Knight

Knights are the lowest noble rank. The Emperor or an Archduke is an honor conferred to recognize personal achievement or service, for example, in the arts, science, business or politics. Non-nobles actively pursue knighthoods since it is far easier to attain than a title in the peerage.
Knights are members of one of the Imperium's orders of knighthood. Archdukes only award knighthoods in the order associated with their domain, unless they are also head another order. The Emperor can bestow knighthoods in the most senior orders of knighthood as well as in the Order of Sylea in his capacity as Archduke of Sylea.
Knighthoods almost never come with a fief unless the award if for exceptionally distinguished service. In these extremely rare exceptions the fief is on a single world, and never exceeds 10km² of land, a small stipend or one time cash award. Knighthoods are not hereditary, even if they are held by peers.
Knights are

Imperial Orders of Knighthood

The prestige and precedence orders of knighthood are grouped by who may award them, and by the founding date of the order. Very ancient tradition holds that the headquarters of an order of knighthood is called a chapel.

Senior Orders

The senior orders date back to the earliest years of the Imperium, are commanded by the Emperor, and they carry immense prestige.

1. Order of the Starship and Crown
2. Honorable Order of the Emperor's Guard
3. Order of the Arrow

Orders of the Domains

Each Imperial Domain has its own order of knighthood commanded by the domain's Archduke. They are lower on precedence, and not as presitgious as the Senior Orders, but are still sought after by citizens.

1. Ancient and Preeminent Order of Sylea
2. Ancient Order of Vland
3. Order of Gateway
4. Order of Ilelish
5. Royal Order of Antares
6. Order of Sol
7. Order of Deneb

Other Imperial Orders

These orders were founded in order to recognize the contributions of non-Humans to the Imperium.

1. Order of Hlyuea
2. Order of Gvadakoung
3. Order of Muan Gwi

Each order of knighthood has a specific badge associated with it, and it uses the colors of that badge as its official colors. At official ceremonies and formal functions, ordinary members of an order wear formal attire or military uniform and a sash in the order's colors, from left shoulder, that has the badge of the order embroidered on it over the left breast. The sash ends on the right hip where it is tied in a complicated knot that is unique to each order. Higher members of an order have much more ornate uniforms that vary from orfer to order.
When not attending ceremonies, members often wear small items of jewelry that are patterened after the badge of the order. Those in the Imperial military wear medallions of the order's badge suspended from ribbons of the order's colors along with their other medals when in dress uniform, and may wear ribons of the order's colors in less formal settings, according to the service's uniforms regulations.
If a noble has multiple knighthoods, they will wear badges for all of them at formal functions, with the sash for only one order that either has sneiority, or is appropriate to the occasion. If the noble is at a ceremony or functiuon for a particular order of knighthood, it is considered discourteous to wear badges from other orders.

Type

Nobility, Non-hereditary