Nobility in Sante Reze
Sante Reze is a society which maintains social stratification into noble and common classes, and grants a variety of titles to most nobles whether via heredity or granted as an honor. Approximately nineteen percent of the population are of noble birth, while another seven percent are adoptive nobles and granted all rights of nobility upon their adoption into a given noble family.
History
Titles
In modern society, the titles are largely politically meaningless, and indicate primarily social status and in some cases imply individual achievement.
Titles do not necessarily denote governance of their attached political divisions, but those who do govern such regions are titled as such. Many titled nobles do, in fact, govern nothing at all and the title is either hereditary or honorary, for a wide variety of reasons.
Noble Houses
There are nearly one hundred noble houses in Sante Reze, but most are small and inconsequential. The vast majority of these are minor houses, subordinate to another house. There three tiers at which a house might be, and at the top are the Houses Paramount (Kabelun Yvate) that control almost everything that is Sante Reze. The second tier consists of those directly subordinate to the great houses, the third subordinate to the second. Third-tier families tend to be indistinguishable from middle class commons, and less well off than those who are wealthy, with the primary benefit of their station being that they may be elected to office.
Houses Paramount
There are currently seven families which qualify as paramount houses. Generally speaking, the main line of a paramount house is made up of some of the wealthiest people in the nation, usually outstripping the majority of their peers by a wide margin.
Paramount houses are largely self-governing entities, and the only ones which could truly be said to be such, as minor houses typically have their own interests guided by their masters, with the exception of several Scipian houses from the Nine Cousins. As independent organizations, it is often said that the paramount houses are the government, and the Noble Republic itself is merely an organizational and domestic policy tool through which they can operate. This is supported by the fact that national offices are rarely held by anyone other than someone with a House Paramount surname.
Minor Houses
A minor house is generally described as a noble family which owes its continued existence to its master house. Originally, they were either cadet branches or vassals who had more direct control over the land they governed than their masters did, but fell under frequently strict political power and paid rent for the land out of taxes and rents drawn from nobles below them, or the common class for those at the lowest tier.
In modern society, minor houses have very few obligations to their master house. Minor houses do tend to actually own the land on which their house is set, and do not pay rents to a different family for this property. Most minor houses fall in line behind a greater house which actively supports them, or has similar political or economic interests. As such, minor house loyalty is still a strong bond, and still often out of necessity.
Scipian houses are distinguished as their incorporated cities must have indigenous Scipian houses making up half or more of the C-suite of the urban corporation. As these corporations benefit financially from any business conducted within their metro area, these Scipian houses are often extremely wealthy and while they do not exist under the control of another house, they are not wealthy or powerful enough to be included in the Houses Paramount.
Adoption
Individuals who excel or otherwise impress a prominent noble may be offered an adoption into their family. In some instances, this is seen as patronage or a powerful show of support for the individual, especially when done by more powerful families. Smaller and less influential families, especially those with financial difficulties, may offer adoptions to wealthier commons as a way of keeping themselves afloat.
Adoptions are legally possible at any age, and give the adopted member all the rights of a born noble. As a result of adoptions most often being for achievement, they tend to come with titles.
Social Mores
Nobles, particularly those in the first and second tier, are frequently held to stricter standards by the majority of Rezese society. Those from the Houses Paramount are often considered public figures by default.
There are many things that are considered improper for a noble to do, and many that are considered mandatory. The latter sometimes even has legal backing. For example, nobles are required to enter university after their completion of secondary school, and it is seen as proper for a noble to exit university in five years after obtaining two degrees. Not attending university following secondary school is not technically legal, and obtaining only a single degree (or none at all) within six years is often frowned upon. Those with single degrees often enter the military after graduation. The extra stress on young nobles is part of the reason why there are more commons than nobles with advanced degrees.
Other expectations of nobles include humanitarianism which prompts the noble houses to fund many charitable organizations and events.
See Also
House Cazini
House Cardiki
House Kondozi
House k'Rossi
House Giarelle
House Palazin
House Venzurin