Nobility in Saint Domingo
Nobility in Saint Domingo traces its roots to the first emperor who created titles to reward some of his most trusted aides. Because their legitimacy derived originally from the French emperor, some royal families in Europe refuse to recognise the titles.
Ranks
The ranks used by the nobility of Saint Domingo are based on the Napoleonic ranks but adapted to local realities.
- Emperor: The emperor is always the most direct male descendant of the founder of the House of Dessaline.
- King of the East and West: Title given to the heir apparent to the throne.
- Prince(ss) of the blood: The siblings, if any, of the emperor and of the king.
- Prince of Dignity: Title given, at the emperor's discretion, to foreign houses or to a spouse of a princess of the Blood.
- Duke, Count & Baron: incremental and hereditary titles.
- Knight: non-hereditary title of nobility given to ahe member of one of the empire's orders of chivalry.
Heraldry
While the heraldic rules are the same for coat of arms awarded in Saint Domingo, the system of representation of a given title and rank is both different and much more elaborate than the one used by the nobility of the French ancient regime.
Crest
| Emperor | Naval Hat with 9 ostrich feathers alternating purple and white | |
| King of the East and West | Naval Hat with 7 ostrich feathers alternating purple and white | |
| Prince of the Blood | Naval Hat with 5 white ostrich feathers alternating purple and white | |
| Prince of Dignity | purple peer's cap with vair crown and five feathers alternating black and white | |
| Duke | purple peer's cap with hermine crown and five feathers alternating black and white | |
| Count | purple peer's cap with counter-hermine crown and five feathers alternating black and white | |
| Baron | purple peer's cap with counter-vair crown and three feathers alternating black and white | |
| Knight | black peer's cap with purple crown and one white feather |
Chief
Princes place in chief (top) a particular charge depending on their rank as prince:
- black eagle on a purple field: prince of the blood
- semy of golden thunderbolts on a purple field: prince married to a princess of the blood
- black field semys of purple and gold stars: prince of a foreign house
Quarter of Function
A purple dexter quarter is added to the arms of those who serve a particular function within the state's aparatus. Its charge, in silver and/or gold, indicates which function is performed.
- silver snake entwined around a golden mirror: senator
- golden cross patty: archbishop
- golden Latin cross: bishop
- gold and silver sword pointing up: marshal
- silver sword pointing up: general
- silver sword pointing to bottom right: non-general head of a military service.
- golden eagle's head: minister
- silver eagle's head: sub-minister
- golden scales: procurator general
- checkered gold and purple: head of a public service
- golden tables of the law: president of the legislative council.
- golden Greek door with golden letters "DI" (Domus Imperatori): adjutant to the emperor.
- golden Greek door with silver letters "DR" (Domus Rexi): adjutant to the king.
- silver Greek door with golden letters "DP" (Domus Principi): adjutant to a prince of the blood.
- golden wall surmounted by an oak wreath: prefect
- golden wall surmounted by an oak branch: sub-prefect
- golden wall: mayor
- 3 golden lozenges: president of the electoral college
- 1 golden lozenge: member of the electoral college
Order of Chivalry
Nobles who are members of an order of chivalry but who do not have a function put on their arms a sinister emmanchure containing the medal of the order on a field the colour of which is based on the ribon.
