Hierarchy & Forms of Address

Feudalism is the the structure of society in the Seven Kingdoms, as it is largely resembles the feudal system of medieval Europe. This society is based on a rigid social structure and government consisted of kings, lords, and peasants. Nobles rule over the smallfolk within their territory through a system of fealty and sworn oaths. In this system each man owes military service to his lord in return for protection, a grant of land, and the peasants to work it.   Vassals or bannermen are those granted the use of land, in return for rendering homage, fealty, and usually military service or its equivalent to a liege lord or other superior. The liege and vassal each have responsibilities to one another; the vassal must remain loyal to the liege above any other lords, while the liege is the vassal's principal protector.   Feudalism existed in Westeros prior to Aegon's Conquest, and King Aegon I Targaryen confirmed the feudal structure after creating his realm.    

Proper Lords

Only those who sit in power over a house and lands and no others should be referred as “Lord [Name]” or as “Lord [House].” This includes those who are granted the honor and styling of Lord, such as Lord of the Tides. Lords may also be referred to as “my lord of [House]”, which is a common styling when referring to them during business. For example: “I have been bid by my lord of Kenning to deliver this message.” Lastly, a ruling lord may also be referred to as “my lord of [Seat]”; such as, “my lord of Highgarden.”  

Noble men

Who do not act as the head of a house may be referred to as "my lord of [House]" A young son or brother of house Stark may be introduced as "my lord of Stark." They may also be politely referred to as "my lord" for their noble birth, but most commonly they would, after initial introductions, simply be referred to by their name. Even a knight may be referred to as "my lord" on occasion, especially if they head a Knightly house or equivilent position, such as the Knight of the Gate in the Vale.  

Noble women

Tend to be addressed as "lady" (not capitalized), even if they are not wives of ruling lords or ruling ladies themselves. They may be honored as "Lady [Name]" but not "Lady [House]" as this carries the implication they are the wife of the ruling lord, or a ruling lady or regent to the lands themselves.  

Knights

With no more significant title is generally addressed as “ser” or “Ser [Name].” Note that it is only capitalized when used with the name attached. A group of knights can be collectively referred to by, “sers.” This is never capitalized. A knight may also be referred to as, “my lord of [House]” if of noble birth, or simply "my lord."  

Clergy and other Orders

The High Septon is styled “His High Holiness” and may be referred to simply as “Your Holiness.” The High Septon abandons his given name once he assumes the office, and it is considered inappropriate to use in conversation. Septons, Septas, Maesters, and Archmaesters are adressed by their title. The Grand Maester is generally addressed as “Grand Maester,” although “Maester” is acceptable in most cases.  

Commoners and foreign born people

Without title, being beneath all others these people are often addressed simply by name. They may be addressed as “goodman” or “goodwoman” alongside their name as a show of respect but it is a honor and nothing else. Masters of their craft such as armourers, tailors, stonemasons who are recognized by their guild or given official appointment in court for their artistry should be addressed as "Master [Name]."  

Social Heirarchy

The feudal system has a rigid structure of social classes. Highborn are those born into prestigious noble families. One cannot gain or lose the status; the impoverished, exiled, and powerless members of the Company of the Rose are still highborn, as are the men who have joined the Night's Watch to avoid execution or simply for honor.   Highborn status is desirable; People expect highborn to differ from others in behavior, dress, speech, given names, and even their flowering and maidenheads. Highborn bastards have special surnames, highborn lords rarely ride with hedge knights (and highborn women are unlikely to marry them), and highborn prisoners of war are held for ransom when others are killed.   Those who are not highborn are lowborn or smallfolk. Smallfolk who become members of nobility can still be considered lowborn. Despite House Frey's creation, most highborn scorned Lord Frey, and being lowborn embarrassed his sons. A hundred and fifty years later and the grandchildren of those sons are highborn. Most lowborn can, however, expect to die as commoners. There are no provisions for the advancement of individuals from a lower class into the higher classes. This is not to say that it is impossible, only that it is very difficult, usually bestowed by lords to those who have done a great service to them, or knights bestow the rank and title of knighthood on any individual who has proven himself worthy.  

