Nobility

What is Nobility? Nobility is a status assigned to someone by the Regent who acts as an influential figure in a kingdom’s politics and affairs. They usually inherit these titles from family members or are specifically appointed as the first of their line by a King or Queen.

King's & Queen's

King’s and Queen’s are the Regents that assign these titles to the nobility. They are the highest ranking on the food chain and their word is final. Kings/Queens are often given these positions through family hierarchy or marriage, and they usually rule until their deaths upon then the next in line, usually a firstborn son, will take the throne

Princes & Princesses

Princes and Princesses are directly under the King/Queen. These are the names assigned to their kin and/or those next in line to be King/Queen. They have almost as much power as the Regent themselves and control a large portion of land. They act as almost a proxy to the regents. This title is hereditary 

https://nobilitytitles.net/french-nobility-titles-ranks-in-the-middle-ages/ 

Duke's & Duchess

Dukes and Duchesses are almost on par with Prince/Princesses however they are slightly below in station and rank. They have the most influential sway in political decisions outside of Princes/Princesses and control a vast amount of land called a Duchy, or a Dukedom. The significant difference between them and Princes/Princesses is that they are not in line to claim the throne. The Duke ruled over a number of counties at one time and was responsible for things such as taxes and the local justice system. This title is basically the highest ranked out outside the royal family and they often worked closely with the king. 

https://nobilitytitles.net/french-nobility-titles-ranks-in-the-middle-ages/ 

http://cdalebrittain.blogspot.com/2014/11/dukes-and-counts.html

 

Marquis & Marquise

A Marquis are the border defenders and military men. They are tasked with keeping the borders safe from enemy intrusion or attack. They are under Duke's however follow the orders of the Prince or Princess. Historically, Marquis and Counts have bad blood because they rank higher than a Count because of their job to keep borders safe. Thus there’s a lot of argument about whether the Marquis should be above Count’s or even a title. In France, Napoleon got rid of the title before it was restored many years later. In Britain, there was an uproar from the Counts in 1386 and the next Marquis wasn’t appointed until 1551, more than 20 years.

https://nobilitytitles.net/french-nobility-titles-ranks-in-the-middle-ages/ 

https://victorian-era.org/who-is-a-marquess.html?expand_article=1 

Counts & Countesses

Counts and Countesses are the same as what we know as an Earl. The English changed the name however Count is the much more well-known term worldwide. They fall directly under the Marquis and follow their instruction. While they are not really that powerful in the grand scheme of things they are a powerful ally to have for anyone below them. Counts act as the head of a county, however, they do not own that county or the land. They were more like a representative of the count. The main difference between these guys and dukes is that they only have jurisdiction over one county not multiple

http://cdalebrittain.blogspot.com/2014/11/dukes-and-counts.html 

Viscounts & Viscountesses

Viscounts fall directly under a Count and often work closely with a Count. They watch over the provinces in a County and often do a lot of the leg work for Counts. They are much more influential on a local level rather than on a national level and don't work very closely with the royalty. This title can not be used to refer to the kin of Counts, it is a title of its own. They work with a Count to govern a county but they are strictly forbidden from having a family hierarchy line like Kings and Princes 

https://victorian-era.org/what-is-a-viscount.html 

https://www.whatsthediff.org/blog/2019/09/17/whats-the-difference-between-a-duke-earl-count-viscount-baron-and-marquess/ 

Barons & Baronesses

Barons have the least amount of power of all the titles and the title is given mainly to noblemen who have pledged their loyalty and resources to the crown while also owning land. They have more power than a common Lord or Lady but not much in the grand scheme of things. They report directly to the Viscount and are mostly in charge of their own land. However, they have historically been called to Parliament

https://www.whatsthediff.org/blog/2019/09/17/whats-the-difference-between-a-duke-earl-count-viscount-baron-and-marquess/ 

Lords & Ladies

Lords and Ladies are the lowest class of nobility. They follow the baron and have no influence on local or national decisions. They own a small amount of land, however usually just an estate, and hold little to no political power. However Lord's and Lady's have the benefit of being able to work their way up the nobility chain, as being a Lord or Lady is the starting point.