Council of Lords

Hapan nobility is a term used to describe a number of individuals and their families or noble houses in both the historical and present-day Hapes Consortium. The nobility was, and still is to a certain degree, an elite class with power vested in them by the monarchs of Hapes Prime to govern areas of the Hapes Cluster on behalf of the throne. While they once held considerable power and sway over the politics of the whole Consortium, in many ways fulfilling the role of the state in territories they governed, and in practise controlled, that ultimately came to end with the Hapan Civil War, which saw the power of the old hereditary noble houses becoming spent and then stripped from them. Monarchs since the Dark Age have reduced the power and influence of the nobility in order to prevent a repeat of the Hapan Civil War which was largely fuelled by the disagreements of powerful noble houses. In the place of such a feudal system has risen a large centralized form of governance that relies on meritocratically chosen government officials and military officers, without which the Hapes Consortium could not have elevated itself beyond mere factionalism and reached such heights of prosperity and military strength.

Today, the three lower tiers of nobility and noble houses, the Turilii (Baroness or Baron), Dukatii (Countess or Count) and Duchii (Duchess or Duke), are restricted to select approved historical noble houses who have been allowed to keep their hereditary titles as part of the reunification agreement, without any privileges or powers vested in their titles. Many previously prominent houses, however, lost their right to their titles and holdings in the aftermath of the Civil War.

Additionally, since the reunification of the Consortium, the highest tier of nobility, the Tarii - Either Tarix (Grand Duke) or Ta`din (Grand Duchess) - have been by the appointment of the Sovereign solely, with the Sovereign recognized as the sole bestower of titles. Similarly the Sovereign is vested with the power to strip the nobility of their title and privileges due to failure to meet standards of excellence, or a prolonged absence from the political scene. Those appointed have served the Crown in a manner deserving to be entered into the annals of Hapan history as pillars of the society, through years of dedication and selfless work to the betterment of the Hapes Consortium. In addition to receiving the title, a new noble house rises in their name, by which they are given a seat on the Council of Lords, as well as their house entrusted with a star-system to govern on behalf of the Crown.

Unlike the lower titles which come with no privileges but are commonly hereditary, the titles of the Tarii are not, held only till they lapse as determined by Hapan law, after which the former Tarii enter the ranks of the Teloii, losing the central privileges associated with lordship, though still recognized for their deeds. Being one of the Tarii is thus a privilege a rarefied few in the realm will ever hold at any given time, giving further weight to an accomplishment that is the greatest accolade a government official or military officer can hope to be bestowed in recognition of their illustrious career. Such is the prestige and historical weight of the position, however, that the serving members of the Hapan Royal Guard, or Chume`doro, are excluded from being able to hold noble titles of any kind.

In addition to the hereditary and appointed nobility, the Hapes Consortium recognizes the service of former Sovereigns, who upon abdication are afforded titles of Diranix (Grand Prince) for male Sovereigns, or Diran'a for female Sovereigns, as well as such rights as enacted by King Zayth I in the Royalty Act, granting them many of the same privileges as the Tarii, but with greater autonomy in respects to governance of their systems as Principalities. In turn, only the ruling house of the Sovereign is considered a royal house and part of the Royal Family, ensuring that former monarchs rescind any standing claims by bloodline to the Hapan throne.