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An exhortation to preserve the honor of the nobility - An open letter to His Majesty, Karl III


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The following missive is an open letter to His Majesty King Karl III (@GMRO), and a warning to any future King who would dare repeat the mistakes of the past.

 

  • What is Nobility?

If the oral and written traditions of meritorious blood and Hereditary rule are to be believed; nobility is a privilege of the highest echelon to be granted by a sovereign King to his most loyal, productive, and honorable subjects, in order to ensure that they may raise many more citizens who share those beneficial traits. In exchange for these bloodlines toiling daily for the prosperity of their nation, the wise and magnanimous Sovereigns take their golden laurels, and share a small portion of it’s esteem with not just any subject, but one considered to be a ‘peer’ of His Majesty.

 

Nobles are bound by the laws of their Sovereign liege to keep the king’s justice in the lands he grants them, to inspire any who live upon it to fight, write, or speak for the Kingdom’s virtues, and their House’s enduring prosperity. Such heavy responsibilities, done right, will be proved only to be feasible for the most able and consistently high performing families. 

Nobles are similarly bound by the law of Godan to pass his word to their kin, and their subjects. This ensures the longstanding principles of kindness and mutual respect that we expect from the shining examples of our best citizenry. And the little respected nature of the church is nowhere more prevalent than the quiet discourses of haeseni commoners, with the notable exception of my own and a few other Gentry Houses.

 

  • Lessons from the past

As said elsewhere, I speak not out of arrogance or presumption, but merely in concern of my homeland and its prosperity. Let me, then, briefly recall the histories, still fresh in the memories of our mothers and grandmothers, of previous nations which did not pay heed to the ancient dignities;

 

1) The Kingdom of Sutica

Spoiler

To the earliest that I was able to research, the first modern example of the absolute disregard for nobility was the Trade Kingdom of the Sutican islands, who by no other fault than neglect allowed their once Empire-Defeating Kingdom to fall far from grace. We can see the first manifestation of the folly is the allowance of their only Countal vassal of Sarissa to hold within his territory a Baronial vassal of His Majesty himself. By what means this vassal was able to speak so eloquently and convincingly to a Sovereign King, I will never deign to presume. However, the subsequent and large-scale increase of population, the oaths of only 2 other vassals to His Majesty (Note: one of these were the Archduchy of Hyspia, the other A Lordship of Trabazon), and the increasingly cohesive culture shared by the Sarissans all played their part in tandem to bring Sarissa unlawfully high strength in comparison to their liege lord. 

 

These Sarissans, believing wholly in the rightful oversight of their Majesty, requested they be elevated to the title of Duke, bringing more glory and honors to both themselves and the kingdom which housed them. This, any wise King would have granted, being the end of the discussion. However, the long wait and hostile reluctance from the Sutican Majesties to recognize the declining state of their own Crown by comparison, drove the Sarrisans by little choice to independence. The resulting western Kingdom of Rozania fell to its own ruin shortly after its founding through a foundation rested not in the service of Godan. But as recorded or oral history is less available to me on the subject, I must refrain from its discourse past this. 

 

The Kingdom of Sutica, regardless, lasted not but a few years after this fatal error. And was not only disgraced by it’s princely demotion under the title of another Dynasty called Savoy, but also by it’s eventual and complete dissolution as the last dying wish of it’s last holder, Catherine of Sutica.


 

2) The Principality of Savoy

Spoiler

We should now discuss the most protruding sore which in the end proved a cancer to this Principal Savoyard host’s otherwise respected name (Note: In my capacity as a historian I am inclined to mention my historical ramblings are sourced from stories and accounts from Haeseni who observed from both afar and from closeby, the 2 polities having interacted quite a lot in the Principality’s declining years years). This was their inclination to elevate every subject and mercenary to the very last, to join among their noble classes. For there were so many ‘Princely Letters’ released to the realms of man, that all compiled would dangerously rival the weight of my beloved horse Theodor. 

 

Among the examples which have passed my education, the most egregious one I will relay to you now. During a Savoyard court in the time of my own grandfather, who first-hand witnessed the account; some contingent of an Orenian noble House presented their Serene Savoyard Prince with a transaction of His Land and privileges, in exchange for their contingent of levies and a flimsy promise of loyalty. The Prince readily accepted, and from this day, Almaris would come to see that the initial symptom of this Cancerous inclination of Sovereigns. The precursor only to absolute ruin, and dissolution of the realm, is the disregard for the dignities of its noble class. 


