Noble Titles

Noble Titles from the Sovereign Kingdom of Notia

Have you ever wanted to be a Lord or Lady? Do you feel there is unrecognized grace and nobility in your blood? Do you desire the flair and panache of an old world title?

Did you know you can buy your very own title of nobility? Or even purchase one as a gift for someone else?

The History of Titles for Purchase

Feudalism was originally a governmental system of reciprocal personal relations among members of the military elite, usually headed by a King or other monarch. In this relationship the King would grant land rights and titles to his vassals in exchange for their military service. For a great deal of time, this arrangement worked well for King and Vassal alike. Eventually however, some nobles decided that all that military service was a bit of a drag. So they asked their Kings if they could give money in lieu of military service. Monarchs generally acquiesced, since it is a rare King indeed who has too much money. This gave the Monarchs of old an interesting idea – if their former military vassals could pay off their feudal responsibilities with gold, what about the new merchant class? Perhaps they would be willing to give some of their coin for titles from the King?

Many rich merchants and guild masters bought their way into the nobility in this manner for hundreds of years, but with the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, the European nobility found itself in a bad position relative to the new middle class. As industrialization took precedence over agriculture, those who owned the means of production had an advantage over those who owned land. This was a complete reversal of the economic situation as it had existed in Europe for centuries. Because of this, it became increasingly common for nobles to find themselves moving down the social strata while the middle class became more and more upwardly mobile. This gave rise to a great many nobles selling their birthrights to commoners who had enough coin to pay the debts of destitute nobility.

Notional Titles Today

The Kingdom of Notia never experienced the Industrial Revolution in the same way as continental Europe and as a result the amount of social turmoil was greatly reduced. Old noble dynasties still hold their ancestral lands. This is not to say that the King of Notia isn’t without need for coin though. In fact, beginning in 2008, royal restrictions were lifted to allow foreigners to receive Notional titles, either Non-Seated Titles, being titles in name only, or Seated Titles which include Notional Land Grants and rulership over the subordinate notional fief.

Noble Title FAQ

Will the United States government recognize my Notional Title?

No, the United States fought a war to get rid of nobles and monarchs. The United States government does not recognize the validity of any titles of nobility, regardless of their origin. So the notional titles from the Kingdom of Notia have just as much validity in the United States as any other noble title -- none.

Is this a British Title of Nobility?

No this is a Notional title of nobility and has no connection to British titles. In many ways citizens of the United States are better off having a Notional Title than a British Noble Title, as possessing a British Noble Title will make the bearer ineligible to hold some government positions -- this is not the case with Notional Titles.

Can I sell my title to someone else?

Notional titles are granted precaria (being held in the name of the King and for so long as the noble stays in good standing)and may not be transferred to any other person. The children of the title holder may apply to the Council of Peers to receive a deceased parent’s title, but must fill out the attendant paperwork and be accepted by the Council of Peers for admission.

What is a Notional Land Grant?

Seated Notional Titles come with Notional Land Grants, which allow the bearer of the Notional Title to hold dominion over a Notional Fief and the attendant Notional Serfs and retainers. Starting in 2009 there will be a system where the holders of Seated Notional Titles will be able to login over the internet and issue pronouncements and ordinances to their subjects, then check in later to view the results of their noble decrees.

What is a £ or a €?

You may have seen noble titles advertised on the internet with prices in £ or €. The £ is the Great Britain Pound, which is currently worth $1.63 United States Dollars plus exchange rates, so a noble title that is advertised at £299 will cost you about $515 US. A title selling at £40.000 would cost an American buyer over $68,000!

The € is the symbol for the European Union’s Euro, which is currently trading at about $1.30, but has been much higher recently. A 400€ title would then cost the US buyer over $530 currently.

Since all Notional Titles are traded exclusively in US Dollars, American buyers will always know how much they are paying at the time of purchase.

What documents will I receive to prove I hold a Noble Title in Notia?

You will receive Letters Patent from the King of Notia stating in no uncertain terms your noble status within the Realm of Notia. You will also be listed on the Kingdom’s Official information site. There is also other regalia which can be ordered to enhance your noble status.

What will be the name of my Notional Fief?

If you are ordering a Seated Notional Title, you will receive a Notional Fief which is available in the size class appropriate for your level of nobility. This Fief will already bear a name, but as new Lord and Master of the domain you will have the opportunity to change if you so desire. Non-Seated Notional Titles do not come with Notional Fiefs, so a Non-Seated Noble will be styled “X of the Realm” where X is the level of nobility your title confers (for example “John Smythe, Baron of the Realm”).

Can I Upgrade my noble title to be a higher title?

Yes, click here, you can upgrade your current title to a higher title for an additional cost. You will need your Noble Personal Identification Number to complete your order.

Can I use my Notional Noble Title to Commit Crimes or Fraud?

No, in fact, you must be insane to ask. Any attempt to use your title for fraud or any other criminal venture will result in immediate termination of any and all titles, rights and offices.

Where can I find more information about the Kingdom of Notia?

You can visit the official Kingdom of Notia information site at www.kingdomofnotia.info

How sophisticated is Rule-by-Mail?

The Kingdom of Notia operates on three separate levels:

Most commonly, people who wish the novelty of having a noble title can choose a non-seated title to use to impress their friends with. We provide an informational website, a blog and personal sites which people can use to bolster their noble fantasy.

The second level is as a social community focusing on an interest in the feudal and medieval. In this way the Kingdom operates much as an online version of a Renaissance Fair.

The third and deepest level of the Kingdom of Notia is as a social/military/economic dominion simulator. We call this aspect Rule-by-Mail, where Lords of the Realm vie for political and economic power between each other and fight raiders, bandits, pirates and hostile realms for military conquest. Each Seated Notional Noble Title comes with one-year paid participation in Rule-by-Mail.

Rule-by-Mail's principle designer has experience in running and designing war games used by the United States Army and has degrees in History and Economics. This lends Rule-by-Mail an unprecedented level of sophistication, historic relevance and playability. But above all, rewarding fun.