Westerland Earls

In the Imperial and Colonial Eras, Earls were typically elected to govern significant regions on behalf of the ruler. During the Imperial Era, they were simply referred to as "Lords", but in the Colonial Era, they were referred to by various complicated titles - however, in the Post-Imperial Era, they were hereditary titles and regarded as a core component in the Westerland Feudal Traditions as well as being an important part of the Westerland Peerage. Common for all eras, is that Earls are a core element of Westerland Society and Culture in general. 
=== Difference between Earls and Governors ===
The shortest definitive difference is that a Governor can work under a Landed Knight, but an Earl cannot. An Earl always works under another Earl or directly under the sovereign of the land that their Earling is part of. 
=== Difference between Earls and Landed Knights ===
Landed Knights are warriors who own land, but in being bound to that land and having it given to them, take on a sacred duty to protect the lands that their own lands are part of, this meaning that they are essentially warlords. Earls govern a piece of land, that they do not actually own, but they have been given the land in fief, but unlike the lesser vassals. Governors, Earls have ownership rights of the land they govern and ruler's discretion over the land, though must still obey those who empowered them with their title. 
=== Difference between Earls and Freeholders ===
A Freeholder owns his own lands, of which he is the Sovereign, though he may be beholden to someone else as his Liege, he has no defined obligations to this person. Because a Freeholder is Sovereign, and Earl (exclusively Counts) could technically work for a Freeholder, and this is quite often the case. On the other hand, in some cases the Liege of a Freeholder is an Earl (though never a Count), the main difference between the two being that the Earl, while also ruling some land, is not the sovereign of that land, and not the actual owner of the land, but they are the Lords of the land, which is close to the same thing. 
== Ranking and Order ==
Earls follow a specific hierarchy, with a Count serving under a higher ranking noble, but being equivalent in status and rank to all other Counts in service to the same noble - however, a different higher-ranking noble has no authority over the aforementioned Count. 
=== Count ===
Counts are the lowest of Earls, ruling an undefined amount of Land. Depending on who the Count works for, this may be more or less. Counts do not have to be Knights, this being an important defining quality of Counts, as many counts would basically be Landed Knights if it wasn't for this significant difference. A Count has no military obligations to his ruler, but can still reasonably raise an army if they wish to, but there is no actual obligation or duty for this to be made possible. 
* The average County consists of 1 shire, 5 villages, 2 fortifications and 3 other estates. 
* Fortifications and villages are ruled by Landed Knights, whereas the other estates are ruled by various other kinds of vassals. 
* A Landed Knight could field a minimum of 12 soldiers in a banner, but could also field his relatives who might also be Knights. 
* Other vassals supplied Squires-at-Arms to their liege-lord, which were professional full-time soldiers. 
=== Duke ===
Dukes rule over Duchies, which are, typically, large regions that just tend to be thought of as being the same region for either obvious geographical regions or cultural and ethnic reasons in other cases. There is no set size of a Duchy, and the Duke largely serves as a go-between, between the Duke's ruler, and the Counts beneath the Duke. Unlike Counts, a Duke does not hold court, but practically lives at the King's court. 
* It is worth noting that a Duke can technically have Freeholds in his Duchy, though that means that those Freeholders do not have to serve the Duke, and the Duke effectively doesn't control those lands, but remains the closest cultural ruler of the lands that the given Freehold is part of. 
* While not theoretically impossible, it has never happened that a Duke has served under a Freeholder. 
=== Marshall ===
A Marshall only technically outranks a Duke. Marshalls rule Border Marshes, which are essentially very large and typically sparsely populated territories that run along the Borders of a Country. 
* Unlike Dukes, Marshalls have very limited political power, and are generally thought of more as Freeholders, as they are largely martial individuals and typically tend to be Soldiers or Knights. 
* Marshalls fall entirely outside of the rule of Duchies, and report directly to the Sovereign or Viceroy, but are usually completely independent with completely different rules applying to them. 
* Another reason the Marshall can be considered higher ranking than a Duke, is because the Marshall may actually deduct taxes from all neighboring Earls - including who ever rules the nearby Duchy. 
* It is a common thing to be Banished to border marshes, both for commoners and the High Born. A common punishment given to High-Born who had offended their peers, would be to serve as a Bann near the border - a thankless job. 
=== Margrave ===
A Margrave, or Marquis (depending on tradition) was the ruler of a Frontier Marsh. A Frontier Marsh was not a particularly powerful Earling in the beginning, as most of the subjects would be Barons, who are Freeholders and essentially sovereign rulers. Eventually, however, the Frontier Marsh will see Baronies replaced by Counties, and the Margrave replaced with a Duke. 
* A Margrave is the rightful royal personage in a given Frontier Marsh, meaning that all Barons are beholden to this person, but as with previous examples, they have no actual duty to obey the Margrave, merely a duty to defend the Margrave as well as respect and revere the Margrave. 
* Many Margraves rule in a much more martial manner, than their mild mannered peers, 
* A Frontier Marsh would not have good supply lines, and the Margraves best weapon against insubordinate barons, would be that the outside world would pretty well refuse to trade through anyone but the Margrave, who was the agent of the civilized world on the frontier. 
* The Margrave also had the benefit of access to military aid, unlike the Barons who were alone. 
* Frontier Marshes are different than Border-Marshes, which are a type of Earldom described in the article about Westerland Earls.
* A Margrave is also commonly called a "Marquis", depending on which tradition one follows.
* Frontier Territories are only loosely defined - they are often far from civilized regions, and through out the year, hopeful Knights arrive, to stake land-claims and hopefully become Barons one day, or even form their own Frontier Marsh of they are successful enough.
=== Viceroy ===
The title of Viceroy is almost pointless to mention here, as the title of Viceroy was invented in the Imperial Era, specifically with mind to govern Imperial Provinces on other continents, but that was irrelevant for many years, until in the Late Imperial Era, and the Early Post-Imperial Era, where the Source Lands were colonized, if barely, and three separate nations appointed Viceroys of their particular domains - however, the title of Viceroy is otherwise irrelevant. 
* The purpose of a Viceroy is to be "King instead of the King", but during the Post-Imperial Era, many were qualified to carry out this duty - Dukes, Marshalls and Margraves were all capable of being "Kings instead of the King" when at all relevant, though it rarely was.