Titles

Royalty

King: A king ruled large areas of land/country by divine right. To protect his land from invasion, the king gave parts of it to local lords, referred to as vassals (Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons). In return, his vassals promised to fight to defend the king's land. The king reported to God and then the pope (and sometimes that was negotiable).

Queen: A female sovereign or monarch. Acts as a King if there is none in power, but otherwise is simply the wife of the King.

Prince: A non-reigning male member of a royal family.

Princess: A non-reigning female member of a royal family.


Royal Guard

Commander of the Guard: The commander of the guard makes all decisions regarding the movements of the guard. They choose which guard protects which royal, and for how long. They control which guard goes where with which royal. This person can be given special pardons if they disobey their monarch’s orders with the intent to protect the monarch.

Captain of the Guard: The captain of the guard can be seen as the elite guard for all intents and purposes. This is the one person who has trained, and fought, long and hard enough to earn this title. It's not given easily, but when it is that person is trusted with the protection of the royal(s) more than any other person. This person usually guards the ruling monarch over any of the other royalty, and can be given special pardons if they disobey their monarch’s orders with the intent to protect the monarch.

Guards: The guards may establish a hierarchy among themselves, but the way they are seen from the outside they are just different weapon users who protect the royals.


Nobility

(Listed in order of power, from greatest to least)

Grand Duke & Grand Duchess: The sovereign duke of any of various European states. The sovereign of a territory called a grand duchy, ranking next below a king. If the ruling pair were to pass without an heir, the Grand Duke or Duchess would take their place.

Duke & Duchess: A nobleman of the highest hereditary rank. A member of nobility; historically the highest rank below the reigning monarch.

Marquess & Marchioness: Lords responsible for guarding border areas, known as "marches." In some cases, the eldest son of a Duke was known as a Marquess.

Count & Countess: A nobleman who’s ranking is slightly above that of an Earl.

Earl & Countess: The highest title attainable by an English nobleman who was not of royal blood. Also known in earlier times as Ealdorman.

Viscount & Viscountess: A member of the peerage ranking below an Earl and above a Baron. The fourth level of peerage, a Viscount was a lieutenant or deputy of a Count (from "vice-count"), or the title of courtesy for the eldest son of an Earl or Marquess.

Baron & Baroness: One of a class of tenants holding his rights and title by military or other honorable service directly from a feudal superior (as a king). A vassal who served as a member of the king's great council. It was not, of itself, a title, but rather a description of the Tenants-in-Chief class of nobility.

Knight & Dame (Lord & Lady): Knights were warriors who fought on horseback. In return for land, they pledged themselves as vassals to the king. Only the sons of lords could become knights. Candidates for knighthood began training as pages at the age of 7, learning social graces and skills such as fencing and hunting. At 13 or 14 they became squires and began to practice fighting on horseback. Squires served as assistants to knights both in the castle and on the battlefield. At 21 a squire could become a knight himself, kneeling before the lord of the manor to be "dubbed" on the shoulder with a sword. Kings, local lords, and knights were all part-of a ruling class that called itself noblemen. The Lords (knights) ruled over the fiefs or manors. They rented their land to peasants who worked for them. The trained knights were bound by oath to serve the nobles who had granted them their fiefs. The warrior (on retainer) who owed military service to his lord in exchange for payment of money, titles, and/or fief (land). Knights also aspired to the ideals of loyalty, generosity and courtesy, known as chivalry.


Court Officials

Chamberlain: An officer of the royal household responsible for the Chamber, meaning that he controlled access to the person of the king. He was also responsible for administration of the household and the private estates of the king. The Chamberlain was one of the four main officers of the court, the others being the Chancellor, the Justiciar, and the Treasurer.

Chancellor: The officer of the royal household who served as the monarch's secretary or notary. The Chancellor was responsible for the Chancery, the arm of the royal government dealing with domestic and foreign affairs. Usually the person filling this office was a Bishop chosen for his knowledge of the law. "Keeper of the barrier, secretary, usher of a law court," so called because he worked behind a lattice at a basilica or law court.

Justiciar: The head of the royal judicial system and the king's viceroy, when the actual viceroy was absent from the country.

