Admiralty Order 1102-14

Admiralty Order 1102-14 was issued February 20, 2011 by the First Lord of the Admiralty. It updates the titles and structure of peerage within The Royal Manticoran Navy: The Official Honor Harrington Fan Association, Inc..

Order Text

To:	All Officers and Enlisted in the Royal Manticoran Navy, Marine Corps and Army
From:	Admiral of the Fleet, Lord Sir Martin A. Lessem, KCR, GS, First Lord of the Admiralty, Duke, New Scania
Re:	Peerage - Updated (Admiralty Order 1102-14)

This Admiralty Order officially replaces 0711-01.

This will give you a brief introduction to Peerage in the Royal Manticoran Navy, Royal Manticoran Marine Corps and Royal Manticoran Army. We use Peerages a way to recognize people who have not met the Time In Grade (TIG) requirements for the next rank, yet have demonstrated service above and beyond what their rank requires. This does not give you right of command over anyone, and is merely introduced as a way to honour those who have worked hard.

Peerage is defined as a system of titles of nobility in the Star Kingdom of Manticore, part of the Manticoran honours system. The term is used both collectively to refer to the entire body of titles, and individually to refer to a specific title.

All Manticoran honours, including peerage dignities, spring from the Admiralty, which is considered the fount of honour.

The Peerage titles, in order of precedence from highest to lowest, are:
Grand Duke/Grand Duchess (This is primarily reserved for members of the Royal Family, but exceptions can be made for exceptional service to the organization)
Duke/Duchess - Steadholder
Marquis/Marchioness
Earl/Countess
Baron/Baroness
Knight/Dame (This can also be a rank within the Peerage System. ie Knight Commander of the Order of Roger)

Forms of Address by Peerage:

Duke/Duchess - Steadholder - Formal Address: His/Her Grace the Duke/Duchess of (duchy) or His/Her Grace the Steadholder (duchy); Informal Address: Your Grace (the first time) and Sir or Ma’am every time afterward. If you are a friend, you may use the name of his or her duchy. Close friends and relatives may use first names, but only in non-formal social occasions.

Marquis/Marchioness - Formal Address: The Most Honorable, The Marquis of (Marquisate) or The Most Honorable, The Marchioness of (Marquisate); Informal Address: My Lord (Marquisate) or My Lady (Marquisate) the first time, followed by My Lord or My Lady. Close friends and relatives are permitted to use the name of the marquisate.

Earl/Countess - Formal Address: The Right Honorable Earl of (county) or the Right Honorable Countess of (county); Informal Address: Lord (county) or Lady (county) - the first time - and My Lord or My Lady every time afterward. If you are a close friend or relative, you may use simply the name of the county.

Baron/Baroness - Formal Address: The Right Honorable Baron of (barony) or the Right Honorable Baroness of (barony); Informal Address: Lord (barony) or Lady (barony) - the first time - then My Lord or My Lady. If you are a friend or a relative, you may use simply the name of the barony

Knight/Dame - Formal Address: Sir John Smith, KDR or Dame Jane Smith, KDR. The postnominals must always be used, and should be announced in order of precedence, rather than in order of seniority; Informal Address: Sir John Smith, or Dame Jane Smith

Cadet Seats of a Hereditary Landed Peer - Formal Address: The Lord John Smith of (holding) or the Lady Jane Smith of (holding); Informal Address: My Lord or My Lady. Close friends and relatives may use first names.

Named Peerages follow the same general style and form of address, but remove the “of (land)” in favor of “Last name”. For example, The Right Honorable Baron Smith

Peerage Award

To acquire Peerage there will be three methods. The first two will be obvious, the third not as much.

1st - Marriage. If you are married (in Real Life), your partner will receive the same privilege and title as you in the opposite gender form. This does not apply to Knights/Dames as that is always a non-landed Peerage Award.

2nd – Children. If you have children (in Real Life) they will be granted a cadet peerage in your family. They may be referred to by the cadet form of address listed above. This does not apply to Knights/Dames as that is always a non-landed Peerage Award.

3rd - Admiralty Award. This will be done based upon your Rank or Rating. The list below will show based on Rating and Rank the qualification levels for the Peerage titles.

Approval

All Peerage must be will be voted on by the Peerage Court. The Peerage Court consists of the First Lord of the Admiralty and at least two other landed peers. A vote on the peerage must be held and the result must be at least two in favor of approval *before* the title is bestowed upon the recipient. Until enough peers exist, the First Lord of the Admiralty may bestow peerages without a Peerage Court ruling. Once a minimum of ten landed peerages exist, this ceases to be the case for landed peerages. The First Lord of the Admiralty, as President of the Peerage Court may bestow non-landed peerages as needed.

Petty Officer 1st Class/Staff Sergeant -> Senior Master Chief PO/Regimental Sgt Major ==> Knight/Dame (As it is non-landed, this is the highest award available for the Enlisted Ratings. Their TIG is also shorter)

Warrant Officer 2nd Class -> Chief Warrant Officer ==> Knight/Dame

Senior Chief Warrant Officer-> Master Chief Warrant Officer ==> Baron/Baroness

Midshipman -> Lieutenant (Junior Grade)/1st Lieutenant ==> Knight/Dame

Lieutenant Senior Grade/Marine Captain -> Lt. Commander/Major ==> Baron/Baroness

Commander/Lt. Colonel ==> Earl/Countess - Steadholder

Captain Junior Grade/Colonel -> Captain Senior Grade/Colonel ==> Marquises/Marchioness

Commodore/Brigadier General -> Rear Admiral of the Green/Major General ==> Duke/Duchess

Vice Admiral of the Green/Lt. General -> Admiral of the Fleet/Marshall of the Corps ==> Grand Duke/Grand Duchess

Non-Landed vs. Landed Peerage

Landed Peerage will work through a space on the Wall of Peerage in the RMN Headquarters and in the Peerage Page of the quarterly newsletter. Not all peerages come with land, and you can have Peerage of Name as well. As your Peerage Title increases, you will be given a space on the Wall of Peerage commensurate with the title to place your Coat of Arms, which you will be given certain rights to design yourself, but must be approved by the Peerage Officer under the First Lord of the Admiralty. Knights/Dames do not have a coat of Arms as they are always non-landed Peerage.

Removal of Peerage

Simply put, if you act like Lord Pavel Young, Earl of North Hallow and expect people to treat you like a god, you will be tried by a Peerage Court. The Peerage Court will be made up of three members holding Peerage equal to or higher than the accused. The Complainant and Defendant will be permitted to submit their Claim and Defense, and then the Peerage Court shall, within 12 hours of receiving all the evidence, vote. A vote of 2 - 1 against the Defendant will result in either Decrease of Peerage or if the case is overwhelming (a la North Hallow), complete Loss of Peerage. Peerage lost in this manner will not be re-granted to the offender.

In Honour of the Queen!

Issued by:

Admiral Lord Sir Martin A. Lessem, KCR, GS

First Lord of the Admiralty

Admiral of the Fleet

Duke, New Scania

External Links

• Admiralty Order 1102-14 (TRMN.org)