Pelaxian Nobility

The Pelaxian nobility was a social class enshrined in the laws of the Kingdom of Pelaxia and the Carto-Pelaxian Commonwealth with specific privileges, prerogatives, obligations and regulations. The nobility ranked immediately after royalty and was itself subdivided into a number of subcategories which included the titled nobility and nobility of blood at the top and civic nobility at the bottom, encompassing a small, but not insignificant proportion of Pelaxia's citizenry.

Nobles had a specific legal status and held most of the wealth and various privileges denied to other classes, mainly politicians. In most of the former Pelaxian comarcas it was the only class that had access to high-level government positions. They also practically monopolized the most distinguished positions in the city-states and in the Catholic Church for a long time.

Recognition of Pelaxian nobility ceased with the creation of the republic in 1852. Although many titles still exist, they are used as a matter of social courtesy and are not recognised under the law. Descendants of Pelaxia's hereditary nobles have continued to bear their families' titles and coats of arms according to the standards and regulations established before the Republic.

History

Early Caphiravian

The highest authority in the Pelaxian Valley would be the provincial governor, appointed by the Caphirian Consul. This governor would oversee the administration of the province, ensuring loyalty to Caphiria and implementing imperial policies. House Valerius traces its origins back to the early days of the Caphirian Empire’s expansion into the Pelaxian Valley. The family was founded by Valerius Maximus, a distinguished general who played a crucial role in the conquest and pacification of the region. As a reward for his service, the Caphirian Consul granted him extensive lands and the title of Prefect of the Pelaxian Valley.

The local nobility would own large estates and hold significant political power. They would be responsible for governing their lands, collecting taxes, and providing military support. They would also serve as advisors to the provincial governor. The land in the Pelaxian Valley would be divided into large estates, similar to the Roman latifundia. These estates would be the primary economic units, producing food and goods for the kingdom. Nobles would oversee these estates, employing serfs and slaves to work the land.

The nobles’ estates would often include a villa, which served as the administrative center and residence. These villas would be hubs of economic activity, with workshops, storage facilities, and living quarters for workers. Defense and Security: The presence of a military garrison provided security, which encouraged merchants and traders to settle nearby. The assurance of protection from raids and banditry made these areas attractive for economic activities. Soldiers often settled in these areas with their families, leading to population growth. This increase in population created a demand for goods and services, stimulating local economies.

Kosali

In the mid 5th Century AD., the Caphirian Republic would eventually face internal pressure from ambitious leaders such as Luccino Capontinus and Iscallio Maristo, as contention for leadership caused a number of small fights among the ambitious youth and the elder aristocracy. The fighting would culminate with a five year civil war, known now as the War of the Republic, that left 120,000 people dead. The war was in such a frenzy that by the time it had ended, there was no decisive victor and as a consequence, the Republic was on the verge of total collapse.

The undoing of Caphiravian control in the region was the result of four sarpedonian tribes crossing the Cazuano river in 407. After three years of depredation and wandering about southern Pelaxia the Losa, Ladri and Klis moved into Pelaxia in September or October 409. Thus began the history of the end of Caphiravian Pelaxia which came in 472. The Losa established a kingdom in Monti in what is today modern Montia and northern East Pelaxia. The Ladri also established a kingdom in the southern part of the region. The Klis established a kingdom in Albalitore – modern northwest coast. The Caphirian attempt under General Petia to dislodge the Septri from Jojoba failed in 422. Caphiria made attempts to restore control in 446 and 458 with partial success. In 484 the Kosal established Agrila as the capital of their kingdom. Successive Kosal kings ruled Agrila as patricians who held imperial commissions to govern in the name of the Caphirian Consul. In 585 the Kosal conquered the Losa Kingdom of Montia, and thus controlled a third of Pelaxia.

The Agrila Kingdom (Latin: Regnum Agrili) was a kingdom that occupied what is now western Pelaxia from the 5th to the 8th centuries. One of the successor states to the Caphiravian presence in the Province, it was originally created by the settlement of the Kosali under King Magda in Agrila. The Kingdom maintained independence from the Caphiravian Empire, whose attempts to re-establish authority in Pelaxia were only partially successful. Under King Evaristo - who eliminated the status of imperial commissions - a triumphal advance of the Kosali began. Alarmed at Kosali expansion from Ficetia after victory over the Caphirian armies at Cakia in 479, the Consul sent a fresh army against Evaristo. The Caphirian army was crushed in battle nearby and Evaristo then captured Soratia and secured all of Pelaxian Valley. The Kosali Code, completed in 654, would serve as the basis for law and order within the kingdom. This code would abolish the old tradition of having different laws for Caphirians and Kosali, creating a unified legal system. The land would be divided into large estates controlled by the nobles. These estates would be the primary economic units, with peasants working the land to produce food and other goods. Peasants would be required to pay tributes and taxes to the nobles, who would, in turn, provide a portion of these to the king. This system would ensure a flow of resources from the bottom to the top of the hierarchy.

