Count, Graf: The basic realm-holding title.
Count Palatine, Pfalzgraf: A noble representing the king. Frequently appointed to watch over a powerful duke or represent the king in a large area.
Margrave: A count of a March, a border province.
Duke, Herzog: The highest rank below a monarch.
King, König: The highest rank below the emperor.
Prince, Fürst: Literally all vassals of the king hold the title, but it's generally used only if a higher title doesn't exist. Different from Prinz.
Prince, Prinz: The family of a Fürst.
Magyars: A tribe that would become Hungary. Their raids throughout Europe were the source of devastation and fear for over half a century until their defeat at the Battle of Lechfeld.
History
The Backdrop to Our Story
Our history starts in 911 with the death of Louis the Child. The dukes of Germany had grown powerful throughout his reign and were loath to give the crown to King Charles of France, Louis' relative, and set to electing a king from their own ranks.
What once was the Kingdom of Lotharingia had become a mere duchy under the her eastern brother, the Kingdom of Germany. The realm itself would be the most powerful of the German duchies were it not for its weak government: Its vassals were unruly and the German kings still were quite influential in the only recently gained territory.
The next most powerful duchy would be Saxony. One of the last kingdoms to capitulate before Charlemagne, the Saxons had a long history of independence. Of all the duchies to gain power during Louis the Child's reign, Saxony by far gained the most.
Franconia was a smaller duchy, but this in itself could turn to an advantage at times. Unlike the frightening Saxony or vast Lotharingia, Franconia seemed less threatening and therefore easier to trust, but there was still enough power behind the dukedom to cause some damage if diplomacy failed. Whoever held the Franconian throne could quickly become a force to be reckoned with if the other dukes focused too much on the larger players.
Bavaria and Swabia were newer duchies, only recently having managed to secure a single person at their head. Additionally, Bavaria's duke serveed as the Margrave of Carinthia, the lands to suffer the worst of the Magyar raids. Despite their troubles and lack of history, however, both dukes were quite capable of standing alongside the kingdom's larger players and more than deserving of their titles.
It is in this setting that our story begins. The king has died, leaving the Germans to rule themselves for the first time a century. Only time will tell how their story unfolds...
King Radulf I of Lotharingia (911-)
In the winter of 911, a diet was assembled in Frankfurt to discuss who would take the place of the late king. The assembly was initially dominated by Duke Guntram of Saxony, the most powerful man present and one known for his cruelty. All gathered seemed to be in opposition to his candidacy but lacked a strong figure to rally behind; the Duke of Swabia stepped up, but any potential supporters were still very unsure in the face of the Saxon's evil glare and grimacing smile. Those who opposed Guntram were saved by the late arrival of Radulf, Duke of Lotharingia, a charismatic figure that all of the princes could rally around. The figures were a stark contrast to one another: Guntram was loathed and ruled his realm with an iron fist, while Radulf's hold over his realm was far from solid but followers flocked to him immediately upon his arrival.
