Forms of address are a source of great confusion in our empire. Since most of us have had little experience dealing with Royalty in our mundane lives, our usual source of information comes from movies and television, which, more often than not, get it wrong. In this article, I hope to clear up some of that confusion.
Disclaimer: This article covers formal forms of address as used in the Adrian Empire. This is merely a guide, not Imperial Writ. The following guidelines are based on Period practice that has been adapted for use in our Game. For the politically correct in the audience, please do not be offended by my use of the male gender. I do this for brevity’s sake. Please contact me to register any comments or suggestions.
Most of us encounter formal forms of address during Court, which usually entails addressing either the Ruling Noble or the Populace. (Note: the word "populous" means that there are a great many members of the *populace* of a region.) Most people will encounter three types of Nobles sitting on our thrones: Viceroys, Dukes, and Kings.
To start off with: anyone, from the brashest newcomer or the youngest child, all the way to the Emperor himself, may be addressed as "My Lord" (or "My Lady" if you are addressing a female).
For Shire Viceroys, the correct form is "Your Excellency".
For sitting Dukes, there are two proper forms of address: "Your Royal Grace" and "Your Grace." The former is the more formal of the two. In general, it is acceptable to use both of these forms when speaking formally, especially since repeating "Your Royal Grace" over and over again can get dreadfully dull.
For Kings, there are a wealth of choices: "Your Majesty" is the obvious (and most often used one), but there are others, including "Your Highness," "Your Grace," and "Sire." If you are in direct fealty to that (or any) Monarch, you may address him as "My Liege," such as a Marquess addressing his King.
It is interesting to note that the use of "Your Highness" and "Your Majesty" did not come into general use until the middle of the 16th century (at least for speakers of English). The form "Your Grace" was originally used ONLY for kings, but came to be extended to princes and dukes (especially considering that throughout our Period, dukes were ofttimes petty kings in their own right). In our Game, any form is correct.
When speaking to the Emperor, you have an additional choice: "Your Imperial Majesty." Any of the forms appropriate to Kings are also acceptable to be used when addressing the Emperor.
When addressing the assembled audience at Court, it is incorrect to merely address them as "Populace." Better form would be to begin by saying, "My Lords and Ladies" or "Good Gentles." Remember that we are all assumed to be of Noble birth, so addressing the assembly as mere rabble is somewhat of an insult. If you are a member of the Estates addressing the Estates Meeting, you may use "Cousins" or "Gentle Cousins."
You may also use the word "Cousin" when addressing someone of equal rank to your own. This is most often seen when a Ruling Noble addresses another Ruling Noble, such as the Duke of York addressing the Duke of Aragon. It is not appropriate to address someone of lower or higher rank with this form.
There are, in general, three different ways of speaking in our Game: Intimate, Semi-Formal, and Formal.
Intimate speech is that which takes place in camp or with our immediate group of friends. Formal terms are of little use here. It is extremely impractical to be constantly addressing the recalcitrant Duke who is supposed to be pounding tent stakes as "Your Royal Grace."
Semi-formal speech is used when one is out-and-about at an event. "Good day, Your Highness." "Your Grace, I have a question regarding...." Use the formal form once, and then only sporadically, when you need to. In this style, it is acceptable to refer to the Noble to whom one is speaking as "you." Most Courts in the Empire operate under semi-formal conditions.
Formal speech is best reserved for High State occasions, or when one is trying to impress someone. "Your Majesty, I was wondering if Your Grace would be interested in...." In the formal speech one NEVER uses the word "you" to address Royalty or Nobility that is higher in rank than yourself. This also works the other way, when one of higher rank is dressing down one of lower rank in high formal style.
The next article will deal with forms of address for lesser nobility, and how to use all of this in a letter.