Description
The Northern Kingdom of Ennotia
"What is Power? What is Order? What is Civilization? Ennotia is all those things and more."
The Kingdom of Ennotia is perhaps one of the oldest and most powerful human nations still standing. Their founding can be traced to the first era and some even speculate that it may extend back to even 500 years prior. Their technological advancements and influence over other human nations seems absolute, even the Empire can credit it's existence to the mercy of their mighty Northern neighbor.
The Social Structure from highest to lowest of social status.
King or Queen
Infernian's Chosen Knights
Princes and or Princesses
Other Royal Family
The Royal Guard
Any Watchmen, Yeomen, and or Man At Arms anointed to said station by the Ruler (will be recognized as the King/Queen's Watch Queen's/King's yeomen or Royal yeomen/ Queen's Men At Arms/ Royal Men At Arms and are not exactly nobles or even above the knighthood but are to be treated with great respect as they are an extension of the King/Queen's authority.)
Anointed Advisors and members of Chivalrous Knight Orders recognized by the ruler
The Dukes/Duchesses
-their family
The Marquesses/Marchoinesses
-their family
The Earls(sometimes referred to as Counts, depending on the province) Countesses
-their family
Knight's of the Realm
The Barons and Baronettes
-their family
The Lord/Lady
-their family
Religious figures
Inventors/Scientists/Scholars/Engineers
The End of the Nobility and Start of the Middle Class
Provincial Knights
Knights
Squires
Wealthy local merchants who were permitted to own land
Craftsmen
Owners of Shops
End of the Middle Class, Start of the Peasantry
Man At Arms
Yeomen
Members of the Militia
Serfs/Peasantry
Foreigners
Human Slaves
Other Slaves
Ennotia's social structure is different from that of other nations in that it does not so easily permit one of lower standing to rise to higher castes. The Peasantry, the work horses of Ennotia, are at the mercy of their betters. One who is born a peasant is most likely going to work land that they borrow from their Lord or Lady, and give a large portion of all the money they make and food/whatever good they produce to their Lord. To make the work easier, the Peasants are encouraged to have large families as the Lord will ask for less (not much less however) to permit them to feed themselves. To keep the peasantry happy, there are many festivals and celebrations and parades, all of which the peasants are encouraged to partake in and some for some of these festivities it is illegal to work during! During many of these, competitions are held most of which involve tests of strength, endurance, agility, etc. These are for the amusement of the nobility and those above the peasants but also so the local Lords may select members of the serf caste and even slaves to be elevated to be members of the Militia/Watch or Yeomen(which is another reason the peasantry have very large families). These promotions were the only guarantees of a serf ever getting a better, more consistent wage as well as their only opportunity to some day retire and own land.
Given the very militaristic social standing of Ennotia, it is only natural that military service is the ONLY way for someone of the Lower class to advance into the Middle Class. Once in the middle class, one may become a noble by accumulating wealth, power, and expanding their sphere of influence , if their betters permitted them to, or one could be bestowed the title of Lord and be given land by a higher ranking Noble. Another way for the lower caste to ascend to nobility was to become the Squire of a Knight. The only way for that to occur was to be handpicked by a Knight. This normally occurred only after a battle where the Knights could witness one's prowess, during a tournament/competition members of the Knighthood could be given permission to pick squires first before the local lords, if they needed squires, normally this only occurred when the nobles had little to no need for extra men. Then as a Knight one could advance to be a Provincial Knight, or Knight who's jurisdiction stretched the entire province. These Knights were normally given tasks by whatever noble was given power over that Province by the Queen or by a lesser ranked Noble who governed over that provincial leader. Then they may be promoted to Knight's of the Realm, who are tasked which monster hunting (as all Knights are) and with upholding peace and order throughout the entire Realm. There are various different Knightly Orders equivalent or above the Knights of the Realm, but all of these have been recognized and thus given their social ranking by the ruler. Above these Knights however, are Infernian's Chosen Knights. They receive requests ONLY from the current ruler and due to their great fame and prowess, are recognized throughout the entire land. Even the High Elven Kingdom of Arlathan, Ennotia's greatest enemy, recognizes and respects the ferocity and dedication of the Infernian's Chosen Knights.
