The Royal Codex of the Kingdom of Balian: Addendum I: Lex Nobilis

[Kingdom of Balian 535]

The Royal Codex of the Kingdom of Balian

Addendum I: Lex Nobilis

 

 

Table of Contents:

 

LEX NOBILIS

Article I - On Peerage and Nobility

LEX NOBILIS

 

Article I - On Peerage and Nobility

 

Art. I.01 - On Establishment and Letters

 

I.01A - A Peerage is established when the Reigning Monarch grants a Letter of Establishment to a Citizen of Balian as defined in Lex Civilis Art. I.01, who is henceforth known as the ‘Peer’.

 

I.01B - Each Letter of Establishment is only granted to one person, and the title of Peer may only be held by one person at a time for that Letter.

 

I.01C - Upon receiving the Letter, and for as long as it is held by the Peer and his Heirs, his family will be considered part of the Nobility within the Kingdom of Balian, and shall bear all the duties and privileges of such.

 

I.01D - Peerages shall pass from the current Peer to his appointed Heir. The Heir must be a legitimate or legitimized member of the Peer’s House. 

 

                            a: By intestate inheritance, the Peerage shall pass to the eldest filiate child of the Peer, be they male or female, or to the Peer’s closest legitimate living blood relative should the Peer die childless.

 

               b: The Peer may specify an heir among their legitimate or legitimized family through their Will and Testament, so long as that Will and Testament is fully approved by the Monarch and his Magisterium prior to the Peer’s death.

 

c: Should the Peer have no living legitimate heirs, the Peerage shall pass back to the Crown. 

 

I.01E - Letters may be demoted or revoked by the Crown should the Peer fail to meet their obligations to the Crown and the Kingdom.

 

I.01F - In cases of serious criminal offenses by a Peer, that Peer may be forced to pass down their titles to their Heir, or the Letters may be revoked by the Crown entirely if the crime is serious enough or involves the whole of their House.

 

I.01G - The Crown has the right to promote or demote the status of Peers based on their merit.

 

Art. I.02 - On Obligations and Duties

 

I.02A - Families that own a peerage must assure that they have at least two members in the government at all times, be this in the Royal Balianese Armada, Stewardry, Magisterium, Censory, Diplomatic Corps, Concio, Duana, or some other body.

 

I.02B - Noble Families must host at least one Event for the people of Balian every three Saint’s weeks. These events may be anything, so long as they are open and seek to provide some sort of break from people’s daily lives and worries such as work.

 

I.02C - All members of a Noble Family, whether members of the Royal Balianese Armada or not, are expected to be ready, willing, and able to fight for the Kingdom if called upon during times of war or crisis.

 

I.02D - In addition to being willing to fight themselves, Nobles should be prepared to provide weapons, materials, coinage, and men to the Royal Balianese Armada and Kingdom if called upon by the Crown.

 

I.02E - Noble families must endeavor to use their positions and lands to create new jobs and positions within their peerages and the nation as a whole, for the benefit of commoners, gentrymen, themselves, and the Kingdom as a whole.

 

I.02F - Peers must regularly pay a tax to the Crown proportional to the size of their title.

 

Art. I.03 - On Rights and Privileges

 

I.03A - Peers gain the right to be referred to by their title and rank, and their children and mainline descendants gain the right to be called Lord and Lady, and all their family gain noble status regardless of this distinction.

 

I.03B - Peers gain the right to a parcel of land, the size of which is based on their rank, upon which they can build a Castle or Villa, so long as the blueprints are approved by the Ministry of the Interior. If land is unavailable, the granting of this right may be delayed until land is available. If the building upon the land is a fort or castle, then a master key to all the defenses should be handed to the Lord Commander of the Royal Balianese Armada so that he may help organize an effective defense.

 

I.03C - The Royal Balianese Armada shall rally to swiftly defend the lands of any noble house within the Kingdom.

 

I.03D - Nobles gain the right to call a champion into an honor duel to fight in their place, though any punishments decided by the duel are still doled onto them, not their Champion.

 

I.03E - A Peer gains the right and duty to sit on the Segnoria of the Kingdom of Balian, and through it help with the governance of the Kingdom. The peer may sit themselves, or send a representative from their House.

 

I.03F - Nobles may call upon a member of the Royal House or the Duana for counsel at any time they have need.

 

I.03G - Nobles may take on Wards as described in Lex Civilis Art. I, who may be adopted into their house per the proper legal channels or simply serve to work for the house and learn from that work.

 

I.03H - Nobles have the privilege of having up to two Royal Balianese Armada soldiers as a guard detail if deemed necessary. These guards may also live in their house, villa, or keep should the arrangements be made.

 

 

Signed,

 

HIS EXCELLENCY, Robert Joseph de Lyons, Magister of the Kingdom of Balian

Edited June 25, 2023 by Kingdom of Balian