Peerages
In addition to the House titles, a special cabinet in the International Confederation of Wizards can recommend to your head of state, that certain individuals be granted non-hereditary peerages for success and valor in combat.
A title of Marquess can be granted for personally defeating a Dark Lord in single combat, in your home country. Their Personal Crown on their crest is a silver-gilt circlet, jeweled with four strawberry leaves and four pearls; of which three leaves and two pearls are seen in two-dimensional representations, its maroon velvet cap is trimmed with ermine.
A Marquess is addressed as:
"The Most Honorable, The Marquess (Full Name), Protector of the Light and Darkness"
A title of Baron can also be awarded for actions in battle against the minions of a Dark Lord, anywhere in the world. Their Personal Crown on their crest is a silver-gilt circlet, jeweled with six large pearls of which four are seen in two-dimensional representations, its maroon velvet cap is trimmed with ermine.
A Baron is addressed as:
"The Right Honorable, The Baron (Full Name), Protector of the Land and People"
The difference in the rank of Marquess and Baron, is derived from the etymology of Marquess. The word "marquess" entered the English language from the Old French marchis ("ruler of a border area") in the late 13th or early 14th century. The French word was derived from marche ("frontier"), itself descended from the Middle Latin marca ("frontier"), from which the modern English words "march" and "mark" also descend. The theoretical distinction between a marquess and other titles has, since the Middle Ages, faded into obscurity. However, in ages past, the distinction between a lesser noble and a marquess was that the land of a marquess, called a march, was on the border of the country, while another lesser noble's land was often not. As a result of this, a marquess was trusted to defend and fortify against potentially hostile neighbours and was thus more important and ranked higher than other nobles outside of the royal family. Because of the distinction of defending the border the title of Marquess was adapted to be conferred on wizards who personally defeated dark lords on the home country, which they did not cause the rise of. Baron on the other hand was the original distinction for those who did significant damage to a dark lord's forces of self, and defeated them. The decision was made in the 16th century, to appoint a separate rank to further acknowledge the wizards on their own shores.
These Peerages are bestowed upon wizards by selection by the Order of the Phoenix, founded by Merlin in the 6th century. This cabinet of; scholars, warriors, true diviners and healers, should not be confused with the vigilante organization of the same name founded by Albus Dumbledore, in the 20th century, to combat the rise of pureblood elitism. The original Order was incorporated into a cabinet of the International Confederation of Wizards after it was established.
