Noble Houses of Anhara
Noble houses are the main polities of Anhara, and the driving force behind the nation. These consist of tiers of nobility, with Major Noble Houses sitting upon the Rostrum, and delegating power and land lower and lower to minor nobles.
This article is central to the nation and therefore subject to frequent change.
The nine original major noble houses.
House Salis
House Thewisy
House Caersea
House Etan
House Oeis
House Prominere
House Mira
House Osage
House Aegis
Following the Shattering of House Mira after their attempt to dominate the capital region in 3AM, three new major houses were created.
House Castel
House Verdi
House Ilia
By 17AM, the eastern portion of Anhara had been changed almost entirely. Two original houses were gone, with House Caersea voluntarily yielding to House Thewisy following the sack of their capital by pirates in 10AM, and House Salis being defeated by House Semillon in 16AM. House Semillon was added to the map as a major noble house, and House Caersea removed.
House Semillon
The Treaty of Somae ended the First Climbing War in 40AM and saw the end of another original major noble house, House Oeis, with their vassal, House Moray being elevated to major status, as well as House Leone being created from land occupied by House Thewisy during the war. House Etan lost half their territory to their former vassal, House Meadowbrook, which was also elevated to major house status. House Castel gained all of the islands in Honeyo Bay from House Prominere, save the westernmost, which went to House Osage.
House Leone
House Meadowbrook
House Moray
The Treaty of the Summit ended the Second Climbing War in 357AM. It saw House Aegis split in half, and their former vassal, House Buckler, elevated to major house status, as well as assorted legal and border changes. This is the present political map of major noble houses.
Founding
The concept of noble houses was adopted following Vestria's divvying up of land amongst the nine legendary founders of the original noble houses. These men were the greatest orators of the nation, with strong inherent powers, and thus were able to win Vestria's favor by the strength of their words. The nine legendary founders created the general theme for the establishment of a noble house, with all subsequent or lesser houses being created in a similar way. Every house has some sort of origin story, based around a legendary predecessor who earned their title through their great deeds. However, the true challenge of Anharan politics is maintaining the reputation which earned each family their house in the first place. Sometimes, this is done disastrously, and even major noble houses are overthrown, or their bloodlines go extinct. More often though, houses simply plateau, trapped as vassals beneath mightier families, more gifted in both oratory and politics.Titles
The following are titles specific to houses which need defining for the proper comprehension of noble houses and their intricacies.Patriarch
The Patriarch or Matriarch is the leader of a noble house, entitled to use Lord or Lady if a major or minor house, Baron or Baroness if a landed minor, and Sir or Dame if an appointed minor. They also decide the heir of their house, and may appoint or remove their Rhetor if a major noble house. Further powers are dependent upon the customs and laws of each region and house, the foremost example of which being the Patriarch functioning as the nominal leader of their capital city.Rhetor
A title pertaining to the national government, it is generally held by the Patriarch of a major noble house. However, depending upon the traditions of a house, it may be held by another member if appointed by the Patriarch or Matriarch. The Rhetor represents the major noble house on the Rostrum, the legislative body of Anhara. Some houses may have assorted internal titles, depending upon the structure of their house, such as a title traditionally held by the heir, or by members who act as mayors within the house's territory, etc.Types of Houses
Great Houses
"...paying no fealty to a larger house, and maintaining control over an area of land consisting of a. considerable size b. exceptional economic importance and/or c. historical significance" - Book of Etiquette, "Legality"The Great Houses are the primary holders of power in Anhara. These houses are under the control of no larger suzerain, and have vassals of their own. Each of the Great Houses is represented on the Rostrum by their own Rhetor and led by a Patriarch, who may use the title of Lord.
Major
Major noble houses are the largest vassals, generally numbering three or four per Great House, depending upon the size of the region they own. These major noble houses are most often those designated to be in charge of portions of the Great House's region. For example, in the Vinelands House Semillon was a minor house which overthrew their major house, House Braelea, to become lords of the region of the Blossom Fields, and then later overthrew their Great House, House Salis, to become lords of the entire Vinelands region.Minor
A Minor noble house is a wide term, able to be applied to any house which is not major. However, most commonly it is used to refer to those just below major noble houses, generally large vassals who may have vassals of their own. The leaders of these houses of the more common definition are also referred to as Lords and led by a Patriarch. All minor houses are referred to, from the perspective of the house to whom they have sworn immediate fealty, as winds. Thus, when preparing for war, a house will summon their winds to them.Landed Minors
These are below the more general definition of a minor house. Landed minors are the most common house, perhaps having one or two vassals of their own, but more often than not being the smallest type of vassal under a large house's sway. These are led by a Patriarch and may be referred to as Baron, but commonly use Lord.Appointed Minors
These are the smallest of noble houses, often holding only a few structures within a city under their control. Appointed Minors are generally houses who were granted their status as a noble house by the Lord of their local major house, for a particular deed or the purpose of allowing a title to be hereditary. These generally do not receive a noble title, but may be addressed as, or prefix their name with, Sir. However, Lord is in general usage, though technically incorrectly. There are a number of types of these houses, as they are appointed for a number of broad reasons, some examples of which are bellow.Administrative Appointees
In some cases, this could be termed as patronage appointees, though often these houses serve actual bureaucratic purposes. They are generally elevated to nobility for their services to, or intended services to, one particular duty. For example, House Lemon was elevated by House Thewisy to fulfil cleric duties in the Crimson Quill.Commercial Appointees
These are families elevated to nobility for either their financial services and wealth growing to such a point they necessitate recognition, or the opposite, when they are appointed for the intent of centralizing some sort of company or venture under one family. An example of this is House Swann, one of the most powerful appointed minors, elevated because of their dominance in the banking field through the Merchants' & Traders' TrustMilitary Appointees
These families were elevated because of their services militarily, either with the intent of having them become a consistent levy, or more frequently to hold a specific strategic territory. These houses generally have their seat in a fortress, and control the land immediately around it. An example would be House Aimonne, elevated to a legendary status amongst these houses, for their service to House Braelea. The Aimonne family, tasked with holding the entrance to the city of Surlee against an invasion, died, children and all, fighting for their liege.Decadent Houses
This was a unique position for noble houses, but not an official legal term or designation. It was used to derogatorily refer to the founding houses of Anhara who had fallen, or been reduced in, power but still retained control over the forestlands of the nation under Forest Law. It is no longer of use following the reforms after the Second Climbing War, but is now used as a general derogatory term for houses clinging to power.Former & Current Houses
Major
Original Major Noble Houses
Shattering of House Mira
Eastern Reshuffling
Treaty of Somae
Treaty of the Summit
Subsidiary Organizations
Related Ranks & Titles
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