rank	Possibly
11	Wives of the eldest Sons of Dukes	n/a	No
12	Daughters of Dukes	n/a	Yes
13	Countesses	A member of nobility	Possibly
14	Wives of the eldest Sons of Marquesses	n/a	No
15	Daughters of Marquesses	n/a	Yes
16	Wives of the youngest Sons of Dukes	n/a	No
17	Viscountesses	A member of nobility	Possibly
18	Wives of the eldest Sons of Earls / Counts	n/a	No
19	Daughters of Earls / Counts	n/a	Yes
20	Wives of the younger Sons of Marquesses	n/a	No
21	Baronesses	A member of nobility	Yes
22	Wives of the eldest Sons of Viscounts	n/a	No
23	Daughters of Viscounts	n/a	Yes
24	Wives of the younger Sons of Earls / Counts	n/a	No
25	Wives of the eldest Sons of Barons	n/a	No
26	Daughters of Barons	n/a	Yes
27	Wives of the younger Sons of Viscounts	n/a	No
28	Wives of the younger Sons of Barons	n/a	No
29	Wives of Baronets	n/a	No
30	Wives of Bannerets of any Kind	n/a	No
31	Wives of the Eldest Sons of the younger Sons of Peers	n/a	No
32	Wives of the Eldest Sons of Baronets	n/a	No
33	Daughters of Baronets	n/a	No
34	Wives of the Eldest Sons of Bannerets	n/a	No
35	Daughters of Bannarets	n/a	No
36	Wives of the Eldest Sons of Knights	n/a	No
37	Wives of the younger Sons of Baronets	n/a	No
38	Daughters of Knights	n/a	No
39	Wives of the younger Sons of Bannerets	n/a	No
40	Wives of Clergymen, Barristers at Law, Officers in the King's Army	n/a	No

An Earl's wife is a Countesses as there is no co-opposite to an Earl in the english language.