Dwilight University/Political Studies/Relationships Between Landowners and Nations

Relationships Between Landowners and Nations

This is a text that will explore the political nature that forms the very basis of our noble society. Land ownership and allegiance to one nation or another. Within I will attempt to clarify this relationship, and explain why things are they way they are for some of our younger, misguided nobles.

But I am the King, shouldn't I own everything in my Kingdom?

No. An actual monarch as opposed to an elected ruler is expected to own lands (and thus is required to hold a Duchy, as one cannot hold lands outside of a Duchy, and no monarch should owe allegiance to a Duke) to supplement the Royal income, they do not in fact own the lands within their Kingdom. The reasons for this are varied, and I will cover them:

1.) The regions willfully pledged allegiance to your realm. A landowner took it upon himself to change the banners his land flies, and has pledge his allegiance to you and your nation. He has not, however signed his lands away. You may tax him, demand he levy armies, but in return he will expect his lands to be protected, and will expect the chance to buy and sell food, locally at the very least. The regions are without a doubt his. If a noble changes realms, he doesn't suddenly cede his sword, which is unarguably as much his property as a Lord's lands.

2.) You appointed the Duke/Lord personally. Congratulations, you gave a most kingly gift: Land ownership. You have given the lands to the person. They own them now. You're not borrowing them, and that is why Kings and other rulers cannot simply unappoint a Lord. Whatever your misguided intentions may be, you cannot temporarily give someone lands. Once given, the lands are theirs for life, unless forcibly removed. Mind you, seeing as soldiers won't fight others of their own nation, this will require you to either starve the region and force the peasants into revolt, march a foreign army into your own lands, or have the individual in question assassinated. Seeing as hereditary claims are very weak in the current age, you can then feel free to appoint someone else.

3.) A Duke of your realm appointed the Lord. Congratulations, that person owns the lands. You gave the Duchy to the Duke, and he's breaking down the administration of his fief into more manageable pieces to reward those loyal to him. That Lord owns the lands. End of story.

But I'm a Republic! The lands belong to the people!

No, your style of governance has no affect on land ownership. Lords own lands, and if anything, you as an elected official, who serves at the whim of the masses, are less suited to tell someone who owns something to give it up. Because in doing so, you just lost votes. Don't worry though, what you lost in approval, you just gained in scorn from every lord who is not a personal lackey of yours. Once you attempt to seize one Lord's lands, what to stop you from taking an others? But we're different, you cry? Your laws are written differently? Then you'll find that the ruling classes of the world are very jealous of their possessions, and you'll end up caving or being destroyed. The state is not a being capable of possessing lands.

Why bother with Lords then?

Dealing with Lords and rewarding your nobles with lands is government. When you become a ruler you accepted this responsibility. Finding people to trust with the ownership of vacant lands in your nation is your job. They've pledged allegiance to you, it is your job to hold up your end of the bargain. Allegiance is a two way street. They're offering resources to you in return for protection, and for other resources they may be lacking. A city offers lots of gold production, but cannot feed itself, and in turn a rural farmland produces little gold, but much food. A landowner pays his taxes, raises armies, and fights for you, the ruler, because he expects that you will in turn ensure he is taken care of. When you attempt to seize his property though, don't expect that Baron who lost an eye in battle he fought on your behalf to be grateful. Odds are he will take his Barony and leave, finding a new sovereign who will respect his ownership. He would be right to do so.

Why is it I can appoint people to vacant seats?

Because the people are still apart of your nation, and since there is no living owner, they defer to the next highest authority to give the lands to someone else. Dukes will give the lands to someone else, and monarchs will give the duchies to another (or themselves). This is only possible because no one at present owns the lands, and apparently nobles of this era haven't learned what a will is.