Fidascun
A Fidascun is a member of Gaullican or Satucine nobility without title or associated land. Originating in the Verliquioan Empire, they are most well-known for their prevalence during the Early Modern period. In both periods they were characterised by exemption from taxation, authorisation to carry a coat of arms and were expected to offer military service. This exemption ended in 1811, and no further creations took place. Their status is no longer recognised in Gaullica and Cassier, while Satucin passed legislation in 2018 recognising their status as nobility without privileges.
Etymology
The precise origin of the term fidascun is not entirely clear. It first appears in the 6th century in Vulso's On Gaullica but is used primarily to anachronistically describe members of the equites class in its Solarian form filius aliquid (lit. 'son of something/anyone'; in Vulgar Solarian: filis dē alicunus). This became fils d'aucun in Old Gaullican, typically rendered in the variant form fiz d'ascun by most contemporary authors, and was later contracted to fidascun or some variant.
In southern Gaullica and Champania this class was also known as hètruric, believed to come from Etrurico ("etrurian"), and was initially a term for landed knights before becoming synonymous with, and subsumed by, fidascun. Neither term was used in the Kingdom of Kasavy which lacked the institution.
History
Origins
The fidascun are believed by most historians to have originated in the equites of the Solarian Empire. The militarisation of the class during the late empire, and increase in privileges, saw it expand dramatically. With limited land, as much of it was controlled by a small class of great magnates, the Verliquoian Emperors exempted part of the equites from taxation to encourage their focus on martial pursuits. As the imperial class system slowly morphed into the medieval castes, the fidascun emerged as a large landless caste of nobility. Their lack of a commitment to land or a liege lord made them an effective mobile force, with the Verliquoian Emperors using them as garrisons for distant territories, or a personal army able to crush rebellions.
Over time the fidascun became more of a liability than an asset. As the Verliquoian Empire decentralised the fidascun's main patrons, the emperors, lacked money or assets to reward their service. Most were forced to become landed vassals of powerful regional lords, or lost their status as various emperors cracked down in an attempt to squeeze taxes out of an increasingly smaller taxable population. By the 14th century there were only around 200 fidascun families remaining in Gaullica.