An in depth look of the Nobility
Ennotia's current nobility is in fact the families of former rulers of former kingdoms that the early Ennotian Kingdom had conquered. Some of these, and mostly the lesser end of the nobility, are those who have received recognition by their betters and thus elevated into the nobility, and a few of the Higher Nobility have been elevated by previous Rulers, however given the nature of how the Kingdom is governed, they will never posses the power to overthrow the government. The Nobility maintains their social standing by paying the current Ruler, who at the moment is Queen Emilia "Sophie" Friederike Auguste von Dornburg or Queen Emilia Friederike Auguste or Queen Sophie, a portion of all their earnings. In this particular deal, earnings is anything and everything. From Gold, to Food, to Soldiers. Though the higher in the ladder you are, the less you have to pay. However in order to maintain power, A Duke would then have to tax the Marchoiness beneath him, and the the Earl beneath him, and so on. This system of taxation ultimately benefits the ruler by keeping the nobility struggling amongst itself and relying on the one in station above to provide aid should it be needed by the one in lesser station. However there are great benefits to being a Noble. The right to own a sword and carry it with you at all times. The right to be taught martial arts, ie, how to use said sword expertly. Nobles are also required to live in a manner that is considered noble and thus are exempt from having to do manual labor. (Knights who are considered nobles and Scholars, Engineers, etc are exempt from this rule.) They hold the exclusive right to hunt and also may permit those beneath them to hunt but at a price. They are exempt from most laws and what few laws do apply to them may be pardoned by their betters or by the Queen and some matters may be settled via duels. Why just last year the Queen and the Dukes pardoned over 4,000 duel related murders and this year some say that number will rise to be over 8,000!
In Depth analysis of the Military
Before we get into the details we must first single out and explain every single military rank which has been stated in the social rankings above as well as a few that were not explained.
Generals - Normally these are the higher ranked noblemen themselves or an office given to an individual by a noblemen. These men are NOT Nobles but are treated with great respect and often times receive some benefits of the Nobility.
Officers- Again normally these are the sons and daughters of lower ranking nobility, the heads of the noble house themselves or men and women of exceptional caliber given this office by said Noble. These men and women are again not considered nobles but do receive some of their privileges. They do not have as many as Generals.
Men At Arms- The Men At Arms are structured into two branches. Those Non Commissioned Men At Arms who act as the advisors and lessers of Officers and Generals due to their experience in war and combat prowess in the thick of battle and the regular rank and file Men At Arms who form the more elite frontline (though not as elite as any of the Knights) units of Ennotia.
Yeomen- Though Yeomen are not as highly ranked as their compatriots, the men at arms, they are however respected because of their skill. For one to become considered a Yeomen, one must first be elevate from the position of slave or Peasant by any Noble or Lord at the young age of 12, jus a year short of becoming an adult in Ennotian society. Then, they are paid 10 silvers a day or 3 gold coins a month (pay may vary greatly but this is the base requirement as decreed by King Ricardo Friederike Auguste von Dornburg in 2E 0201. With this money they are to purchase all the gear they need for war and food. Then every morning, and at noon, and then in the afternoon they will do nothing but practice. Most commonly, and since no one prefers to die, Yeomen purchase ranged weapons and are split into units based on the kind of weapon (crossbowmen with crossbowmen, archers with archers, mounted units with mounted units, Handcannoniers with Handcannoniers, etc.) Because of this, the more senior and battle hardened Yeomen can be as skilled as men at arms or even Knights and be better equipped than even the Elite units of their enemies while the more junior Yeomen units are just a step above the Peasants. (fun fact, Yeomen are also normally permitted to hunt.)