 

3) The Empire of Oren

Spoiler

My personal knowledge on the subject of Oren pre-destruction is limited moreso than that of the Savoyard Principality, yet such is not necessary in the upmost, due to the dissolution taking place just before my birth. More likely, any of the readers of this missive, having more years than I, will have seen and discoursed for themselves the bad omens which granting so many titles, in such little time, and for such little merit, spoke to the decline of the elite classes of the Orenian Empire. For it was not long after the ink dried on the last Imperial Letter, that the many civil aspects of the society caused the last Orenian Emperor’s 2nd son to completely and callously abandon every law of succession preceded by his fathers and grandfathers. But is this man’s folly fault of his own? If his own father should spit on the idea of the nobility, and those who he is FORCED to call his ‘peer’ make him sick with their disregard for tradition and class, then we cannot assign blame to him. For Whose traditions of Royalty did he scorn which he did not observe his father to do at the first?



 

  • Nauherzen? Shmau Shmerzen

To His Majesty, Karl III Barbanov-Bihar, King of Hanseti-Ruska, Sole Protector of the Highlanders:

Some time ago, you told me that it was not treason to merely disagree with one's liege lord. Therefore, I summon with all the passion and vigor of my wish to preserve our Pre-eminent Kingdom which I can summon through ink upon parchment, to say this; The title rank of ‘Nauherzen’ can be, by those who have taken heed of history, considered no different as the title rank of ‘Baronet’, coined by the last Emperor. And as I myself, and my kinsmen have scorned and scoffed the title baronet for its unmeritorious and nepotistic nature, my inclination to put aside my own judgements to the authority of His Majesty is made narrowly subject to the intention of this letter. Not even my most beloved King should forget the history of his fellow sovereigns, and assess why our polity has stood so long, surrounded by so many ruinous entities which rise and fall with the respect of their noble class. 

 

The recent missive released by His Majesty titled ‘The New Lord’s Edict’ will in my eyes, by no choice of mine nor will modern or future successes sway them from the burnt capitals of once great kingdoms and empires, be considered any idea but the perverse ghost of the Sutican-Savoyard-Orenian folly which had overtaken those peoples and sent them subject to His Majesty’s Crown. 

 

And now to the facet of unintentional insult. I should personally say that while His Majesty is 2nd only to the Pontiff in His Wisdom and Eminence as a King, the first of my sons who may consider accepting any title not given by a sovereign lord for due merit, potential, longsuffering loyalty, and manifest benefit to the Kingdom - I pray to Godan for that very same son to be stricken rent from all of his Vigor and Fertility. 



 

  • The story of my uncle

A story comes to mind now with which I will end this expectantly long-winded missive. Told to me by my Elder Uncle Cassio about my younger Uncle Elias; In their youth, my lost uncle had come to be friends with some northern lady whose name or location is lost to history. This lady had apparently been granted what he referred to as a ‘Nick Name’ by some unknown lord for some unknown merit. When he himself asked his father for one of these ‘Nick-Names’, he was chided for the first occasion he’d ever had the necessity to do so (Note: Both of my uncles were of great youth at the time, so any quotes unwritten must be taken with some due consideration). And the words of my grandfather, spoken most simply before I was ever instated by Godan to walk the realms of humanity, still speak true to this day; “If you would like a title… you have to earn it.”


 


Signed and Sighed,
A.B.



 

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August Bishop sighed when his door was knocked on,"vhat?" He took the folded letter shown to him by Aurik. He shook his head after seeing the many paragraphs "too long, go avay" he waved both the man and his letter away and went back to his room for the 3rd bottle of Ilya Vintage for the night.

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3 minutes ago, Keegan7om said:

August Bishop sighed when his door was knocked on.,"vhat?" He took the folded letter shown to him by Aurik. He shook his head after seeing the many paragraphs "too long, go avay" he waved both the man and his letter away and went back to his room for the 3rd bottle of Ilya Vintage for the night.


"Fine... just pray zhat du dont end up speaking in Norlandic Runes soon." Aurik called out in return

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Severus seemingly enjoyed the letter. He handed it off to Cassio for a quick read "Do look at this. Its Quite accurate and I'm eager to see a response!"

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To Firr A.B,

 

I read your letter and understand your concerns. It is a system with the potential for flaws, but it is also a system that might grant hope to those families that are striving for the lowest rank of permanent nobility. If a family does not deserve a place among the ranks of our peers under this edict, such shall be swiftly remedied. However, Haense has made a great mistake that has seen us slowly bleed ambitious families under the looming difficulty of taking that first step into our nobility. Often, many of our potential houses have not been afforded a barony until their patriarch are entirely worn out and the members of their household have given up the pursuit of such. If they have even achieved it, it can then be difficult to pick up the pieces of motivation to continue the struggle to keep hold of or raise their nobility. 

 

The goal of the New Lords Edict is to give these promising families a chance to prove that they are worthy. After all, a page cannot become a knight if they are not first accepted as a squire. The Nauherzen shall not be any family or person that comes to the Crown saying they want it, achieving that rank take some work and merit of its own.

 

We, as humans, and citizens of Hanseti-Ruska, hold one duty above all others. The duty to try. Connections may be made between those of other nations and every mistake that we have ever made. But simply suggesting a connection between Baronets and Nauherzen does not doom this experiment to failure. Its success or failure shall depend on the steps we take next. It shall depend upon whom is given this title, why, and that which they do with it.

