The Kingdom of Sedang Modern Sedang Titles of Nobility The Chancellery March 8, 1996

1. Sedang Titles of Nobility

The Regency awards titles of nobility by issuing Letters Patent to their recipients. The Letters Patent are attractive documents showing the modern coat of arms of Sedang and a royal crown in full colour and elegant lettering in black and red and sometimes other colours. Gold and red seals in European and Oriental styles are affixed to each Letters Patent of nobility.

Rules regarding the use, inheritance, order of precedence and loss of titles and the obligations of the nobility are given in Regulation of the Nobility (Regal Decree 0196 of January 1, 1996).

Sedang titles of nobility are awarded for the personal satisfaction of their recipients and have no connection to the Empire of Annam, the Empire of Vietnam or the past or present governments of Vietnam, France or French Indo-China

2. Ranks, Hereditary and Life Status, Particules and Territorial Designations

The nobility system of the first Kingdom of the Sedang was based on the French royalist system and included titles such as Prince, Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount and Baron. The modern Sedang nobility system, titles and rules of inheritance combine aspects of the French, Russian, British and Chinese nobility to reflect the nationalities of supporters of the King Marie the First, the first Kingdom of the Sedang, the current Assembly and the Prince Regent.

Sedang titles are awarded in the following ranks (in descending order of precedence):

• prince or princess (prince, princesse)
• duke or duchess (duc, duchesse)
• marquis or marquise (marquis, marquise)
• count or countess (comte, comtesse)
• viscount or viscountess (vicomte, vicomtesse)
• baron or baroness (baron, baronne)

Hereditary and Life Titles:

Titles may be either hereditary or life titles. Hereditary titles can be inherited by descendants of the original recipient. Life titles are used by the recipient for the duration of his or her life and expire afterwards.

Particules and Territorial Designations:

Most titles are awarded with only the rank. For example, a John Smith receiving the title of "Baron" and will style himself, “Baron John Smith” or “Baron Smith” or “Lord Smith”.

Sometimes the Prince Regent will award a title with a particule or territorial designation. Particules or territorial designations are extensions to the title which can designate a family or clan name, special accomplishment, territory, place name or geographic name. For example, a John Smith receiving the title of “Baron of Blank” will style himself “Baron John Smith of Blank” or “John Smith, Baron of Blank” or “Lord Smith”.

Particules are often family or clan names. For example, the Comtesse de Kasara asked for the particule “de Kasara” to honour the name of clan to which she belongs.

Territorial designations do not necessarily mean that the holder of the title has any ownership or control over the territory named. For example, the Marquise de Song Ba, whose title is named after a river in Indo-China, does not own any property near the river.

Titles with particules or territorial designations have higher status than titles of the same rank without particules or territorial designations.

3. Use and Inheritance of Titles

The rules of the use and inheritance of titles by relatives and descendants are given in Regulation of the Nobility. The rules combine aspects of nobility systems.

The descendants (e.g., children) and the spouse of a hereditary lord or lady may use the lord or lady’s title, but the children must use the title without the particule or territorial designation, if any, while the lord or lady is alive. The general rule is that only one person and his or her spouse may use a particule or territorial designation at any time. For example, John Smith, Baron of Blank, has a wife and two children. His wife will be styled “Jane Smith, Baroness of Blank ” or “Baroness Jane Smith of Blank”. Their two children may style themselves “Baron” and “Baroness” but not “Baron of Blank” or “Baroness of Blank”.

When the holder of the title dies, his or her spouse may continue using the title but without the particule or territorial designation, if any. Then an appointed descendant (usually a son or daughter) of the late lord or lady will assume the particule or territorial designation. For example, if John Smith, Baron of Blank, dies, his widow will use the title “Baroness” but not the particule or territorial designation “of Blank”. Smith may have appointed his daughter to inherit the entire title, so his daughter will become “Mary Smith, Baroness of Blank”. His son, meanwhile, remains “Baron Peter Smith”. Their children are still styled Baron and Baroness without the particule or territorial designation.

The practice of children using the titles of their parents, even while their parents are still alive, comes from Russian and Polish nobility. This practice was introduced into the modern Sedang nobility by Assembly members and advisors to the Prince Regent who held Russian and Polish titles and orders of chivalry. The practice was eventually included in Regulation of the Nobility.

Life titles can be used only by the recipient of the title and his or her spouse. No children or descendants may use the title. The title expires upon the death (or abdication or revocation of title) of the recipient, but the spouse may continue to use the title for the duration of his or her life.

4. Promotions

The Regency may promote persons in rank or change a life title into a hereditary title in recognition of continuing or improving service.

Demotions in rank and hereditary status as punishment for dishonourable actions are also possible but are almost never made because persons who have brought dishonour or disrepute to themselves, the Prince Regent or the Sedang nobility are usually stripped of their titles and expelled from the Sedang nobility.

5. Obtaining a Title of Nobility

Persons who have been convicted of a criminal offense or able-bodied persons who, without reasonable cause, have been dependent on a state or government for their keep are ineligible to receive a title of nobility.

All recipients of titles of nobility are expected to obey the Regulation of the Nobility. Persons whose titles are revoked or lost for any reason are not entitled to any compensation or recompense, remuneration or payment of any kind, including money, material goods, intangible assets or services, from the Regency, any person who is currently or has formerly served as a Member of the Assembly For the Restoration of the Sedang Nobility or any person who is currently or has served as an appointed representative or delegate of the Regency, the Assembly or a Member of Assembly.