Nobility

Nobility is a state-privileged status bestowed upon individuals. It is generally a hereditary status. It is in use by the Humankind Empire of Abh.

=Abh Nobility= The Abh nobility mainly serves to manage and control the territories of the Empire to a certain degree. Abh nobles are essentially representatives of the Empire in dealing with local subjects regarding interstellar trade, and have a veto right regarding the local governmental head of state or Territorial Representative.

History
As the Empire grew, the need to manage its territories required a new class of servants aside from the military. This led to the creation of the nobility.

Court Ranks and Titles
The ranking system has been created based on ancient Earth nobility rank systems.

The rank of a noble depends on the wealth of his territory. This is being measured based on the number of habitable planets and the population size. A territory is usually one star system. Only Kings and Emperors are have security responsibility over numerous territories.

New nobles are named by the Emperor. Servants of the Empire with exceptional service records can be awarded with a territory and a noble title.

Only one family member may hold the court rank for one territory.

Nobles who have an inhabited world become landed nobles (Voda).

Imperial Star Force captains and above enjoy social honors pertaining to their rank. Very high ranking officers have equal standing as true nobles. Hecto-commanders are referred to as Knight first class. Descendants from families prior to the founding of the Empire are referred to as descendants of Knights.

The noble's responsibilities, duties and the Empire
The Empire controls interstellar activities and commerce, therefore, a noble has oversight on interstellar trade goods from his territory. A noble may only raise interstellar trade tax in his own territory for his own use. Only nobles may rent an interstellar starship from the Imperial Merchant Marine. The Imperial Merchant Marine provides the necessary crew. Effectively only nobles do interstellar shipping.

The well being of a territory is the responsibility of the noble. He or the Empire may invest in the planet or other planets in the star system or other ventures to improve the local economy.

Nobles directly report to the Emperor, not the King in whose kingdom they belong. The Empire will not interfere with familiar issues of a noble family.

A noble does not have any authority over Imperial Star Force units except when he is serving and has a command. A noble may request help from the Empire as needed.

Nobles do not have any influence on Imperial policy or have any political power within the Empire or his own territory. The Emperor is the sole ruler of the Empire.

Nobles are expected but not required to enrole in the Star Force. Title holders are required to serve for at least tens years in the Star Forces. With 3 years as a cadet at a military academy title holders will at least spend 13 years of their life in the military.

The noble's territory and the Empire
For defense issues the Empire provides about one officer for every thousand people. As long as the local autonomous government functions properly, the Empire will not deploy more officers without its consent. The local Star Force units are responsible for reporting the local situation to the Emperor.

Any inhabited worlds with imperial subjects must have a recruitment office for the Imperial Star Force. Participation in the Star Force is entirely voluntary. The Empire will not tolerate activities that hinder anyone's decision to volunteer.

Neither the noble nor the Empire will interfere with local politics or the local political system except when they are threatening the security of the Empire. Local world issues are not the concern of the Empire as long as there is no civil unrest potentially leading to civil war or secession. Local worlds are free to rule themselves as long as they do not concern the Empire.

For his protection a noble may request the local government to provide a security staff. For any (private) matter pertaining to the local world the noble has to negotiate with the local autonomous government. The noble has essentially control right over the interplanetary space, but not the worlds themselves. The noble or the Empire have indirect influence over a world from their investment projects.

A noble may own a planet if it has not been inhabited. He may invest in terraforming a planet and make it habitable. Depending on his part of investment in such a venture he may not be the sole owner or will have to repay lenders. The owner of a planet may have full control over immigration or colonization issues, but not the social or political system that may develop.

A king or queen may not have any territory at all. Their responsibility is the defense and security of the sord of their kingdom. However, each one's palace is one of the original motherships of the Abh. These palaces are placed within Lakfakalle.

The Emperor traditionally assumes the title of the Count Abriel, who resides over the Abrial star system, the Imperial Capital Lakfakalle. The Emperor has direct or indirect supervision over a minor number of other Imperial star systems.