 

I simply ask for your bated breath, for a chance. Allow us to attempt our duty to try, and should we fail, then there shall be the opportunity to revoke our mistake and to attempt to fix this issue within the Kingdom elsewise. Should you wish for a larger discussion on the matter, I suggest bringing your concern to the Royal Duma where yourself and those sitting on the Duma may voice and raise their concerns more directly.

 

Signed,

Her Excellency, Johanna Barclay, Lady Palatine of Hanseti-Ruska.

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4 minutes ago, Zaerie said:

To Firr A.B,

 

I read your letter and understand your concerns. It is a system with the potential for flaws, but it is also a system that might grant hope to those families that are striving for the lowest rank of permanent nobility. If a family does not deserve a place among the ranks of our peers under this edict, such shall be swiftly remedied. However, Haense has made a great mistake that has seen us slowly bleed ambitious families under the looming difficulty of taking that first step into our nobility. Often, many of our potential houses have not been afforded a barony until their patriarch are entirely worn out and the members of their household have given up the pursuit of such. If they have even achieved it, it can then be difficult to pick up the pieces of motivation to continue the struggle to keep hold of or raise their nobility. 

 

The goal of the New Lords Edict is to give these promising families a chance to prove that they are worthy. After all, a page cannot become a knight if they are not first accepted as a squire. The Nauherzen shall not be any family or person that comes to the Crown saying they want it, achieving that rank take some work and merit of its own.

 

We, as humans, and citizens of Hanseti-Ruska, hold one duty above all others. The duty to try. Connections may be made between those of other nations and every mistake that we have ever made. But simply suggesting a connection between Baronets and Nauherzen does not doom this experiment to failure. Its success or failure shall depend on the steps we take next. It shall depend upon whom is given this title, why, and that which they do with it.

 

I simply ask for your bated breath, for a chance. Allow us to attempt our duty to try, and should we fail, then there shall be the opportunity to revoke our mistake and to attempt to fix this issue within the Kingdom elsewise. Should you wish for a larger discussion on the matter, I suggest bringing your concern to the Royal Duma where yourself and those sitting on the Duma may voice and raise their concerns more directly.

 

Signed,

Her Excellency, Johanna Barclay, Lady Palatine of Hanseti-Ruska.

 

 

To Lady Palatine Barclay,

The rulership of humanity is no easy subject to navigate, and in the words of a very wise man, "Just as artists who draw landscapes humble themselves to the valley in order to study the nature of the high mountains, and ascends them to the pinnacle to observe the nature of the plains, so one has to be a prince to get to know the character of a people, and a man of the people to know the character of a prince."

While we disagree initially on this subject, Duchess Grace, our discourse on the subject could lead to insights left undiscovered by those long-dead nations, which could dispel the dark omen which we find currently ourselves under. 

 

Signed most respectfully,
A.B.

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Andriy, a proud young man enlisted in the BSK stared at this open letter and frowned. "Ea suppose it is a very serious crime for a committed, hard-working and loyal man to receive, after devotion and dedication to the Kingdom, to receive a rank of lesser nobility. But, they probably aren't serious - they signed with initials only, there's no way they are even remotely brave enough to own up to their words." The young man shrugged. "Ea might as well lay over and let them walk all over me in exchange of nothing. Times change, keaeur. If a man proves their worth, loyalty, service and devotion to the Koeng and his Kingdom, they should be recognised." He shook his head, marching off to continue his patrolling.

 

Addas simply chuckled as yet another man fell prey to the unfortunate wave of copium.

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2 hours ago, _trysk said:

Andriy, a proud young man enlisted in the BSK stared at this open letter and frowned. "Ea suppose it is a very serious crime for a committed, hard-working and loyal man to receive, after devotion and dedication to the Kingdom, to receive a rank of lesser nobility. But, they probably aren't serious - they signed with initials only, there's no way they are even remotely brave enough to own up to their words." The young man shrugged. "Ea might as well lay over and let them walk all over me in exchange of nothing. Times change, keaeur. If a man proves their worth, loyalty, service and devotion to the Koeng and his Kingdom, they should be recognized." He shook his head, marching off to continue his patrolling.



Sitting at his writing desk, occasionally rolling up pieces of paper and tossing them into the fire, Aurik Bishop has a similar thought to some of the Haeseni citizens, among whom he still counted himself. "Ahhh..." he dismisses the thought after some while, watching one of the pieces of paper which had missed the flame sit idly in the middle of the floor, "Mein own grandvatter spent his entire life toiling for zhe Kongzem, up undtil his Martyrdom. Und for zhat he was allowed to purchase Excitor, where ich sit now and stand to inherit the right to lease from the crown, yet singularly, none of his contributions justified my entire House's sharing in any Majesty of any great King." Aurik turns in his chair to take out another piece of paper, and begin to scribble some format upon it to be filled in at a later date. 

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