The Duchy of Irolo: Noble and Clerical Titles

Noble Ranks

Rank Irolon
(male/female)
English Equivalent
(male/female)
Description Forms of Address
1 adding "Ritter" to the surname (both male and female) Baronet (or baronetcy, baronetage) A hereditory knighthood. Not a peerage (ie no seat in government). Sir,
Worthy Sir,
Your Most Worthy Sir,
Right Honourable Sir,
Your Most Honourable Sir,
2 Freiherr/Freifrau Baron/Baroness Holding land directly from the King (as apposed to other land holders), Peer. Your Prominence
3 Graf Sheriff, reeve or overseer A holder of public office. Not a peerage. Your Eminence
4 Landgrave/Landgravine (or Landgraf/Landgrafin) Count/Countess In charge of a county, Peer. Your Eminence
5 Margrave/Margravine (or Markgraf/Markgrafin) Marquess/Marquessa In charge of a border region (the Marches), Peer. Your Nobleness
6 Herzog/Herzogin Duke/Duchess In charge of a Duchy (the title is called a Dukedom). Equivalent of an heriditary Field Marshal. Peer. Your Highness
7 Prinz/Prinzessin Prince/Princess Sovereign of a small territory or the child of a King. The "principle" person. Peer. Your Grace
8 Fürst/Fürstin First Prince/ss The head of the house or the heir of the king. Peer. Your Highness
9 Grossherzog/Grossherzogin Grand Duke/Grand Duchess Ruler or ex-Ruler. May outrank Prince/ss or Furst/in. Peer. Your Highness
10 Konig/Konigin King/Queen Ruler and sovereign (sovereign = answers only to God). Peer. Your Majesty
11 Kaiser/Kaiserin Emperor/Empress Military ruler (comes from Imperator, or Commander). Peer. Your Imperial Majesty

Inheritance

The heir to a title has "Erb" attached to the title. ie Erbgraf, Erbherzog, Erbmarkgraf. Alternatively it can be spelt with an hyphen (Erb-herzog, etc.). Both male and female descendants may inherit, the eldest having the rights unless mentally deficient, traitorous, illegitimate or otherwise disqualified.

Clerical Ranks

Rank Irolon
(male/female)
English Equivalent
(male/female)
Description Forms of Address
0 Gemeindemitglied Parishioner A member of a parish
1 Mönch/Nonne Monk/Nun Male member of monastery (Mönchskloster)/Female member of nunnery (Nonnenkloster) Brother/Sister
1 Frater/Schwester Friar/Friar As Monk/Nun but not associated with a particular monastery. A freelance Monk/Nun. Brother/Sister
2 Abt/Äbtissin Abbot/Abbess Male leader of a monastery (Mönchskloster)/Female leader of a nunnery (Nonnenkloste) Father/Mother
3 Priester/Priesterin Priest/Priestess Leader of a church or parish Father/Mother
4 Patriarch/Matriarch High Priest/High Priestess Leader of a barony or fiefdom High Father/HIgh Mother
5 Bischof Bishop Leader of a county or march (known as a Bishopric) Reverend
6 Erzbischof Archbishop Leader of a duchy or earldom Your Eminence
7 Kurfürst/Kurfürstin Elector Church elected representative to the ruler of a nation or state. The spritual ambassador to the secular ruler. Your Excellency
8 Kardinal Cardinal Leader of a kingdom or nation (Cardinalship) Your Eminence
N/A Monsignore Mongsignor Member of the inquisition. May also be a Bishop or Archbishop Reverend