Arche

Arche is a longstanding noble title with a long history in the Madara Peninsula. In the modern kingdoms of Koth and Tigonne, it has become the highest noble rank, equivalent to a duke or duchess in the continental nations. With increased cultural traffic across the Pantu Sea, the titles are used somewhat interchangeably. In the Concord of Ellador, the title of arche is all but unknown, as their social strata lean heavily on allegiance to one of the great merchant houses, instead.

History

Prior to the formation of the three modern nations of Madara, the peninsula was divided into a large number of much smaller holdings and principalities. Arche was then one of the common titles for the ruler of an independent city-state. During the unification of Koth under Pem Osta, the warlord was obliged to persuade several such rulers to pledge loyalty and become his vassals. Because of the comparative wealth and power of the walled cities they controlled, these vassals became the highest stratum of the Kothic nobility. Throughout Koth's history, rebel nobles were subject to having their titles and lands stripped. Land and wealth were often absorbed into the crown's coffers, but the titles were sometimes granted to an outstanding individual, most commonly someone who distinguished themself in battle. Thus the archonate would retain its name and part of its lands, but the family ruling it might change several times through history. A recent example of such an investiture is the Arche of Yelem, by Orust Suthis.

Cultural Significance

Its transition from the title of an independent landholder to one for a high-ranking noble within a complex hierarchical aristocratic system, runs parallel to the generally increasing complexity of Madara's political system. While the city-states of the plains and mountains ceded authority to a central monarchy, forming the contemporary kingdoms of Tigonne and Koth, the coastal holdings in the south resisted several such attempts. When the early concord was formed, the guildmasters and trade house patriarchs began to edge out the power of the local arches, and eventually they became obsolete. The equivalence between the title of arche and the continental title of duke or duchess was similarly a herald of more peaceable diplomatic and trade relations.

Notable Holders

Founders of Kothic dynasties have often been members of archonate houses. The birth-father of Tigonne's prince and princess, though not Royal Consort, is similarly a duke of one of Tigonne's oldest archonates.

Type

Nobility, Hereditary

Current Holders

Related Locations