Bilowish Viscount
Qualifications
The qualification to being a viscount is having an enforceable claim to the title. A claim can be as simple as a hereditary connection or as violent as a larger army. Besides that there is no level of competence or morality that a person must reach before becoming a viscount.
Requirements
Usually, having an ancestor that once held the title of viscount is the basic requirement for a claim to hold the title yourself. That being said this requirement is needed should you have the larger army or moral high-ground.
Appointment
After the previous viscount's vacation of the title the new viscount has the freedom to choose the details of their ceremonial ritual, however, they see fit, if they see to have one at all. Legally though an heir becomes viscount once their Margrave "approves" their appointment. There isn't really much of an approval process however, it's more of the Margrave formally recognizing and understanding the fact that the title has been passed down. There have been times when a margrave has "put off" the recognization of a viscount as a form of punishment, but in reality, by the time word gets back of a margrave's approval, a viscount has already assumed the full responsibilities and powers of their rank.
Duties
Viscounts are responsible for maintaining the operations of their city or town while paying set taxes to their Lord Margrave. responsible for answering their lords' call to war by either rallying their armies or sending their predetermined amount of men at arms and levies.
Responsibilities
Viscounts, typically with the aid of counsel, set tax policies that dictate the amount of wealth, material goods, or coinage extracted from the residents, businesses, or transactions of a city. Viscounts appoint individuals directly or through delegation to ensure these taxes are properly collected. Furthermore, a viscount may create organizations to better manage the institutions of their city, whether that be a tax collection agency, a city guard, or an office of law. Viscounts are also required by Crown Law to hold an 8-hour-long petitioners court four times a regular month, where the viscount hears the petitions of common folk, merchants, organized labor, or even other nobles or political envoys. Like all nobles under nu-feudalism the viscount must pay dues to their lord, these taxes are unique to each feudal contract but often include common goods produced by the city, food, or coinage. Legally viscounts are required to send soldiers to their liege should they raise the banners of war. The number of soldiers, their type, and their quantity and quality are also dependent on the unique feudal contract. More often than not Viscounts are required to mediate and aid in resolving conflict between merchants or burghers although not always directly. Someone who speaks with the viscounts expressed authority in the matter may also resolve and mediate these conflicts. Should a viscount have any dukes beneath them it is also the viscounts responsibility to collect dues that are owed to them and rally the dukes in the case of war.
Benefits
Having the title of viscount attached to your family name offers a great bit of prestige that counts and even some margraves wished they had. The amount of wealth a viscount can earn by jumping on good investments or exclusive deals can also easily propel a noble into the upper bounds of wealth, not even to mention the incomes earned of rightful taxes. Politically viscounts are the most powerful nobles of a realm, as they often command extreme wealth and military power due to their large numbers. Viscounts are also able to use their status to broker for favorable marriages and pacts.
Grounds for Removal/Dismissal
Legally a viscount can be dismissed via royal decree which has to be petitioned by a Margrave who rules over them. Of course, there is a less legal but still effective way of dismissal via military might and conquest.
Type
Nobility, Hereditary
Form of Address
My Lord Viscount
Alternative Naming
City Lord
Equates to
A viscount can be compared to a mayor, as they both have authority over cities and large towns.
Source of Authority
Noble Blood and Divine Right
Length of Term
Until Death, Dishonor, or disinheritence
Reports directly to
Related Organizations