Militiamen-do not regularly partake in battle as they are tasked with keeping order in the Lord's keep or some other settlement. However, should their numbers be required they can be mustered and certainly they will partake in the defense of any settlement they keep watch over.
The Peasantry- It is not uncommon for the Lords and Nobles to bolster their ranks with peasants, normally taking the Eldest son and next two of age or even the daughters. At times these peasants are told to fight in the front as cannon fodder, forced to buy what they can to fight and protect themselves, and other times they are merely acting as servants for the Armies and conduct other manual labor the troops cannot be bothered with.
The Knights
The Knights may be called to assemble, as a matter of fact they normally always assemble with the Army whether or not they are called. It is normally the Knights who make up the majority or even the entirety of the Most Elite units of Ennotia. Whether mounted or dismounted, Knights are formidable and fearless but they do not always adhere to orders as they are technically considered nobles themselves but are also exempt from the governance of nobles due to their Chivalric code and their duty to the people. In the earlier years of Ennotia, this proved to be rather problematic as entire foolproof plans were ruined by the pride and honor of the Knighthood, who sought to save the routing peasantry who were forced to fight or wished to be the first to spill the blood of the enemy. These actions gave the Knights of Ennotia a reputation renown throughout the world. They did not know fear, only honor, duty, and glory. Stories of the Knighthood single handedly forcing entire flanks to collapse, routing armies, and winning entire battles by themselves spread like wildfires. There are even documented records of some enemy generals surrendering the instant they heard the trumpets that sounded prior to them charging. One such instance, recorded in history as true, was some decades after the great war, when the Kingdom Of Ennotia was reconquering it's old borders, an entire rival Kingodm surrendered when Infernian Chosen Knights arrived onto the battlefield, 2 days before the battle was to commenced.
Now aside from the Knights, the Ennotians are also known for their deployment and use of a large variety of siege level equipment specifically designed to cause great loss of life on the battlefield. From Mangonels and Onagers to Trebuchets and even mortars, fire lances, and cannons. Siege equipment has played a big role in even field battles.
"What is Power? What is Order? What is Civilization? Ennotia is all those things and more."
The Kingdom of Ennotia is perhaps one of the oldest and most powerful human nations still standing. Their founding can be traced to the first era and some even speculate that it may extend back to even 500 years prior. Their technological advancements and influence over other human nations seems absolute, even the Empire can credit it's existence to the mercy of their mighty Northern neighbor.
The Social Structure from highest to lowest of social status.
King or Queen
Infernian's Chosen Knights
Princes and or Princesses
Other Royal Family
The Royal Guard
Any Watchmen, Yeomen, and or Man At Arms anointed to said station by the Ruler (will be recognized as the King/Queen's Watch Queen's/King's yeomen or Royal yeomen/ Queen's Men At Arms/ Royal Men At Arms and are not exactly nobles or even above the knighthood but are to be treated with great respect as they are an extension of the King/Queen's authority.)
Anointed Advisors and members of Chivalrous Knight Orders recognized by the ruler
The Dukes/Duchesses
-their family
The Marquesses/Marchoinesses
-their family
The Earls(sometimes referred to as Counts, depending on the province) Countesses
-their family
Knight's of the Realm
The Barons and Baronettes
-their family
The Lord/Lady
-their family
Religious figures
Inventors/Scientists/Scholars/Engineers
The End of the Nobility and Start of the Middle Class
Provincial Knights
Knights
Squires
Wealthy local merchants who were permitted to own land
Craftsmen
Owners of Shops
End of the Middle Class, Start of the Peasantry
Man At Arms
Yeomen
Members of the Militia
Serfs/Peasantry
Foreigners
Human Slaves
Other Slaves
Ennotia's social structure is different from that of other nations in that it does not so easily permit one of lower standing to rise to higher castes. The Peasantry, the work horses of Ennotia, are at the mercy of their betters. One who is born a peasant is most likely going to work land that they borrow from their Lord or Lady, and give a large portion of all the money they make and food/whatever good they produce to their Lord. To make the work easier, the Peasants are encouraged to have large families as the Lord will ask for less (not much less however) to permit them to feed themselves. To keep the peasantry happy, there are many festivals and celebrations and parades, all of which the peasants are encouraged to partake in and some for some of these festivities it is illegal to work during! During many of these, competitions are held most of which involve tests of strength, endurance, agility, etc. These are for the amusement of the nobility and those above the peasants but also so the local Lords may select members of the serf caste and even slaves to be elevated to be members of the Militia/Watch or Yeomen(which is another reason the peasantry have very large families). These promotions were the only guarantees of a serf ever getting a better, more consistent wage as well as their only opportunity to some day retire and own land.
