About House Valentione...

[Exodus-E]

Now that it's Valentione's Day, I'd like to know a bit more concerning their house.
Clearly House Valentione is not one of the 4 High Houses that make up the Ishgard's flag, which begs the question(s)...

Are they even recognized as a proper noble house?

If they are, does that mean that there are many more noble houses/families than the ones on Ishgard's flag?

What kind of political power/influence can they hold compared to the major 4 ones (as well as their standing with the Holy See)?

I know that Ishgard's back-story is (mostly) shrouded in mystery given their withdrawal compared to the other city-states, but still...a few answers/opinions on the matter would be nice.

[Geist]

Now that it's Valentione's Day, I'd like to know a bit more concerning their house.
Clearly House Valentione is not one of the 4 High Houses that make up the Ishgard's flag, which begs the question(s)...

Are they even recognized as a proper noble house?

If they are, does that mean that there are many more noble houses/families than the ones on Ishgard's flag?

What kind of political power/influence can they hold compared to the major 4 ones (as well as their standing with the Holy See)?

I know that Ishgard's back-story is (mostly) shrouded in mystery given their withdrawal compared to the other city-states, but still...a few answers/opinions on the matter would be nice.

My guess is that they've sworn fealty to one of the four High Houses and serve as its supporters.

Or they aren't really -that- into current Ishgardian politics either. This might be because they've learned to stay away from them, or simply a consequence of Lisette dabbling into things that would register as "fluff" in harsher times (you can't pelt the Dravanian Horde with chocolates).

[ruskie]

you can't pelt the Dravanian Horde with chocolates

Says who... that thing is their biggest weakness... and their final goal... getting all that chocolate. I'm guessing they are developing a totaly irresistible recipe and are testing it on the unsuspecting populace and us unsupecting adventurers.

[Chewy2nd]

It will be interesting to see next years Valentione's day, considering we'll be in Ishgard by then, lol.

[Anonymoose]

If they are, does that mean that there are many more noble houses/families than the ones on Ishgard's flag?

The four on the flag are the High Houses of Ishgard, implying that there are lower families. The four High Houses are descended from the knights who stood with Haldrath, the first Azure Dragoon, son of Thordan, founder of Ishgard.

What kind of political power/influence can they hold compared to the major 4 ones?

Considerably less. Even House Dzemael commands slightly more power than the other three high houses (at least at the moment).

Here are some big hints as to how the system works:

House Dzemael is said to be lorded over by a count; since Dzemael is about as high as it gets, this may be about as high as you can go before entering Holy ranks. In 1.0, a levequst referred to a Duke - how that guy fit into it, I have no idea. Isn't Duke higher than Count?

House Durendaire calls its banners to retake the Stone Vigil, and Cailean refers to himself as a bannerman of House Haillenarte, whose master is his liege lord. The big question is whether the High House's bannermen are carrying that house's banners or the banners of houses that are sworn to the high houses. There's very little context about that part. It sounds like some lower houses have sworn fealty, not directly to the archbishop, but to the high houses under him. It sounds like a distinction without much meaning, but spend some with Game of Thrones and you'll figure out how important that distinction is. And a levequest did once refer to Ser Jeorge of House Martynn...

[JeniLinsky]

House Dzemael is said to be lorded over by a count; since Dzemael is about as high as it gets, this may be about as high as you can go before entering Holy ranks. In 1.0, a levequst referred to a Duke - how that guy fit into it, I have no idea. Isn't Duke higher than Count?

In the English system of peerage it is. However, we really have no idea how the Ishgardian peerage works. For example, in the French, pre-Revolution system, all the sons of a Count would be Viscounts. It's possible that the Count we've seen is not the Lord Dzemael, but merely a lord Dzemael. It's always seemed strange to me that the heads of house of the high houses of Ishgard would personally be in the lands outside the city. It kind of seems like that would be some sort of political exile. It would make much more sense if they were simply subordinate lords in charge of the high house's forces outside the city.

House Durendaire calls its banners to retake the Stone Vigil, and Cailean refers to himself as a bannerman of House Haillenarte, whose master is his liege lord. The big question is whether the High House's bannermen are carrying that house's banners or the banners of houses that are sworn to the high houses.

That's actually a nice theory, which accounts for all the evidence. Well done!