Treasurer: The chief financial officer of the realm and senior officer of the Exchequer.

Constable: An officer of high rank in medieval monarchies, usually the commander of all armed forces, especially in the absence of the ruler. The keeper or governor of a royal fortress or castles. An officer of a hundred, originally responsible for raising the military levy but later assigned other administrative duties

Master of the Horse: The third official of the royal household. The master of the horse is the third dignitary of the court, and was always a member of the ministry, a peer and a privy councilor. All matters connected with the horses and formerly also the hounds of the sovereign, as well as the stables and coach houses, the stud, mews and the kennels, are within his jurisdiction. The practical management of the Royal Stables and stud devolves on the chief or Crown Equerry, formerly called the Gentleman of the Horse, whose appointment was always permanent.

Doorward: Was an office in medieval Scotland whose holders, eventually hereditary, had the theoretical responsibility of being warden of the king's door, i.e. protecting the king's property.

Falconer: A person who hunts with falcons or follows the sport of hawking. A person who trains hawks for hunting.

Gentleman of the Bedchamber: A Gentleman of the Bedchamber was the holder of an important office in royal households. The duties of the office involved waiting on the king when he ate in private, helping him to dress, guarding the bedchamber and closet, and providing companionship.

Gentleman Usher: The Gentlemen Ushers occupied a level intermediate between the steward, the usual head, and the ordinary servants; they were responsible for overseeing the work of the servants "above stairs", particularly those who cooked and waited upon the nobleman at meals, and saw to it the great chamber was kept clean by the lesser servants. He was also responsible for overseeing other miscellaneous service, such as the care of the nobleman's chapel and bed-chambers. It was traditionally the gentleman usher who swore in new members of the nobleman's service.

Grandmaster: The head of a military order of knighthood. A person at the highest level of ability or achievement in any field.

Grand Master of the Hunt: Responsible for organizing hunts and guarding royal forests against poachers.

Groom of the Stool: The Groom of the Stool (formally styled: "Groom of the King's Close Stool to King (name)") was the most intimate of a monarch's courtiers, whose physical intimacy naturally led to him becoming a man in whom much confidence was placed by his royal master, and with whom many royal secrets were shared as a matter of course. This secret information he was privy to, whilst it would never have been revealed, to the discredit of his honor, in turn led to him becoming feared and respected and therefore powerful within the royal court in his own right

Herald: A royal or official messenger. In the Middle Ages, it was a herald who arranged tournaments and other functions, announced challenges, marshaled combatants, etc., and who was later employed also to arrange processions, funerals, etc., and to regulate the use of armorial bearings.

Pursuivant: A heraldic officer of the lowest class, ranking below a herald. An official attendant on heralds.

Intendant of the Civil List: The Intendant of the King's Civil List is responsible for managing the material, financial and human resources of the King's Household. He is assisted by the Commandant of the Royal Palaces, the Treasurer of the King's Civil List and the Civil List Adviser. The Intendant of the Civil List also advises the King in the field of energy, sciences and culture and administers the King's hunting rights.

Jester: A professional fool or clown at medieval court.

Keeper of the Seal: The title Keeper of the Seals or equivalent is used in several contexts, denoting the person entitled to keep and authorize use of the Great Seal of a given country.

King of Arms: A title of certain of the principal heralds of England and certain other kingdoms empowered by their sovereigns to grant armorial bearings.

Knight: The warrior (on retainer) who owed military service to his lord in exchange for payment of money, titles, and/or fief (land). Knights also aspired to the ideals of loyalty, generosity and courtesy, known as chivalry.

Lady-in-Waiting: A lady who is in attendance upon a queen or princess.

Maid of Honor: An unmarried lady attending a queen or princess.

Standard Bearer: An officer or soldier of an army or military unit who bears a standard. A standard-bearer is a person (soldier or civilian) who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used (and often honored) as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.

Steward: The man responsible for running the day-to-day affairs of the castle when the lord was absent. The steward organized farm work and kept accounts of the estate’s money. Stewards were well-paid, powerful figures in the district. "House guardian," "overseer of workmen, " "one who manages affairs of an estate on behalf of his employer" a person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others. a person who has charge of the household of another, buying or obtaining food, directing the servants, etc.