The code also addressed the management of public and communal land, which was used for grazing, farming, and other communal activities. It outlined the responsibilities of the community and the authorities in managing these lands. The concept of “comarca” as introduced by the Kosali can be understood as a form of administrative division that helped organize their territories more effectively. A comarca is a territorial division that functions as an administrative region. It is similar to a county or district in other systems. The primary purpose of a comarca was to facilitate local governance and administration. The head of a comarca was typically a noble or a trusted official appointed by the king. These officials had significant authority within their comarca and were responsible for its administration.

Kingdom of Albalitor

Kosal monarch Columbio founded the Kingdom of Albalitor in 618, after he expelled the Klis form its capital and harassed Rastri and Rati settlements in the coastal strip over the Kindred Sea. The Albalitorian kings were happy to make peace with the Sarpic when it suited them, particularly if it left them free to pursue their other enemies, the Merquines. Thus Dadario (757–68) killed 40,000 Sarpics but also defeated the Meriquines and Ciro (774–83) made peace with the Sarpics. Under King Radamancio I (791–842), the kingdom was firmly established. The ethnic distinction between the Cognatish-Caphiravian population and the Kosal had largely disappeared by this time (the Kosal language lost its last and probably already declining function as a church language when the Kosali converted to Catholicism in 589).This newfound unity found expression in increasingly severe persecution of outsiders, especially the Jews. The Kosal Code (completed in 654) abolished the old tradition of having different laws for Caphirians and for Kosali. The 7th century saw many civil wars between factions of the aristocracy. The Kosali also developed the highly influential law code known in Western Sarpedon as the Kosali Code , which would become the basis for Pelaxian law throughout the Middle Ages.

Kazofort Family of The Valleys

In the year 1175, Sebastián Pasillas received a summons that would rekindle the flames of his political destiny. The Republic, recognizing his potential and understanding the gravity of the situation in the Pelaxian valley, tasked Sebastián with the "Pacification of Cognata." The Kazofort Rebellion, an epochal struggle for independence from Caphirian dominion, was spearheaded by a fiercely determined leader named Hernán de Kazofort. Hailing from a lineage of Kosali families, Hernán was a man of towering stature and indomitable will.

The seeds of rebellion were sown in the Pelaxian valley as a palpable discontent simmered among the indigenous warlords and noble families. Tensions came to a head when Hernán Kazofort, with his fiery oratory and impassioned rallying cries, galvanized the warlords, known as "Las Familias del Valle" or "The Valley Families," to unite under a common banner. The primary grievance of The Valley Families was the burden of incessant tributes demanded by Venceia, the imperial capital, and the relentless conscription of their sons into the Caphirian legions. Kazofort’s eloquence resonated deeply with the warlords, who had long harbored resentment toward their Caphirian overlords. In a pivotal moment, during a clandestine council at the Kazofort Estate, the lord of the castle brandishing a tattered standard bearing the emblem of a free Pelaxia, declared the cessation of tribute payments to Venceia and the refusal to send their sons to fight in distant wars for the Caphirian Empire. His call to arms ignited a fervor among The Valley Families, and they rallied behind their newfound leader.

Caphiravian re-conquest and Castrillón of Pelaxia

The Pelaxian nobility can be traced back to the reign of Sebastián Pasillas of Castrillón. Founded by Taurelin Castrillón in 904 during the Second Imperium, the Castrillóns first rose to prominence through their monopoly of the mineral trade in the Kindreds Sea from the urban center of Albalitoria. By the end of the 10th century, the Castrillóns were one of the most prominent families in Caphiria and had de facto control over Cognatia - a region in western Sarpedon consisting of parts of modern-day Cartadania, Pelaxia, and several islands in the Kindreds Sea, for over a century. Subsequently, the Castrillóns played a significant role in the history and colonial efforts of Cartadania and Pelaxia, and are heavily tied to the origins of the Isurians.

The Castrillóns rose to political power in the mid-11th century when Sebastián Pasillas was given Consulship of Cognatia. Pasillas and his family were the first to consolidate power in the region, though their holdings would fragment and influence would wane. The Castrillóns quickly became an established family of conquistadors, territorial lords, counts, and governors. During the Corvio Scandal, the Castrillóns aligned themselves with the Darciarchi Estate - who became the ruling dynasty of Caphiria. To show his gratitude, Imperator Artian made the Castrillóns into an Estate, and gave the family various noble titles. Thereafter the Castrillóns participated in Caphirian politics, becoming advisers, administrators, and magistrates.

The Castrillóns, as a prominent noble family, would hold significant power and land. They would be one of the major Estates, alongside other noble families like the Darciarchi. Below the noble Estates, counts and territorial lords would manage smaller regions within Cognatia and other territories. These positions would often be held by members of the Castrillón family or their loyal allies appointed by the noble families, governors and magistrates would oversee the administration of towns and cities, ensuring the enforcement of laws and collection of taxes.

The Castrillóns’ history as conquistadors would mean a strong emphasis on military service. Nobles and their vassals would be expected to provide troops for the Imperator’s campaigns as auxiliary troops from the Pelaxian Valley.

Titles and Ranks

The ranks of the titled nobility, although similar to those in other Sarpedonian and Levantine countries, have their idiosyncrasies in Pelaxia. They are as follows:

1. Despotán
2. Kingship
3. Infante
4. Principality
5. Dukedoms
6. Marquisates
7. Countships
8. Viscountcies
9. Baronies
10. Lordships
11. Hidalgos