Noorian feudalism

Noorian feudalism, also known as neofeudalism, is the ideology and system of feudalism which was formulated by and guided by Kaiseress Noor during her reign in Shireroth, and later expanded upon by the post-Auspicious Occasion (1651) regencies of Shireroth. Noorian feudalism is considered a radical form off-shoot of Khanism with Shirerithian characteristics. As such, it also incorporates aspects of Shireroth's Old Feudalism, as well as esoteric Cedrism.

Its defining characteristics include a society led by the Kaiseress, for the first time in Shirerithian history – the Kaiser or Kaiseressess rules for life, with the successor being dynastically selected, with classes of people below her. The classes of people can broadly be categorized in nobles, denizens, and others. It allows for indentured servitude for life, as well as slavery.

All residents of Shireroth are classed in one of thirteen classes.

Views on the Ranks of Society

Nobility

The nobility forms the classes (2–9) of people with full civic rights. All members of the nobility have Shirerithian citizenship and noble dignity. Only very few have titles of nobility (see Imperial Peerage).

The classes of the nobility, with their respective ranks, are as follows:

1. The Kaiser or Kaiseress (technically not a noble, but above the nobility)
2. Princes and Imperial Highnesses (members of the Imperial Family, former kaisers)
3. Dukes and Duchesses
4. Marquesses and Marchionesses
5. Counts and Countesses
6. Viscounts and Viscountesses
7. Barons and Baronesses
8. Lords/Ladies in Shirekeep
9. All other nobles

Noble dignity

Once touched with noble dignity, one holds noble dignity for life. Noble dignity comes through

• being the legitimate child of a noble,
• being appointed to a noble title,
• by contracting an equal marriage to a noble,
• by – if an adopted or illegitimate child – living with one's noble parent for ten years,

It is possible to lose one's noble dignity. This occurs through caste-shaming, whereby the Kaiseress, finding that a noble has brought the nobility into disrepute (usually after having committed a treasonous crime), on the advice of the Imperial Advisory Council, removes the noble from noble dignity. The former noble becomes a denizen, and all spouses and descendants, if their noble dignity descends only from the caste-shamed person, will subsequently also lose their noble dignity.

Caste-shamed people are removed of their surnames and given the surname Esposito instead.

Privileges of nobility

Privileges of the nobility include:

1. The right to own the care of community servants and loyal subjects of the Kaiser
2. (also includes the rights denizens have)
3. Right to contract concubines and courtesans
4. Right to priority service in public establishments and the imperial bureaucracy
5. Right to vote in local elections and to Adelsraad
6. Right to access "citizens-only" establishments and areas
7. Right to own community servants
8. Right to hold care of loyal subjects
9. Right for each household acquire care-hold over 10 loyal subjects (without charge)
10. Right to acquire, without charge, 5 community servants.
11. Right to travel abroad
12. Right to house arrest in case of a custodial sentence
13. Right to own and eat hovercats

Denizens

Denizens constitute the majority of the Shirerithian population. Their class is ranked 10. Its membership ranges from very poor people to the non-noble upper class (mainly in business, the newly rich).

They hold the following rights::

1. Right to marriage (same-sex & opposite-sex)
2. Right to own immoveable and moveable property

3. Right to use marijuana, caffeine and alcohol
4. Right to enter contracts
5. Right to enter loyal subjecthood.
6. Right to vote in local elections and to the Folksraad
7. Right to travel abroad
8. If convicted to a custodial sentence, the right to choose community servitude instead
9. Right to own farm animals as well as pets

Loyal Subjects of the Kaiseress

Loyal Subject of the Kaiseress is the highest form of indentured servitude in Shireroth. It is a contractual relationship between a denizen and a citizen in which the contract governs the relation between them. It is usually a time-defined relationship but many contracts are for life.

They hold the following rights:

1. Right to own moveable property (up to 25 kg in a 1 cubic half-metre container)
2. Right to enter contracts with the permission of the careholder
3. Right to 10 hours of rest every period of 24 hours, of which 8 hours consecutively.
4. Right to clothing, food, drink
5. Right to 1 day free of labour and service every month
6. Right to not be physically injured outside punishment (and then only proportionate to the disobedience)
7. Children born in loyal subjecthood have the right of denizenship upon their age of majority
8. Right to have 5 days notice before transfer of care to another noble
9. Right of petition to their noble
10. Right of appeal to ombudsman

Community servitude

Persons in community servitude form the lower form of indentured servants. They are widely regarded and termed "slaves" by the wider society. They are considered to be of the same rank and rights as livestock, which include:

1. Right to respect for their rank
2. Right to sufficient food and sleep for their needs
3. Right to avoid sadistic torture

But unlike animal livestock, they have the following extra rights:

1. Right of petition to their noble
2. Right of appeal to ombudsman

Except for violating the above rights, the owner (who is always a noble) of a community servant may do whatever he or she wants with the community servant. Often, nobles will rent out the labour of a community servant to factories, farms, etc.

Protected persons

Protected persons are an illusive group of people in Shireroth. They are held outside of normal society for their own protection. They have a right to full anonymity and the right to be protected from persecution.

Foreigners

Foreigners who enter Shireroth legally have:

1. Right to apply for asylum (Imperial Decree 713)
2. Right to protection under the law
3. Right to apply for denizenship and citizenship in Shireroth
4. Right to respect under their rank (includes the rights afforded their equivalent Shirerithian rank, i.e. noble foreigners have the right nobles have)

Foreigners who enter Shireroth illegally are categorized as either community servants or protected persons (the latter category if they claim asylum under Imperial Decree 713).