Royalty

  The King of the Andals, the Rhoynar, and the First Men, also known as the Lord of the Seven Kingdoms, has the highest feudal rank; beneath him is the queen, the princes and the princesses, below them are the various lords and knights, with smallfolk at the bottom. The king sits on the Iron Throne and claims ownership of the land. Having final political authority, he holds ultimate power in all matters. Although in practice the king is constrained by political realities, and while no individual command is likely to be countermanded, he could still lose his position to intrigue if he were to offend the wrong people. Of course, as kings do not retire, this loss of position would involve his death.  

Nobility

 

Lords

In Westeros's system of nobility, above knights and below the royals there are only lords, some greater and some lesser, some sworn to others, but all with the same title. Nobility among the bannermen is hereditary, expressed through vassalage which connect between them the various owners of strongholds.   The lords of the great houses have the highest ranks in their regions of the Seven Kingdoms, and are vassals only to the king. Petty lords at the bottom, in contrast, might only have a village. It is the lord's responsibility to govern his lands, keep the king's peace, enforce law and justice on local matters, and ensure that taxes due to the king are collected in a timely manner.   Some lords have titles which belong only to their houses, such as House Lannister using "Shield of Lannisport." Titles do not necessarily elevate a lord above others, but can demonstrate a house's history or ambition. House Manderly has several titles which relate to their origins in the Reach instead of their current home in the North, but are preserved as tradition. House Caron claim the title "Lord of the Marches", but they do not hold dominion over other marcher lords in the Dornish Marches.   Wardens are commanders who exercise military functions for the North, East, South, and West of the Seven Kingdoms. There are also wardens for smaller geographic locations, such as Manderly being Warden of the White Knife. Or the Warden of the Iron Islands in the Riverlands.   There appear to be roughly one thousand or so families holding lordly rank in the Seven Kingdoms. There are nine major regions or provinces in the Seven Kingdoms, each of which has about a dozen or so major vassal houses (House Umber, House Glover, etc.) Each of these major lords in turn have anywhere from two or three to about a dozen minor lords who serve as their own vassals (House Cassel, House Forrester, etc.)Many noble houses are petty lords who do not even rate listing in common books of heraldry and own little more than a villa in the lands of others, suck as the Darkes or Dargoods of Duskendale, or the Lannetts, Lantells, and Lannys of Lannisport. The number of lordly houses is in flux, however, as over time some die out through war, or new ones are created by younger sons. Minor vassal houses, of course, have a higher turnover rate than major vassal houses.   A steward is responsible for running the day-to-day affairs of the castle and acting on the lord's behalf. He or a castellan may be entrusted with the castle in the lord's absence.   Foreign societies also have hierarchies. A daughter of the Prince of Pentos, a sister of the Archon of Tyrosh, and highborn girls from Myr attended the Maiden's Day Ball restricted to members of nobility.  

Landed knights

Landed knights are the lowest rank of the nobility, consisting of knights given a keep and grant of land to administer. They have their own peasants and men-at-arms, and may even take sworn swords. Landed knights are sworn to fight for the lord who holds dominion over their land. Some landed knights manage more land than poorer lords, but these landed knights do not have the authority to deliver law and justice in their land. Rather, they must appeal to their liege lord.   Knighthood is culturally linked with the Faith of the Seven. Landed knight is a rare rank in the north and is almost nonexistent on the Iron Islands, since the Faith is not widely practiced in those lands until recently.  

Commoners

Commoners or smallfolk are the bottom of the social structure. They do not own lands or titles, working instead the land of their lords and lacking a say in their own governing. While this may seem similar to slavery, the difference is that commoners own themselves, and can make appeals to their local lord regarding violations of the law or general disagreements between parties; they are recognized as having a right to fair and just treatment by the nobility and society in general. Most Houses have laws protecting the local population from abuse or mistreatment, even by members of the nobility. However, those laws differ and are enforced in varying degrees, mostly depending on the disposition of the local lord.   Many tradesmen and craftsmen belong to guilds, such as the Painters guild, the Stonecutters guild, or the Alchemists' Guild.   There is little social mobility; odds are that if someone is born a commoner, they will never rise above commoner status. There are exceptions, however.  

Quotes

The great houses stand far above the lesser nobles, as the lesser nobles do above the smallfolk.

— Maester Jeorge

 

The lords have vassals, the vassals have vassals, and sometimes the vassals of the vassals have vassals, down to the guy who can raise five friends.

— Maester Jeorge

 

Homage is the duty every leal subject owes his king.

— Harren the Black