Feudalism

Feudalism is the predominant sociopolitical structure of western Yekare. Feudalism independently emerged in the Dark Age of Man in several places over time. 

Pelegonic Feudalism

The rise and dominance of Pelegon has led to the widespread institutionalization of the Pelegonic variant of feudalism. 

Social Structure

Family lineage is crucial to Pelegonic feudalism. Nearly all governance occurs through hereditary institutions held by noble houses.

The top of Pelegonic feudalism is the Shahanshah and their family, referred to as the House Imperial. The Shahanshah has supreme governance over the entirety of the Empire. The entire Empire is officially their fief, though they only exercise direct lordship over the Imperial Domain. At present, only one family has served as House Imperial, that being House Odios Pelegon. 

Below the Shahanshah are the Houses Major, the direct vassals of the Shahanshah who govern the Kingdoms of the Pelegonic Empire. They have direct lordship over their Kingdoms and reign as monarchs under the Shahanshah's lordship.

Below the Houses Major are the Houses Minor, which are families sworn to the Houses Major (and also the minor houses of the Imperial Domain). The major Houses Minor are lords of specific locations within the Kingdoms of Pelegon, and exercise direct lordship over smaller regions. The Houses Minor vary from incredibly wealthy and influential houses, such as House Goldgrass, and the much weaker houses which may even be sworn to other minor houses, such as House Quell. All noble houses have a designated residence and may also hold lands. Some very minor noble houses of landed knights do not even have keeps, instead residing in houses or small manors, and are not considered lords.

At the bottom of society is the peasantry, also called commonfolk. They are subject to their lord and bound by law to work the land of their lord. Commonfolk have a small degree of rights guaranteed by Imperial and feudal law, though enforcement varies based on the whims, strength, and temperament of their overlord. Commonfolk possess little in the way of social mobility, and the vast majority live and die as peasants.