The lowest of the noble ranks is the knight, awarded by the Emperor or an archduke as an honorific rank in recognition of achievement or service.
As such, a knighthood is coveted by non-nobles and is seen as more attainable than membership in the peerage. A knighthood entitles the recipient to be addressed as Sir (some females prefer Dame) before their name, and to suffix the initials of the order of knighthood after their name. An individual accorded a knighthood may receive a fief of land on a single world, generally not more than 10 square km.
Knights are not members of the peerage, and thus are not subject to all the protocols. Instead, they belong to orders of knighthood and are awarded privileges according to the order. Each order has its own code, and knights are expected to abide by these codes.
Several dozen orders of knighthood exist in the Imperium. Some are restricted to specific classes of individuals; others are awarded for specific achievements or service; still others are broad-based orders. The most common are listed below.
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Orders of Knighthood
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Established
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Suffix
|
Comment
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| Order of Starship and Crown |
17
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KOS&C
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| Order of the Emperor's Guard |
52
|
KOEG
|
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| Order of Hlyuea |
KOH
|
Restricted to loyal Aslan citizens | |
| Order of Gvadakoung |
KOG
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Restricted to loyal Vargr citizens | |
| Honorable Order of the Arrow |
KHOA
|
Established to recognize interstellar explorers. | |
| Order of the Gateway |
KG
|
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| Order of Antares |
KA
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| Order of Deneb |
1117
|
KD
|
Only recently established upon the investiture of the Archduke. |
| Order of Ilelish |
KI
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| Order of Sol |
KSL
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| Order of Vland |
KV
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| Order of Sylea |
KS
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Administered by the Emperor himself (as Archduke of Sylea ) |
After the Knight in precendent is the Baronet. This is a special form of Baron awarded by an Archduke or Archduchess. The Emperor can create Baronets (either as Emperor or as Archduke of Sylea) but in practice does not.
Baronets are counted in seniority below Barons and do not generally receive fiefs of land. This make the rank a kind of herditary knighthood.