Given the very militaristic social standing of Ennotia, it is only natural that military service is the ONLY way for someone of the Lower class to advance into the Middle Class. Once in the middle class, one may become a noble by accumulating wealth, power, and expanding their sphere of influence , if their betters permitted them to, or one could be bestowed the title of Lord and be given land by a higher ranking Noble. Another way for the lower caste to ascend to nobility was to become the Squire of a Knight. The only way for that to occur was to be handpicked by a Knight. This normally occurred only after a battle where the Knights could witness one's prowess, during a tournament/competition members of the Knighthood could be given permission to pick squires first before the local lords, if they needed squires, normally this only occurred when the nobles had little to no need for extra men. Then as a Knight one could advance to be a Provincial Knight, or Knight who's jurisdiction stretched the entire province. These Knights were normally given tasks by whatever noble was given power over that Province by the Queen or by a lesser ranked Noble who governed over that provincial leader. Then they may be promoted to Knight's of the Realm, who are tasked which monster hunting (as all Knights are) and with upholding peace and order throughout the entire Realm. There are various different Knightly Orders equivalent or above the Knights of the Realm, but all of these have been recognized and thus given their social ranking by the ruler. Above these Knights however, are Infernian's Chosen Knights. They receive requests ONLY from the current ruler and due to their great fame and prowess, are recognized throughout the entire land. Even the High Elven Kingdom of Arlathan, Ennotia's greatest enemy, recognizes and respects the ferocity and dedication of the Infernian's Chosen Knights.
An in depth look of the Nobility
Ennotia's current nobility is in fact the families of former rulers of former kingdoms that the early Ennotian Kingdom had conquered. Some of these, and mostly the lesser end of the nobility, are those who have received recognition by their betters and thus elevated into the nobility, and a few of the Higher Nobility have been elevated by previous Rulers, however given the nature of how the Kingdom is governed, they will never posses the power to overthrow the government. The Nobility maintains their social standing by paying the current Ruler, who at the moment is Queen Emilia "Sophie" Friederike Auguste von Dornburg or Queen Emilia Friederike Auguste or Queen Sophie, a portion of all their earnings. In this particular deal, earnings is anything and everything. From Gold, to Food, to Soldiers. Though the higher in the ladder you are, the less you have to pay. However in order to maintain power, A Duke would then have to tax the Marchoiness beneath him, and the the Earl beneath him, and so on. This system of taxation ultimately benefits the ruler by keeping the nobility struggling amongst itself and relying on the one in station above to provide aid should it be needed by the one in lesser station. However there are great benefits to being a Noble. The right to own a sword and carry it with you at all times. The right to be taught martial arts, ie, how to use said sword expertly. Nobles are also required to live in a manner that is considered noble and thus are exempt from having to do manual labor. (Knights who are considered nobles and Scholars, Engineers, etc are exempt from this rule.) They hold the exclusive right to hunt and also may permit those beneath them to hunt but at a price. They are exempt from most laws and what few laws do apply to them may be pardoned by their betters or by the Queen and some matters may be settled via duels. Why just last year the Queen and the Dukes pardoned over 4,000 duel related murders and this year some say that number will rise to be over 8,000!
