by Max Barry

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Nobility of Brutland and Norden


The Nord-Brutlandese nobility (Nord-Brutlandese: Nobiltè Nordèbrutelliense) is composed of 80 noble titles/houses (excluding the Nord-Brutlandese throne). There are (in descending ceremonial order) 2 Archduchies, 27 Duchies, 21 Counties, and 27 Baronies, along with 2 “Ambassadorial” positions and one Governorate. These noble titles typically cover a grant or a historical province in Brutland and Norden.

Of the 80 noble titles, 64 belong to noble families. The rest of the titles are appointive (including the archduchies, the ambassadorial positions, and the governorate) or are given to members of the royal family (including many of the duchies in Norden and the Union Territories).


Order of Precedence

In descending order of rank, the noble houses are ceremonially arranged as follows: royal house, archduchy, duchy, county, barony, envoy, and governor.

Archduchy (Duchìnzosso)
There are two archduchies in Brutland and Norden, that of Brutland and of Dennland-Anza. The archduchies are appointive positions and are not hereditary. In practice, these are given to members or relatives of the royal family.

Duchy (Ducosso)
There are two kinds of duchies: royal duchies (ducosso reala) and hereditary duchies (ducosso erediddía). Royal duchies are duchies given to princes and princesses of the royal house; these become hereditary duchies if the prince/princess set up a new dynasty in the seat by marrying another noble. Royal duchies include Fiorgamino, Pennino, Giri, Stampione, Fiano, Brugnatella, Santelleria, Tonzivibbia, Mecco, Ferbiabbo, Berríalva, Librugnie, and Santobricco, in that descending order of hierarchy. Hereditary duchies are passed within families, and are ceremonially lower than royal duchies. Hereditary duchies include Trascara, Padania, Seppa, Merana, Arcadia, Capitanata, Borcenna, Trefini, Bruzzi, Briggio, Terrallo, Bruca, Marchòfrento, and Storrefine, in that ceremonial order according to date of creation.

Other members of ducal families are called marquess and marchioness (marchetto1), with the heir apparent being called grand marquess/marchioness (marchìnzetto).

County (Contesso)
There are twenty-one counties in Brutland and Norden, all of which are hereditary. Other members of comital families are called viscount/viscountess (viscontetto), with the heir apparent being called grand viscount/viscountess (viscontìnzetto).

Barony (Baronesso)
There are twenty-seven baronies in Brutland and Norden, all of which are hereditary. Other members of baronial families are called baronet/baronetess (baronentetto), with the heir apparent being called grand baronet/baronetess (baronentìnzetto).

Envoy (Enviato)
“Ambassadorships” are appointive titles that stem from the ambassadors of the King of Brutland sends to its allies: Pannondrio and Helverica. The Pannondrians, a Brute ally since the 5th century, traditionally receives the Brute king’s envoy during its May meetings. The current position of Envoy to Pannondrio is a ceremonial position that is appointive in nature. The same goes for the Envoy to the Helverican Confederation, which started as an ambassador and interlocutor between the Kingdom of Dennland and Swiss settlers in Dennland.

Governor (Gobernotto)
The only governorship is appointive in nature. The Governor of Timberland stems from the position of governor of the English colony in Brutland. When Timberland passed to Brute control, the grant was managed by a governor, usually a Timberlander, appointed by the King. When the Constitution was implemented and governance was made uniform, the position of governor was made ceremonial, like nobles in other grants. Still, the tradition of appointing Timberlanders to the governorship was continued up to this day.

Noble Titles


Noble Titles in Brutland and Norden

Rank

Number

Titles

Archduchy

2

Brutland, Dennland

Royal Duchy

13

Berrialva, Brugnatella, Fiano, Fiorgamino, Valle di Giri, Librugnie, Pennino, Santelleria, Santobricco, Stampione, Tonzivibbia, Mecco, Ferbiabbo

Hereditary Duchy

14

Trascara, Padania, Seppa, Merana, Arcadia, Capitanata, Borcenna, Trefini, Calabruzzi, Valtebriggio and Maceltellina, Terrallo, Bruca2, Marchòfrento2,Storrefine

County

21

Argento, Baetina-Piscierettu, Capriati-Chiardogna, Crosseto-Pistozzi, Cumbria-Subrigaria, Dolzone, Doro3, Imperio, Giomestagno, La Spergamo, Montesa-Valtistrada, Montova-Liparegna, Nicoletano, Palatina-Terragnano, Piadana-Stellago-Potti, Piccu, Quonzicchio, Tomo- Tortona, Torranica-Strigina, Toscaria, Valley of Runeo

Barony

27

Aigo, Albano- Albiore, Berlizzi-Nativiscare, Briuli, Cantabrica, Corrica-Desantorica, Epiro- Thessalia, Fonzo, Spiermanza, Marchesta, Marivenna, Milova-Olba, Valtemmira, Modica-Scommagena, Morza, Rigulia, Tonzifiatto, Trazio, Cavese, Campodania, Jorca, Rucca, Cortel, Covara, Italina, Duglie, Rivero

