Orders of precedence in Karnia-Ruthenia

The Order of precedence in Karnia-Ruthenia is the sequential hierarchy for royalty, nobility, officers of state, senior members of the clergy, holders of the various Orders of Chivalry and other key-persons within the Empire.

Determination of precedence
The order of precedence is determined by various methods. Precedence technically applies only to determine positions in social events of the Imperial and Royal Court for members of the nobility. The statutes of the various Orders of Chivalry set precedence for their members. In other cases, precedence may be decided by the sovereign's order, by the Imperial Diet or by custom.

Source of precedence
One may acquire precedence for various reasons, as be an office-holder or being of a particular degree such as a prince or being the companion of a title-holder and even being the offspring of a title-holder. Furthermore, if a child of a peer marries a commoner, then he or she retains his or her precedence as a child of a peer. However, if he or she marries a peer, then his or her precedence is based on his or her companion's status, and not on his or her parents.

Dynasts
The Emperor-King or Empress-Queen of Karnia-Ruthenia, as the Sovereign, is always first in the order of precedence. An Emperor-King is followed by his consort, the first in the order of precedence for women. The reverse, however, is not always true for an Empress-Queen regnant. There is no established law of precedence for a consort, so may be specially granted precedence above all other males by letters patent or, on the other hand, may rank lower than the heir apparent or the heir presumptive, even if the heir is his own son.

Officers of State
In Karnia-Ruthenia, the Obersthofmeister is the highest in precedence following the imperial family. Then come, the Fürstpropst and the Kaiserjägermeister. Next come the Imperial Chancellor, the Palatine of the Court and the President of the House of Representatives. After them, follows the Hofballmusikdirektor and the Obersthofmeisterin. Then, the Head of the Staff of the Imperial and Royal Armed Forces, followed by the Aides-de-camp to the Emperor of Karnia-Ruthenia.

Peers
See also: Karno-Ruthenian Nobility and Peerage of Karnia-Ruthenia The ranks of Peers are as follows: Grand Duke, Grand Prince, Duke, Prince, Margrave, Landgrave, Altgrave, Count, Baron and Noble. Within their own respective ranks, the rank of Peers correspond to the age (venerability) of the creation of their peerages; that is, the older the title, the more senior the title's holder is. Subject to the same governing rules as detailed in the paragraphs above, the rank of the wives of Peers is also governed by the venerability (age) of the peerage. A dowager Peeress (widow of a deceased Peer) would however always precede the wife of the present Peer.

Religious representatives
See also: Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Persenburg, Military Ordinariate of Karnia-Ruthenia and Micronational Catholic Church In the Empire, the most senior religious position in precedence is of the Archbishop of Persenburg, followed by the religious and military figure of the Apostolic Field Vicar.

Knights and holders of state honours
See also: Order of precedence of the orders, decorations and medals of Karnia-Ruthenia If the bearer of a state honour doesn't have a title of nobility in the Empire, is after the nobles come the members of all the other orders of chivalry and for individual members with equivalent ranks but of different orders, precedence is accorded based on the seniority of the orders of chivalry.