In Depth analysis of the Military
Before we get into the details we must first single out and explain every single military rank which has been stated in the social rankings above as well as a few that were not explained.
Generals - Normally these are the higher ranked noblemen themselves or an office given to an individual by a noblemen. These men are NOT Nobles but are treated with great respect and often times receive some benefits of the Nobility.
Officers- Again normally these are the sons and daughters of lower ranking nobility, the heads of the noble house themselves or men and women of exceptional caliber given this office by said Noble. These men and women are again not considered nobles but do receive some of their privileges. They do not have as many as Generals.
Men At Arms- The Men At Arms are structured into two branches. Those Non Commissioned Men At Arms who act as the advisors and lessers of Officers and Generals due to their experience in war and combat prowess in the thick of battle and the regular rank and file Men At Arms who form the more elite frontline (though not as elite as any of the Knights) units of Ennotia.
Yeomen- Though Yeomen are not as highly ranked as their compatriots, the men at arms, they are however respected because of their skill. For one to become considered a Yeomen, one must first be elevate from the position of slave or Peasant by any Noble or Lord at the young age of 12, jus a year short of becoming an adult in Ennotian society. Then, they are paid 10 silvers a day or 3 gold coins a month (pay may vary greatly but this is the base requirement as decreed by King Ricardo Friederike Auguste von Dornburg in 2E 0201. With this money they are to purchase all the gear they need for war and food. Then every morning, and at noon, and then in the afternoon they will do nothing but practice. Most commonly, and since no one prefers to die, Yeomen purchase ranged weapons and are split into units based on the kind of weapon (crossbowmen with crossbowmen, archers with archers, mounted units with mounted units, Handcannoniers with Handcannoniers, etc.) Because of this, the more senior and battle hardened Yeomen can be as skilled as men at arms or even Knights and be better equipped than even the Elite units of their enemies while the more junior Yeomen units are just a step above the Peasants. (fun fact, Yeomen are also normally permitted to hunt.)
Militiamen-do not regularly partake in battle as they are tasked with keeping order in the Lord's keep or some other settlement. However, should their numbers be required they can be mustered and certainly they will partake in the defense of any settlement they keep watch over.
The Peasantry- It is not uncommon for the Lords and Nobles to bolster their ranks with peasants, normally taking the Eldest son and next two of age or even the daughters. At times these peasants are told to fight in the front as cannon fodder, forced to buy what they can to fight and protect themselves, and other times they are merely acting as servants for the Armies and conduct other manual labor the troops cannot be bothered with.
The Knights
The Knights may be called to assemble, as a matter of fact they normally always assemble with the Army whether or not they are called. It is normally the Knights who make up the majority or even the entirety of the Most Elite units of Ennotia. Whether mounted or dismounted, Knights are formidable and fearless but they do not always adhere to orders as they are technically considered nobles themselves but are also exempt from the governance of nobles due to their Chivalric code and their duty to the people. In the earlier years of Ennotia, this proved to be rather problematic as entire foolproof plans were ruined by the pride and honor of the Knighthood, who sought to save the routing peasantry who were forced to fight or wished to be the first to spill the blood of the enemy. These actions gave the Knights of Ennotia a reputation renown throughout the world. They did not know fear, only honor, duty, and glory. Stories of the Knighthood single handedly forcing entire flanks to collapse, routing armies, and winning entire battles by themselves spread like wildfires. There are even documented records of some enemy generals surrendering the instant they heard the trumpets that sounded prior to them charging. One such instance, recorded in history as true, was some decades after the great war, when the Kingdom Of Ennotia was reconquering it's old borders, an entire rival Kingodm surrendered when Infernian Chosen Knights arrived onto the battlefield, 2 days before the battle was to commenced.
Now aside from the Knights, the Ennotians are also known for their deployment and use of a large variety of siege level equipment specifically designed to cause great loss of life on the battlefield. From Mangonels and Onagers to Trebuchets and even mortars, fire lances, and cannons. Siege equipment has played a big role in even field battles.