Anrel Aristocracy

The Anrel Isles are governed by a class collectively called the Grafen or Graves, individually given the courtesy title Graf. Leaders of towns, cities, and even nations are drawn from this class. Traditionally, leaders are selected by will of the populace, based on their personal qualities and family merits, according to the traditional honour system of primenture.

Leadership positions are not officially hereditary, since only individuals with a proven track record, who command the personal respect of those they rule, are permitted to take charge. This generally excludes children or anyone with no personal authority. However in practice, many grafen titles are almost always inherited within a family line, since they train their children into positions of leadership from a young age. Today, children only fail to inherit the position of their forebears as the result of extreme scandal.

The drift to hereditary nobility is increasingly so in the south, where the aristocracy of Narette has largely given up all pretence of meritocracy. The kings of Northland and Trésard are still elected, but the kingship of Narette is now almost exclusively based on male primogeniture, rather than primenture.

The Grafen system of civic administration and local governance has its origins in primenture, the social system by which local leaders, called primens, gained a leadership role as the result of their personal qualities, experience and number of supporters. Primenture has existed amongst the Aralsic people since at least the Jade Epoch, and to a lesser degree is still important today. Primens held their tenure usually for a decade or so of service before retiring, or until supporters withdrew their support. This system worked well for many centuries until the Long War. The war was the first time that whole regions had need to unite to mobilise large armies, and a system based on discussion and consent proved ill-equipped to handle this. Powerful leaders therefore emerged, the Karlsgraves and Marksgraves, who took command by force.

By the end of the war, whole regions had been burned and towns left desolate, with towns populated by refugees and old social structures destroyed. Almost the whole of Anrasard was ruled by military leaders, although this quickly evolved into a form of inheritable aristocracy, called the Graves (believed to be from Ahngrit, meaning “to be respected”), or the Grafen.

Under traditional primenture, the head of any family, clan or working collective is called a primen. The title-holder of each rank is considered to be the primen, or most senior, of all those beneath. These are the traditional ranks:

• Auller - leader of a village, town or city ward
• Karlsgrave - leader of a battalion of Karls (see below) or commander of a keep or fortified town
• Landgrave - rural magistrate
• Sardgrave - leader of a county
• Burgrave/Burgomaster - chief official of a town or city
• Margrave (arch. Mardgrave) - regional leader
• Rensgrave - leader of the margraves, the King

These ranks do not form a hierarchy, since all office-holder formally hold their position subject to the will of those they rule over. However in formal settings, precedence is determined by the prestige of their holding, the number of people they represent, and their personal primenture. Graffen cannot be removed from their position except by the king, whose decision must be confirmed by the Hexact.

Traditionally these are given the courtesy title of Primen (or Pr) in formal speech.

Aullers are civic officials, members of town and city councils, elected councillors of city wards, and representatives of guilds and other bodies.

Karls are the traditional warrior elite, skilled in arms and armour, who swear service to their community and an oath of loyalty and service to a graf. This oath usually requires some kind of test to prove their martial skill, usually a trial of combat.

Karls usually serve their local leader of whatever rank, and hence are not in themselves part of the aristocracy, although they are often from grafen families. Like anyone under a primenture system, they are free to withdraw their service at any time, except in a time of conflict, or subject to any oath or bond they have sworn to their leader. Companies of karls are led by a karlsgrave, their primen or acknowledged leader, usually the most senior or most skilled warrior in their company. Military leaders with many karls under their command were served by numerous karlsgraves, each leading companies or battalions of various sizes.

In the modern era the title of karl is largely an anachronism harking back to the Long War. Most warrior karls are sworn to the Order of Ketrorl, whilst the karlsgraves are leaders of the standing armies and advisers to the king, who retain this title as a courtesy after they have retired. In Trésard some families owning fortified towers or castles have the title of karlsgrave, but this is considered an anachronism. Rural “karlsgraves” with no practical military experience are something of a joke and a stock buffoon character in popular comedy.

The Poor Karls are bands of warriors who have proven themselves purely by military skill but have no lands or followers of their own. They also reject the pomp and ceremony of the Order of Ketrorl as merely a club for sons of the rich. The Poor Karls are often seen as little more than bands of brigands and ruffians, but the majority serve a code of honour dedicated to protecting travellers and acting as guards for taverns and merchants.

A Burgrave is the chief official of a large town or city. Burgraves are responsible for law and order within the city, maintaining highways, sewers and waterways, for convening the local assembly, and for generally ensuring the orderly running of the city.

Burgraves were traditionally appointed by primenture, by which individuals who had gained respect through service and demonstration of wisdom and capability rose to positions of authority. They were often prosperous merchants or other local worthies who rose to the supreme position of power and respect within their community. They are assisted by the Aullers, who represent wards within the city and representatives of important trades.

Although many towns and cities still have a burgrave, after the Long War in which cities often played host to unruly refugee problems and the system of primenture broke down, many cities had Burgomasters appointed by either the local Margrave or the King. This is still the case in many cities, particularly those with particularly transient or troublesome populations. Despite the decline of primenture as a system, Burgomasters who a mere appointees tend to command a great deal less respect. The classic example of this is the Burgomaster of Belisan Freeport, who is the personal appointee of the King of Narette, and therefore generally despised by the local populace.

The Landgraves are the foundation of the aristocratic system in rural areas throughout Anrel. They act as magistrates within counties, organising local defence, upholding law and order, and collectively advising the county leadership. Although technically they hold their position by primenture, that is, by the will of the local people, in effect they tend to be the most prominent local landowners. There have been incidents of particularly bad Landgraves having their authority removed, but this is relatively rare.

Sardgraves are the chief officials of a sard or county, who in times of war hold military command over the karls from their region, with responsibility for levying militias and requisitioning arms and supplies. Under modern Hexactic government the title of Sardgrave is highly respected but largely ceremonial, alloted to the prime Landgrave within the county.

Margraves, or Mardgraves, were once purely military leaders responsible for defence of a mard, or region. They had authority to assume command of all karls, and to levy militias for defence. The Mardgraves acted as a general during military campaigns, commanding their armies via the sardgraves under his command.

After the Long War, Margraves remained as leaders of the regions, still with a duty to provide defence and maintain order, but more importantly as the chief ministers of the new kingdoms. Margraves were once selected as the most respected of the Sardgraves, but today most of these are hereditary titles from families with powerful positions in the national government. Margraves have no administrative powers in the region they are named for.

The Rensgrave is the first amongst the Mardgraves, who takes charge of carrying out executive actions and whose decision is always final when there is disagreement. After the war and the installation of the Hexact, the role of Rensgrave became synonymous with the King, who is ultimately responsible for ensuring law, order and peace throughout the realm. Kings in Trésard are still chosen from amongst the Margraves, whilst in Narette, the senior Margrave is always the heir of the king.

Members of the Hexact Orders are technically outside the system of nobility and are forbidden from holding noble rank, but in practice they are given a great deal of respect. The Orders are politically powerful, since they wield two-thirds of the votes in Hexact Assemblies. In practice many from senior Grafen families hold high ranks within the Orders, and in the Rinesti in particular who are responsible for law.

Male ordermen are given the courtesy title of prayter, orderwomen the title of sorrer, though various orders have titles for order members depending on their rank and function.