Noble Protocol

All but the highest noble ranks (count, duke, archduke) can be awarded in recognition of achievement or preeminence in a field of endeavor, though all can be awarded as honor titles to existing lower-ranked peers at the Emperor's pleasure. Titles Several aspects of noble rank are governed by a strict protocol, including:
Title (the formal reference to the person in print or by reference): The noble title includes the allowed prefixes (such as Sir) and suffixes (such as "of Yori") to a name, and the order in which they are presented. Nobles are typically referred to by their titles and world holdings: e.g. Duke Regina or Duke of Regina. Note that while a Noble may hold more than one title of the same name, duplicate titles are conferred only rarely. [1] Style (the method of addressing the individual personality): The noble style dictates the manner in which a noble is addressed, including such honorifics as "Your Grace" or "Your Majesty". Precedence (the relative seniority of the individual among others): Precedence is accorded strictly on the basis of government position, with seniority by date of patent following. The date of noble rank is taken from the date of confirmation when an inherited rank is assumed. Nobility Lists The bulk of patents of nobility are published on one of two lists annually:
The Holiday List is published on Holiday, the first day of the new year, and covers awards for achievement. The Birthday List is published on the Emperor's birthday (Strephon's is day 202) and covers awards for service. Continuing awards for position are given out as called for by circumstances.
The Nobility Lists are maintained by the Office of the Emperor.
Peerage The nobility includes within it a subset called the peerage, which consists of all landed nobles except knights and baronets (though Imperial Landed Baronets have access to and voting rights in the Moot). Except in extraordinary situations, to hold high office in the Imperial bureaucracy, a person must be a peer. Collectively, the peerage constitutes the Moot, the Imperial government's only deliberative body.
Noble Fiefs & Land Grants (Enfeoffment) Imperial nobility is based on fiefs: territories (usually worlds) which are assigned to nobles for their benefit and placed under their protection. Patents of nobility, especially for service, may include Land Grants as part of their fiefs. Land Grants are given out by the Emperor for two primary reasons [1]:
To encourage the economic development of the worlds of the Imperium To provide a measure of economic support to the nobility A Land Grant is normally expressed in terms of economic control of one or more Terrain-hexes on the surface of Imperial member-worlds and/or the bodies in their respective star systems. Until claimed and improved, the Imperium pays the holder of noble lands Cr 1000 per Terrain-hex per year. [1]
The Land Grants associated with fiefs are granted in a Letter of Enfeoffment separate from the patent of nobility. Fief Land Grants are granted to the individual at the discretion of the Emperor and remain the Emperor's possessions. However, the fief conveys the right to use the land, to rent or lease it out and collect income from it. The land grant is a convenient method for the Emperor to reward certain nobles. The size of the land grant depends upon how great an income the Emperor wishes to award a noble, and the location of the grant within the fief itself. A knight with a grant consisting of several hundred square kilometers of sparsely settled wilderness and one with a single hectare of the business district of a city can be considered to hold equal grants. Hereditary nobles have often had the fief and associated land grant in their family for generations, and have built it up in value and income potential. Some sites at the capital generate considerable income each year. Other land grants have been administered with great care to ensure that the territory be not only valuable, but also tastefully used. Still others have been exploited ruthlessly in mining or industrial pursuits. Completely separate from fiefs and land grants, a noble may own land obtained from other sources (inheritance, purchase, and so forth). These lands remain the property of their owner even if his title is revoked, and can be disposed of separately from the land grants of fiefs. Under most circumstances, each terrain-hex of a land grant also includes one local-hex of property gifted to the noble outright as personal property.
The noble who is responsible for a given fief is known as the "active noble"; other members of the noble family are known as "courtesy nobles". Note that it is generally considered impolite to point out this difference to a courtesy noble. Each world under the protection and control of a noble is considered a fief. Each world has a limit of one active noble of each rank (although there may be any number of courtesy nobles or inactive nobles on a world - see Honor Nobles and Ceremonial Nobles below). [1]
An interesting note is that the fiefdoms of higher ranks often include orbital or systemic "property" within a sytem.
Imperial Lands In theory, the Imperium reserves for itself the "pentagons" (as opposed to "hexagons") on the geodesic maps of each undeveloped world (including the main-world and every other world within a system). This territory may be developed by the Imperium, or it may be exchanged with the local government for other territory. Note that on previously settled worlds (i.e. those containing Native Intelligent Life), there are no consistently and specifically defined Imperial Lands. [1]
Heredity Nobility is usually hereditary. Once confirmed by the Moot, a title continues to be passed down to succeeding generation. Titles need not pass through the first born (although this is the accepted practice), and individuals with several titles may divide them among their children as they see fit, along with their associated noble land grants. A specific noble title (and its associated lands) are normally indivisible and must be inherited by a single individual as a unit. [1]
Children of a noble are generally accorded a courtesy title of one noble rank lower. For example, the sons and daughters of a Count or Viscount receive a courtesy title of Marquis or Marchioness (although in some cases the heir of a Count may be permitted the use of Viscount). Upon the death of the Count or Viscount, the heir assumes the title of Count or Viscount (respectively), the other offspring remaining Marquises and Marchionesses. Note that the courtesy title one level lower for a Baron is Baronet, not Knight. [1]
Revocation of Nobility Noble rank can be revoked by the Emperor personally or through the Moot.
High Crimes: Reasons for such revocation are treason, murder, kidnapping, and extortion as well as other felonies.

• Incompetence: Extremely poor performance can also be a reason.
• Discontinuation: Occasionally, a noble rank will not be confirmed upon inheritance.
• All noble ranks within the peerage come from the Emperor.
• The ability to create Knights and Baronets (and in a few rare cases, Barons), however, is shared with the Archdukes of the Imperium, though such archducal appointments are never considered members of the peerage, and always rank equal to but behind those of similar title bestowed by the Emperor.