Gallican Nobility

In Gallica, nobles hold the authority in matters of state and law. They are the people in power who rule over the peasantry and decide the course the nation takes.

Land Ownership

Gallicas nobility functions on the basis of land ownership and functions through 'Land-grants'.
The King of Gallica owns all the land in gallica, but gives it to his vassals to administrate it. They, in turn, divide it further by giving it out to their own vassals.
Most land-grants are inherently tied to certain noble titles, and if a title changes owner then so is the land attached to that title.
All land-grants are temporary. They allow the owner of a land-grant to do with it as they please, but upon transfer of the land to an heir the new owner must make a large payment to their liege-lord and the land is transferred back into the ownership of the liege-lord if the vassal dies without an heir. All land-grants also come with obligations such as taxes levvied and military service, and a noble needs to defend their own land.
A noble can do with his land and his subjects whatever he wants, so long as it does not violate the king's law or the laws of chivalry.

Peasants
Non-nobles can buy and own land but their land continues being under the rule of the noble selling them the land. They can do with it what they want but they must follow the law that the liege-lord dictates for his fief.

Landless Nobles
While most noble titles are inherently attached to a parcel of land, some are granted without an attached plot of land as ceremonial titles. Other times noble may lose their land, either due to warfare or simply due to having to sell it to generate funds. Landless nobles might maintain the other privileges a noble title carries but their title is almost always non-hereditary as a result.

Legal Authority

A noble's word is given great weight in legal matters, an accusation from a noble often enough for a conviction of a peasant with no further evidence needed. On the other hand, a noble can only be judged and sentenced by a court of his peers, that is to say, other nobles. They can however still be arrested by non-nobles.

Chivalry & Nobility

Nobles are obligated to rule fairly and justly. The nobles are beholden to the king and the king is beholden to the gods. As such, their actions will be judged harshly by the church and if they are found wanting they risk excommunication. Nobles also use any and all excuses against eachother in their political powergames. Abuses of power are thus frowned upon by other nobles but unfortunately are still common.

Noble titles

Below are listed noble titles, roughly ordered by Rank. These are bestowed by the King or other high-ranking nobles.

Low Nobility:

Squire
Squires are s-in-learning. The lowest ranking noble title, essentially noble in name only. They work in the service of a knight for multiple years learning their craft until they become knights themselves. During their learning period they are often not much more than glorified servants.

Knight
Knights are military low-nobility. Most knights serve as squires for several years before becoming knights, but some are knighted as a reward for valor on the battlefield. The one granting them the honor, usually a baron, will now be their liege-lord.
Knights swear oaths of fealty to their liege-lord and oaths of chivalry. They are then honor-bound to serve that person with military service until their death or until they are relieved from their oath. If a knight is found to have broken his oath or his word, they are scorned and it is not uncommon for them to be sent on a dangerous quest to redeem themselves, or for them to lose their knighthood alltogether. Knights thus take their honor very seriously.
After years of distinguished service, a knight may sometimes be granted the privilege to become a baron. A Knight's lands usually encompass a few farmsteads and a manor, at most a small village.
Knight is a non-hereditary title, but the children of knights often become squires and then knights as well.

Medium Nobility:

Medium Nobility have significant influence regionally. They have large amounts of fighting men and disposable income, to enact their will upon a part of the country.

Baron/Baroness
Barons rule over a piece land, or govern a city or village. Barons are rulers and often have several knights in their service, as well as the standing army of whatever area they govern. Baron is a hereditary title and both the land and title is transferred to the chosen heir of the baron upon death.

Viscount/Viscountess
Viscounts govern a large amount of land, usually containing multiple villages and possibly a city, at the behest of a count. This title is bestowed by Counts onto lesser nobles such as barons and patricians and is non-hereditary.

High Nobility:

High Nobility are the main players within Gallica. Their actions have long-lasting consequences for the nation and its neighbors and they are without exception very wealthy.

Count/Countess
Counts govern a significant part of a country. A count's lands usually contain multiple baronies and they can mobilize signifficant armies if needed. Count is a hereditary title and both the land and title is transferred to the chosen heir of the count upon death.

Prince/Princess
The Prince is an inheritor of the throne. While a monarch can have multiple children which asre all princes or princesses, there is only ever once crown prince in the kingdom of gallica. Most princes are eventually granted various noble titles such as (A prince does not need to be the child of the monarch. It could also be the monarch's sibling, for example)

Duke/Duchess
Dukedom is the highest noble rank in haven apart from monarch, dukes are the heads of old noble houses, often deeply tied to the royal family very tightly and govern territories so large that they could function as their own countries. Dukes are the most powerful nobles politically, economically and militarily. A duke's lands contain multiple counties. Duke is a hereditary title and both the land and title is transferred to the chosen heir of the duke upon death.

King/Queen
The King is the monarch of a country, capable of directing military and industrial assets capable of influencing the world at large. A King is usually the head of a major noble house, and several noble houses held the title in the past. The title of king is is a hereditary title and both the land and title is transferred to the crown-prince.

Notable Noble Families

Athala, Royal Family, Nephilim bloodline
Current Head of Family: King Magnus Athala IV

Ortega, High Noble Family, human bloodline
Current head of Family: Duke Louis Ortega, ruler of the Milian Duchy in the east of gallica

Anderborne, High Noble Family, human Bloodline
Current Head of Family: Duchess Karin Anderborne, ruler of the Steenpas Duchy in the north of gallica

Lionel, Intermediary Noble Family, human bloodline
Current head of Family: Count Arthur Lionel, ruler of the Lionel county