>Picking up on a point in Terra Incongita's post (though I think he was
>quoting) ...
>
>> There is no definitive superiority or inferiority among duke, count =
and=3D
>
>earl
>> and their difference are derived from their linguistical origin.
>
>The relationship between Count and Earl in England at least -is-
>definitive. They're the same thing, which is why the wife of an Earl =
has=3D
>
>the title Countess.
>
>In all the mediaeval systems I've come across, a Duke has precedence =
over=3D
> a
>Count/Earl (anyone know of exceptions?). =20
In early mediaeval times, precedence didn't really come into it. The Merovingian and Carolingian monarchs appointed their "companions" (comites in Latin, which evolved into "counts") as royal administrators of regions under their control. These officials gradually because independent feudal lords. =20
Larger areas on the frontier required military rulers rather than civilian administrators; such men were given the title "leader" (dux =3D duke). Many centuries later, the origins of the titles had been forgotten, and people just saw that dukes tended to rule larger territories than counts, so presumably they must have higher status.
In late mediaeval times with the spread of "civilised values", finely codified social status became far more important. The question of whether an English Earl ranked on a par with a French Comte or a German Herzog was vitally important, and kings sought to reward followers with ever more finely graded distinctions. England had managed for centuries with just barons and earls, but from Edward III's reign onwards dukes, marquesses, viscounts and baronets were all imported from French practice or simply invented.
>For Glorantha, the only thing I'd say is unrealistic is a nice neat =
system
>which is the same in all countries.
Well, the God Learners probably had huge almanacs giving tables of equivalence for every noble title they'd ever encountered. A bit like a GURPS sourcebook: "Status 8: Emperor of Dara Happa, Emperor of Kralorela, Grand Poo-Bah of the Dust Serpent clan of the Arbennan Confederacy, etc. Status 7: King of Seshnela, Council Member of the EWF, etc etc", ...that kind of thing.
Stephen
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