Surnan Crown Laws and the Authority of the Righteous

Chapter 1: Between Nobility of equal rank

In the Kingdom of Surna, it is safe to say that Surna operates under Limited Crown authority. What this means is that infighting between feudal lords are permitted so long as one Feudal Lord holds claim to land. This means a Feudal Lord may not wage war on another noble for personal honour but only through legalities of what is rightfully his. This means a Feudal Lord may wage war on another Lord if he wishes to uphold the claim of another Feudal Lord that is within his Court.

This is of course to say that in a war if a victor takes a noble prisoner they are to be treat with noble conditions and not to be tortured or harmed unless the noble in question is a traitor to the crown itself and proven at that. Furthermore it is also safe to say that a noble who has been imprisoned has the right to buy his way out of his prison cell should him or his family have the relevant funds.
If the noble in question is the individual responsible for the war in question and has direct relation to the cause of the war then they are to be set free upon succeeding their claim which is fought over to the victor. It is important however to explain that the only means of which a noble may meet his demise is in combat, but should a noble yield it is the duty of the victor to spare the nobles life and take him prisoner- otherwise release the noble in question on the condition he will flee.

Should either break these fragile conditions of nobility they will lose a great deal of prestige and honour and may be subject to compensating for the family of the fallen. As such, should a lord refuse to pay the family of the man he butchered in a less-honourable means then it is safe to assume the family will be granted a claim on the noble in questions lands for compensation.
With this said, it is important to recognise the value of a man of nobility. It is illegal for serfs to hold nobility imprisoned and such actions would render the serf a revolutionist or traitor to the crown as they are not of noble origin and do not act with the consent the crown has granted to nobility.

With this said, if a feudal Lord of heretical origin holds titles within’ the demise/kingdom then all nobles who serve the true faith automatically hold a strong claim to remove the heretic from power. Should a heretical noble be imprisoned he may be ransomed for. He may not however be executed as the individual is still of noble origin. However, should the imprisoned noble convert religiously he must be branded as convert and released. Should a convert break his oath of conversion to the faith he is no longer of noble blood and is subject to execution and capture.




Chapter 2: Between a Liege and his Vassals

On the subject that a vassal is disloyal towards their liege then it is not dishonourable or tyrannical for their liege to imprison the noble in question and revoke a claim from them / ransom them / execute them or even banish them should the vassal in question be their direct vassal.

(A direct vassal is a noble who holds land directly under their liege. Example: A Count in service to a Duke within’ the Duke’s land.)
Should a vassal of a liege refuse to pay tribute or provide their liege with their levy then this is considered a disloyalty towards their liege. Thus the Liege in question holds the right to imprison their vassal for their disloyalties. The family of the vassal must pay the vassal in questions tribute as well as the ransom amount otherwise the liege of the vassal holds the right to disinherit and take land from the vassal in question for failure in administrating his realm at which the vassal in question must be released after which.

Due to the Limited Crown Laws in Surna, it is safe to state that the minimum levy that is required to be raised in times of war for a vassal’s liege is 20%. This means that if a count in service to a Duke has over 1000 man at his disposal then he must lend 200 men minimum to his liege. If the vassal in question wishes to lend more than 200 men then he may. However it is important to state that the liege may call his vassals to duty themselves. Thus it may be in the vassal’s interest to bring full arms for their own personal safety in war time. This is to say that if the vassal’s liege demands that the vassal attend his liege’s war in person that he be compensated for his services.
Should a Vassal feel his is being wronged by his liege he must have evidence and proof to support his claims at which he is expected to raise a sizable force if he wishes to challenge his liege. Should a Liege be challenged there is two potential means of which the insuring feud may steer.

The vassal may challenge the liege to a duel at which the liege may accept or call a champion to fight for his name. Should the vassal fight the liege or his champion and appear victorious he is to not execute his liege should he yield, he is also not to take his liege prisoner. Such is enough evidence worthy for a king to demand the vassal’s liege compensate his vassal.
The vassal may also call his own vassals and Lords to arms at which war ensues with the vassals liege, should the vassal succeed in war he may imprison his liege until the Liege compensates his vassal for his wrongs against his subject, after which the liege of the vassal must be released to administrate his realm.

Should the vassal however fail on both encounters, his has much to lose. The vassal in question may be subject to being imprisoned and as such ransomed or losing his own titles. This means to say that if a vassal wishes to challenge his master he must do it with confidence.


Chapter 3: Clergy and Nobility


It is important to understand that depending on the rank of the clergy, they are not above their liege. Whilst they may have a temple holding, the holding itself belongs to their liege and no one else. For real world sake this is known as free-investiture which was a policy England took in the middle-ages whereas normally the clergy is beholden directly to the pope. As such, the Light does not have a pope figure (Currently) but if there was he would be known as the patriarch. As such Surna follows Free-investor and so the Clergy is dutiful to their liege and no one else. This isn’t to say however that clergy operate the exact same as regular nobility as some members of the clergy aren’t even of noble origin. As such some rules apply to them and other rules do not, if a member of the clergy was to declare their liege a heretic they should do so with relevant evidence to back their claims or be imprisoned for their disloyalties.
Members of the clergy in revolt cannot challenge their liege to a duel but may open arms against their liege. The Clergy is not expected to raise taxes for their liege. This is because the clergy is doing the lights work and such should be respected, however the clergy is expected under limited crown authority to raise 35% of their levy for their liege in times of war as there is a religious mandate to support their liege as their liege was entrusted with their position by the king or historically the brightlord himself. Should the clergy desire however he may pay tribute to his lord to exempt himself from raising levy in times of war.

The Clergy may in times of war raise a chapter in service to the light. The Chapter cannot interfere with realm politics and must be funded by the clergy. The Clergy may seek support of nobles to fund the chapter however all nobility reserve the right to refuse such. A military chapter within the clergy is usually used for war time in offensives against nations and for purges. A chapter specifically can be called upon by the king himself for services. Should a chapter no longer respect the values stated above they are declared outcasts and subject to being purged. As such many chapters flee across the sea. There is only one figure above the king who the Chapters of the Clergy are beholden to in ancient text and that is the brightlord himself. Should the brightlord ever return their loyalties and rules placed upon them by the King permit them freedom to operate through the land.

It is because of these restrictions upon Chapters that they are not a profitable business and are very rare indeed to see through Surna.




Key: Words of Importance
Feudal Lord – A noble of authority under the King. These ranks are as follows, Baron, Count, Duke, King, Emperor and other members of the clergy.
Clergy – body of people ordained for religious duties in the holy Light. Ranks involve high priest, Arch-priest, Patriarch. It is not outside of normality that members of the Clergy in times of war may form their own holy orders and adopt the rank of Grand Master, however only an Arch-Priest may adopt the military rank of High Lord.
Liege - A man of rank in the ancient regime.
Vassal – A holder of land in service to a Liege.
Lord – A person who has general Authority over others.
Claim - Justification for land or an object.
Levy – A medieval Army in service to their liege.
Chapter – Paladin Chapter
Brightlord – An ancient figure who created the nation of Surna of which his desendants are also known under this title when in positions of rulership.