Fantasy Guide To Noble Titles & What They Mean

Fantasy Guide to Noble Titles & What they Mean

So I get a lot of questions about what nobles actually do or how much they own or why a certain title is higher than another. Understanding the complexities of nobility and their hierarchy can be a bit of a head twister but hopefully this will help you out. Just for the moment we will be focusing on European Titles because I can't fit all the titles into one post. Forgive my shitty doodles. The diagrams mark out where the particular noble would rule.

Archduke/Archduchess

These titles have two meanings. In the latter half of the Austrian Empire, it was used to denote senior members of the Royal family such as children and siblings. It is also a non Royal title given to someone who rules an archduchy, a large portion of land with in the kingdom. They are in charge of the archduchy, ensuring it runs smoothly. They are referred to as Your Grace.

Grand Duke/Grand Duchess

The Grand Duke is probably the trickiest of all these titles as there is a dual meaning. A Grand Duke can rule a state as a sovereign like in Luxembourg or they can rule a Grand Duchy (a large portion of land within a kingdom) like the Grand Dukes of Russia. The Grand Duke was below the Archduke and their lands may be smaller. They are in charge of ruling their Grand Duchy, upholding the monarch's laws in their name. They are referred to as Your Grace.

Duke/Duchess

The Duke is the highest rank in most European nations. The Duke rules a large portion of the kingdom- called a Duchy- which you can think of as a county/state. The Duchies are often awarded by the monarch to their children who are not the heir. The Duke is charge with running that portion of land by order of the monarch, handling the over all business of that piece of the Kingdom. Dukes are referred to as Your Grace. There was only one Duke per Duchy.

Marquess/Marchioness

A Marquess is the next rung down from Dukes. The Marquess is in charge of a portion of land within a Duchy which is called a Marsh which lays near a border. The Marquess is solely responsible for the running of that portion of land. The Marquess is called The Most Honourable (Insert name), the Marquess of XYZ. There could be multiple marquesses in a Duchy if it was near a large border.

Earl/Count/Countess/Compte/Comptesse

An Earl/Count Rules over an Earldom, which is a section of a Duchy but it has less importance than a Marsh ruled by the Marquess. The Earl/Count is the third highest ranking within the Duchy. Often it was the subsidiary title of the heir of the Dukedom, so the eldest son/daughter of the Duke would be the Earl. The Earl/Count of X is addressed as Lord X for example, the Earl of Grantham, is called Lord Grantham. There could be multiple Earls/counts per Duchy.

Viscount/Viscountess/Viscompte/Viscomptess

Viscounts are the Earl/Count's second in command, ruling a portion of land with the Earldom. They handled the judiciary matters of their lands and their barons. Viscounts were addressed as the Right Honourable (insert name) Viscount of XY. Viscounts can also be used as a subsidiary title for the son of a Earl. When Thomas Boleyn was made Earl of Wiltshire, his son George was made Viscount Rochford. There might be multiple Viscounts in a Duchy.

Baron/Baroness

The Baron is the lowest of ranks in the nobility pyramid. Before the mid-medieval period, almost all nobles were labelled as Barons. They ruled over a portion of the land under the Duke, the Earl and Viscount. There were always a huge force of barons with in the Duchy. They handled the minor local disputes of their lands, collecting taxes and monies owed. If they faced a larger issue or crime, they would pass it up to the next ranking noble the Viscount and then it could travel all the way up to the Duke. The Baron of Townville were referred to as as Lord Townville.

Quick practice.

Daxiushan (大袖衫) Tutorial

Here are the basics on how to draft a daxiushan, or large sleeved robe.

Daxiushan were summer garments made popular in the Tang Dynasty. They are made from light and airy fabric and known for their broad sleeves. Worn by noble ladies and courtesans for special occasions, the daxiushan has become a staple in modern hanfu for its voluminous and ethereal effect.

I recommend using extra lightweight fabrics such as organza, chiffon, or georgette to achieve the proper look. Contemporary daxiushan can even be made from sequined fabric or non-woven materials if desired.

This garment was worn by women and commonly paired with ruqun. Please see @ziseviolet​‘s tag for a better explanation and examples. 

Note: this garment requires a lot of fabric and is quite wide, if you want to make a proper pattern to save for later, make sure your paper is very large! Image from (x) (x)

Since they are loose fitting, they are very easy to size for.

Next, let’s look at a technical flat.

The robe consists of:

Main Panel x2

Sleeve x2

Collar x2

Like all hanfu there is no shoulder seam, so the front half flows across the shoulder to the back as one piece. 

The hardest part to draft and sew is under the arms. Because the panel extends out from the body and connects to the sleeves, it’s quite a tight curve and requires delicate sewing to help it remain smooth. I always recommend French seams when sewing hanfu as well as careful clipping and notching. 

The daxiushan has side slits or vents that help it flutter and move around the wearer. The height of these slits is up to the designer, but they usually start around hip level. The rest of the garment has a slight flare, but not too much since the garment is so wide to begin with. 

Because this garment is quite large, the measurements in this tutorial will be given. If you need to alter them to fit your body type please do. Giving “standard” numbers makes it easier for me to make the tutorial, and less measuring work for you! 

Please do not Repost. Click for better quality.

Remember these tutorials are meant to give you a starting point in creating your own hanfu. They might not be perfect, so please bear in mind.

-Jaz

Guppy’s BoTW Research Resources

I am sure that there are many posts like this floating around in the ether, but with how many posts I’ve written with commentary (and how many more I know I will likely write) I wanted to collect some of my best sources into one post here. I’ve gotten them from a variety of places and people over the years, and often I still end up just googling things when I’m looking for something specific, but I do try to source my posts as much as possible.

So! Feel free to peruse these as you will and use them for your own exploits. And it goes without saying that I’m going to add to this as I find more sources. I’m always looking for new commentary, analysis, etc., so I don’t doubt that I’ll be maintaining this now that I’ve posted it. And feel free to suggest your own resources for me to include, if you’d like.

Keep reading

If you can’t reblog this, unfollow me now.

Some doodles of some ideas for Elysterran fruits and veggies from Brees home land.