5001-HârnWorld/3rd Edition/14

The prevailing form of government in civilized Hârn is feudalism. All land is owned by the king, who then grants fiefs to trusted magnates to provide for local government and defense. Such grants are inheritable although the monarch may revoke them for treason or rebellion. To help them govern and meet their obligations to the crown, the great nobles grant portions of their fiefs to lesser nobles, a process known as subinfeudation.

Feudal Nobility
The distinction between noble and common blood is the most significant in Hârnic society. The exclusive rights and privileges of the nobility include the right to bear heraldic arms and chivalric weapons, ride warhorses, organize military forces, hold fortifications, and dispense justice at feudal courts. Any commoner who trespasses on these rights can expect swift and harsh punishment. The ranks of feudal nobility on Hârn are as follows.

Earl
The highest feudal noble (on Hârn). An earl’s seat will usually be a castle, sometimes a keep, and he will (typically) owe the king the military services of 60–120 knights, varying with the size of his holding. Roughly 80% of the earldom will be subinfeudated to vassal barons and knights. The rest will be held directly by the earl and managed by appointed constables or bailiffs.

Baron
The word baron is a generic term on Hârn for any major land-holding noble with less status than an earl. A barony usually contains a keep and 10–30 manors. In smaller kingdoms, notably Chybisa, a baron may not hold a keep. Regardless of the size of a barony, a few manors will be held directly by the baron and managed by his bailiffs but most will be held by vassal knights. Some barons are vassals of an earl and some are tenants-inchief, holding directly from the king.

Manorial Lord
A knight who holds a manorial fief, usually from a baron or earl. Such fiefs are given in exchange for the military services of a mounted knight, hence most holders are knights. By custom, the amount of land deemed necessary to support a knight (from revenues) is between 1,200 and 1,800 acres. A grant of this size is called a knight’s fee.

Knighthood is not a feudal title. All barons and earls, and even the king, are knights. Anyone may theoretically be knighted, most often for exemplary military service to the crown. Knighthood is non-hereditary but most knights are born to the station. The training for knighthood (apprentice knights are called squires) is undertaken when the young son of a knight is invited to foster at the household of another knight. Boys begin training at 12 to learn the knightly virtues: skill at arms, heraldry, and horsemanship. If all goes well, the squire can expect to be knighted around the age of 21.

Knights Bachelor
The number of knights on Hârn far exceeds the number that can be granted fiefs. While some knights will inherit or marry into land, most are landless Knights Bachelor. A few will realize their burning ambition of obtaining a fief but most spend their lives as the retainers of great nobles, within the ranks of fighting orders, or (gods forbid) adventuring.

FEUDAL OBLIGATIONS
When a noble accepts a fief, he owes fealty to and becomes a vassal of the person (liege) who bestowed it. A vassal is expected to give absolute loyalty to his liege. There is great variety in the contract arrangements between lord and vassal (many are unique), but some generalities may be made concerning their mutual obligations.

All feudal lords are responsible for the administration of justice within their own fiefs. They are also obliged to protect their law-abiding tenants from outside interference. In return for providing basic security, a liege is entitled to some specified military and/or feudal service. He also has the right to collect various traditional taxes including merchet (marriage tax), heriot (death tax), and aids (incidental levies) to finance the knighting of his eldest son and the dowry of his eldest daughter, and to ransom his person from enemies. The crown may levy special aids, such as to finance a war or build royal castles.

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