Envoy

2

Pannondrio, Helverica

Governor

1

Timberland

Noble Court of Brutland and Norden


All of the sitting nobles (currently there are 75 nobles, as the duchies of Berríalva, Librugnie, and Santobricco are vacant) are members of and vote in the Noble Court (Corteso di Nobilettu), the legislature governing the nobility. Archdukes/Archduchesses have 7 votes, Dukes/Duchesses have 5, Counts/Countesses have 3, Ambassadors and Governors have 2, Barons/Baronesses have 1, and the reigning sovereign has 50 votes. The Noble Court has its origins in Nord-Brutlandese history, where the kings of Brutland convene their grantees and nobles pertaining to the governance of the country. It was the legislature of the kingdom until the constitutional monarchy was instituted. Nowadays, the Noble Court is of ceremonial nature and possesses jurisdiction only in matters pertaining to the nobility. The Noble Court meets every five years, but the King or the present presider of the Noble Court (currently, Duke Adam I Mondragone of Capitanata) can call a meeting of the Noble Court.

The Nord-Brutlandese Nobility is currently regulated by the Noble Court and the Book of Nobility (Libro Nobiletta), the semi-codified rules of the nobility. Apart from general Nord-Brutlandese laws applicable to all Nord-Brutlandese citizens, the Nord-Brutlandese Parliament is powerless to regulate the Nord-Brutlandese nobility; only the Noble Court can pass laws specific to the nobility. This non-interference of the commoner Parliament to the Noble Court (and vice-versa) is enshrined in the Constitution of the United Kingdom of Brutland and Norden.

Succession


The Nord-Brutlandese nobility has a modified semi-Salic form of inheritance; the eldest male inherits the seat, even if he has older female siblings. Only when there are no direct male heirs can a female inherit the seat. Some activists recently called for the abolishment of the semi-Salic primogeniture for the nobility of Brutland and Norden, but the Noble Court voted to retain the semi-Salic during their most recent Assembly.

A seat can be united when the heirs of the two seats marry; in which case, the lesser seat is elevated to the position of the greater seat. For example, a count marries a duchess – their united seat becomes a duchy, and both are called duke/duchess.

Also, nobles who are not heirs to their seats lose their noble title when they marry commoners. For example, Nicolo Bradini, a member of the noble family of the County of Tomo-Tortona, but is not the occupant or heir apparent to the seat. When he married a commoner, he lost his noble title and his noble rights. However, had he married a noble, he would remain a member of the nobility, retaining the title of Viscount of Tomo-Tortona and that of his noble spouse. This is why some refuse to marry, or go at great lengths to marry a noble, either a Nord-Brutlandese or a foreign noble.

Rights and Responsibilities of a Noble


Ceremonial
Most nobles also serve as ceremonial leaders of the grants and provinces, particularly in Brutland. For example, the Duke of Trascara had been recognized by the Grant Council of Trascara as the ceremonial leader of the grant, performing tasks akin to that of the monarch.

Legal Differences
Despite the Nord-Brutlandese Constitution, nobles are subject to a different set of laws than commoners. Nobles cannot be tried in a commoner’s court unless the noble’s crime is considered heinous or treasonous; even then, the King’s permission to try the noble’s case in a commoner’s court must be obtained. Cases against nobles are heard by the House of Lords (technically the highest court in Brutland and Norden, as it can hear appeals of cases from the Royal Supreme Court of Brutland and Norden). The two sides have to be represented by a peer and a common lawyer. Despite the perceived immunity, the penalties are usually stiffer than what is meted on commoners. The most recent case was against the former Gennaro Mercara, Baronet of Corrica-Desantorica, arrested on charges of drunk driving in 2001. The House of Lords stripped Gennaro Mercara of his noble rank and thus making his sister, Monica Mercara, the heir to the barony. Additionally, he was sentenced to 1 year probation and/or community service with a fine of ₤235,000.

Fiefdoms
Nobles used to manage crown lands4 within their jurisdiction, which were technically enfeoffed to them by the monarch in the process of giving the grants. Nowadays, crown lands are managed by the Royal Trust. Noble families also tend to own large estates within their own jurisdictions (separate from crown lands), but these estates are treated as ordinary lands and are taxed accordingly.

Notes


1. Nord-Brutlandese is a largely gender-neutral language, and male and female forms are usually not differentiated from one another. Thus, both "Duke of Capitanata" and "Duchess of Capitanata" are translated as Ducotto di Capitanata. If differentiation by gender is necessary, the suffix -yo is added to the title: Ducottoyo di Capitanata "Duchess of Capitanata". However, this is largely seen as contrived and is currently not in popular use.

2. The duchies of Bruca and Marchòfrento are ancient Nordener duchies spanning several grants and are not directly mirrored in the grant system of local subdivisions.

3. The style of the noble of Doro is "Lord/Lady of Doro" (Paggionno di Doro), although the rank is comital.

4. "Crown lands" is an imperfect translation of two kinds of crown lands: terreso reala, which are the personal and direct property of the monarch of Brutland and Norden; and terreso corona which are owned by the government of the United Kingdom of Brutland and Norden (which is represented by the crown). Both kinds were managed by nobles until the creation of the Royal Trust in 1900 (for the terreso reala) and the Divestiture Act of 1915 (for the terreso corona).

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