Terms for rulers

bluejester12 · Sep 3, 2006

As of now, I have three kingdoms divided into three duchies, and am trying to come up with a term for the Overall ruler of the land. I don't want to use "ruler" or "Emperor" Any ideas? It's not a dictator; it's a benevelont system.

badducky · Sep 3, 2006

How about "Overall Ruler of the Land", which is both precisely what you seek, and when shortened to "Overall" is too pants-related to sound evil.

Why do we always need to re-invent the wheel when words already eist that crry precisely our intended meaning?

allion · Sep 3, 2006

How about High Duke/Duchess or High King/Queen? It gives a sense of elevation above the other ranks but (I think) doesn't sound too despotic.

JMO,

Karen

triceretops · Sep 3, 2006

Exhalted One
Supreme Director
Imperial Lord
High Prophet
The Revelator
Noble Lord
Imperial Designator
The High Magistrate

Tri

Bartholomew · Sep 3, 2006

Any word will work, so long as it has meaning. Don't get too caught up in traditional words.

I used "High Principle" in a short story of mine. It worked well; it was a theocracy.

waylander · Sep 3, 2006

Grand Duke? Overlord? Tyrant?

James D. Macdonald · Sep 3, 2006

Autarch.

jpsorrow · Sep 3, 2006

I agree with a previous poster--that you shouldn't get too caught up in finding a special name. Who won't "King" work? Or something a little more spiffie and still exact and simple like "Lord of the Three Realms" or "Master of the Three Kingdoms"? Which of course shorten to Lord and Master. Perhaps Commander?

Just a few suggestions. But I'd try to keep it simple and direct. In my world, the ruler of the city is always a women, so I called her the Mistress. In fact, that's all she's called. Not Mistress Varis. Just Mistress. In the next city over, the ruler is Lord and there are Lords and Ladies and even a Master before that. Merchants are titled Merchant or Master.

You can create your own title, based on your culture as well. In Michelle West's novels, the ruler of the Dominion is called a Tyr'agar, with those below the ruler Tyr'agnate, and other have different stylings. However, if you do create your own terms, be sparse using them and make certain you explain the terms and that they fit your culture, don't just arbitrarily throw them in. There has to be a system and a reason behind them.

bluejester12 · Sep 3, 2006

The ruler is based on blood ties to an extraterrestrial race (it's a fantasy story though). Since it's not gender specific I was trying to avoid terms gender based terms like king and emperor. Right now I'm thinking Protectorate.

Simple and direct does seem best.

Jenny · Sep 3, 2006

Protector as the overall ruler makes me think of Cromwell - is my history confused? Protectorate sounds good. Personally I like Khan, but I don't know all the connotations/implications of using it. Is it gendered?

waylander · Sep 4, 2006

Cromwell's title was Lord Protector.

Vincent · Sep 4, 2006

Benevolent or not, if their power is absolute and based on blood ties, it's still a dictator, right?

But yeah, James D. Madonald's Autarch sounds good.

MattW · Sep 4, 2006

Sovereign?

Consul?

Tribune?

Dominus?

MadScientistMatt · Sep 5, 2006

Archduke?

JimmyB27 · Sep 5, 2006

bluejester12 said:
Since it's not gender specific I was trying to avoid terms gender based terms like king and emperor.

Um...you do know there are female versions of those, right?

bluejester12 · Sep 5, 2006

beezle said:
Benevolent or not, if their power is absolute and based on blood ties, it's still a dictator, right?

Doesnt a monarchy have the same qualities?

Dictator has different connotations.

dclary · Sep 5, 2006

"Grand Poombah?"

Vincent · Sep 5, 2006

I was kind of dumping kings emperors and presidents-for-life all in the same basket of all powerful corruptness.

badducky · Sep 5, 2006

Ooh, I like "Pompatous".

Then, you can have one of your Pompatouses from a place called "badduckyland", so you know he must be the "Pompatous of Love".

My-Immortal · Sep 5, 2006

BOB

No? Not that kind of book?

Any of the suggestions above sound good. I agree with others about trying to redefine the wheel...unless you have a very good reason to do so. I'd worry more about what the story was about rather than what I'm calling some ruler (especially if he's not even a main character).

Good luck with your writing!

dclary · Sep 5, 2006

badducky said:
Ooh, I like "Pompatous".

Then, you can have one of your Pompatouses from a place called "badduckyland", so you know he must be the "Pompatous of Love".

Quiet, Maurice.

yanallefish · Sep 5, 2006

Well, you could always go with Himself or Herself - I hear it's worked for Celtic chieftains and chieftainesses for thousands of years...

Ordinary_Guy · Sep 8, 2006

badducky said:
Ooh, I like "Pompatous".

Then, you can have one of your Pompatouses from a place called "badduckyland", so you know he must be the "Pompatous of Love".

Nah... too close to pompous (and Grand High Big Cheese probably isn't that great either).

Pthom · Sep 8, 2006

and Grand High Big Cheese probably isn't that great either

It might be if he ruled Wisconsin.

Nexusman · Sep 8, 2006

Here's what my flip-dictionary has to say for "ruler":

amir, autocrat, boss, chief, commander, czar, despot, dictator, dominator, dynast, emir, emperor, empress, gerent, governor, king, leader, lord, matriarch, monarch, pharoah, potentate, president, prince, princess, queen, regent, satrap, shah, sheik, sovereign, straightedge, sultan tsar, tyrant, viceroy

I think you can probably throw out "straightedge."

-Nick

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