Velkanian nobility

The **Velkanian nobility** (Velkanian: *Nóslínfólk*) is a social class in the Velkanian Isles that has historically received preferential treatment through its association with the elite and Velkanian monarchy. The nobility was first established in the sixth-century, when certain wealthier citizens were granted tax breaks by the government if they donated supplies, such as horses, crops, and land, to the monarchy. Unlike in some other countries, the nobility of the Velkanian Isles have never received noble titles; instead, they used solely their birth names and the nobility could only be distinguished from commoners through their lifestyles. In 2019, it was estimated that about 9,000 Velkanians were considered to be noble, about 1.0% of the country, while many more people were able to trace their ancestry to the nobility, but were not noble themselves. Most members of the Velkanian nobility reside in Greater Narísandur.

As the Velkanian Isles was not unified until the 15th-century, the Velkanian nobility was separated between the four kingdoms of the Velkanian Isles for its early existence; despite this distinction, all four kingdoms operated identically in regard to their noble classes. The children of nobles were frequently married off as consorts for royalty, while the noble class also dominated elected and appointed positions in government. During this time, nobility could only be passed down the matrilineal line; this meant that a woman born into nobility would be noble for her entire life, as would her children, while a man could only pass his noble status onto his children if he married a female noble. Due to this distinction, a number of modern-day Velkanians may be descended from nobility but not hold noble status themselves. Besides the initial class of nobles who were made noble in the sixth-century for their donations to the monarchy, people were made nobles until the 15th-century for a variety of reasons, most often their service to the royal family.

After the conquer of the Velkanian Isles by the Kingdom of Framland in the 15th-century, the political climate for nobles changed greatly. The wealth and prestige they received were greatly diminished, as Framland did not recognize the Velkanian nobility as an actual noble class; this was due to the fact that citizens could only be deemed members of the nobility by the monarchy of Framland, not the Velkanian monarchy. Velkanian nobles began paying taxes for the first time, but still held a bit of prestige within the Velkanian Isles. Because of this, most members of the nobility were fervent supporters of Velkanian independence. After the restoration of independence in 1964, the nobility was restructured so that they no longer received preferential treatment by the government. The House of Nobles was established as an institution to organize and lobby on behalf of the Velkanian nobility; members of the nobility who wish to associate with the House of Nobles must pay an annual fee and are thus granted with tickets to numerous nobility-only events, with the royal family typically also in attendance. Only enrolled members of the House of Nobles are recognized as part of the noble class. Nowadays, in order to register with the House of Nobles, individuals must prove their descent from at least one registered member or marriage to a registered member; this effectively eliminated the matriarchal rules regarding inheriting noble status. If an individual registered through their marriage, they would lose their noble status upon divorcing, but not after the death of their spouse.

Today, the Velkanian nobility still is considered to be the dominant social class in the Velkanian Isles. The average salary for a noble is three-times the average for a commoner. Members of the nobility have often found themselves in notable careers such as politics, entertainment, and business.