[Anonymoose]

It's possible that the Count we've seen is not the Lord Dzemael, but merely a lord Dzemael.

My knowledge of feudalism and bastard feudalism extends naught beyond high school history and Game of Thrones, so I might as well give you the clearest line I can find if you're willing to brainstorm it, eh?

A hearty hail to you, adventurer. I am Dyrstweitz, son of Dyrstweitz. I serve House Dzemael, as did my father and his father before him. Like them, I have sworn a solemn oath to protect the count's lands and holdings from any and all that would do them harm. Originally designed to provide protection against air and land attacks from the Wyrmking's horde, construction on the Darkhold began several generations ago when Count Dzemael, fifty-third of his line and lord of House Dzemael - greatest of the four high houses of Ishgard - discovered a hidden network of caves while foxing near the Nail.

And the Duke for good measure

As he does once every moon, Ishgardian noble Duke Brett V will soon be arriving in Limsa Lominsa to conduct a routine inspection of the many export and import warehouses he maintains in the thalassocracy.

Also, Inspector Briardien is rumoured to be a baron, and Ishgard's See contains at least an Archbishop, Bishops, and Cardinals.

[Shadygrove]

Now that it's Valentione's Day, I'd like to know a bit more concerning their house.
Clearly House Valentione is not one of the 4 High Houses that make up the Ishgard's flag, which begs the question(s)...

Are they even recognized as a proper noble house?

If they are, does that mean that there are many more noble houses/families than the ones on Ishgard's flag?

What kind of political power/influence can they hold compared to the major 4 ones (as well as their standing with the Holy See)?

As others have said, noble not high noble.

Little power compared to the high noble houses. Nor do they seem interested in it.

.... Isn't Duke higher than Count?

House Durendaire calls its banners to retake the Stone Vigil, and Cailean refers to himself as a bannerman of House Haillenarte, whose master is his liege lord. The big question is whether the High House's bannermen are carrying that house's banners or the banners of houses that are sworn to the high houses....

Yes.

IRL a banner was a lesser noble, fedually sworn to serve, and his contingent of household troops, squires, grooms, cooks, and his knights with their own contingent. Who are his banners.

In the English system of peerage it is.

Actually there are no dukes in England. They have earls instead. But the wife of an earl is a duchess.

Despite having a degree in this stuff I have never been able to figure that one out.

[Chewy2nd]

Actually there are no dukes in England. They have earls instead. But the wife of an earl is a duchess.

Despite having a degree in this stuff I have never been able to figure that one out.

There is Dukes, Prince Phillip himself is the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Andrew is the Duke of York, Prince Richard is the Duke of Gloucester, and Prince Edward is the Duke of Kent. The next in line, Prince Charles is the Duke of both Cornwall and Rothesay, Queen Elizabeth II herself is the Duke of Lancaster. Though to be fair, I only know about the Princes having second titles due to being British myself, lol.

[Corvinoobus]

And the Duke for good measure

As he does once every moon, Ishgardian noble Duke Brett V will soon be arriving in Limsa Lominsa to conduct a routine inspection of the many export and import warehouses he maintains in the thalassocracy.

Also, Inspector Briardien is rumoured to be a baron, and Ishgard's See contains at least an Archbishop, Bishops, and Cardinals.

Before this speculation continues further, I must share with you certain developments regarding the man once known as "Duke Brett V."

The structure of Ishgardian nobility is not widely known, especially in lands so distant as Limsa Lominsa. Moreover, given the nature of Lominsan society, even well-to-do merchants may know little of such things. So it was that a lowborn Ishgardian, who through a series of events fortuitous and fantastic had built a profitable import and export concern, affected the trappings of nobility and convinced his peers in Limsa Lominsa that he was the esteemed "Duke Brett V."

Why he felt the need to adopt such a guise is anyone's guess, as his numerous eccentricities were met with widespread bemusement. Indeed, it was his penchant for ordering the same unusual dish every moon at the Bismarck that proved his undoing, as during one such visit he was confronted by traveling scholar, who declared with authority, "There's no such thing as an Ishgardian duke!"

The "Duke" has since grown rather reclusive, as one might expect, and his tale is now largely forgotten. Yet on occasion, in certain corners of Limsa Lominsa, in response to a dubious claim, some locals are heard to exclaim, "Hah! And I'm an Ishgardian duke!"