History Main / StandardRoyalCourt

* In ''Videogame/{{Destiny}}'', [[EvilOverlord Oryx the Taken King]] has his Court, which is a collection of monstrous Hive warriors, wizards, and other agents who serve Oryx. As part of their service to Oryx, [[FantasticCasteSystem they take a tribute of violence and Light taken by those beneath them in the Hive caste system and give that Oryx]], which [[HorrorHunger allows Oryx to feed the Worm within him that would otherwise devour him if it did not receive a constant supply of Light and violence.]] Seeing how the Hive are [[TheRoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething very hands on]], most of the roles within the Court are very practical, with several CourtWizard positions who perform research or craft [[RealityWarper paracausal]] weapons, as well as [[HighPriest the Warpriest]] who challenges those who would personally face Oryx. There are also warriors and bodyguards, and even a variant on TheCourtJester, though in this case the jester doesn't know he's one; instead he's a fanatical devotee of Oryx's son Crota dressed up like him, and Oryx keeps him around to both laugh at him and [[EvenEvilHasLovedOnes to help cope with his grief after crota's death]]. In-game the Court of Oryx serves as a challenge on the Dreadnought, where players bring tithes to the Court to summon them as bosses to fight for loot.

** Royal siblings: these are either the King's most loyal supporters, or scheming to get the throne for themselves.[[EvilUncle This is especially true for the oldest younger brother of the present ruler.]]

* Most, if not all, of the books written by Creator/MercedesLackey have at least one.

* ''Anime/Acca13TerritoryInspectionDept'' has Dowa Kingdom, a fairly middle-of-the-road version. The royal family resides in Dowa district, and the king is kind and well respected. However, the heir apparent is a young fool, and there are plenty who would take drastic measures to keep him off the throne - hence the conflict of the story. The scenes with them also provide a nice amount of SceneryPorn in the palace, as well as the series' famous FoodPorn - the king is awfully fond of sweets.

* Shakespeare is pretty heavy on courts, unsurprising as he sets a lot of his works in either medieval or mystically pre-medieval time periods. The Danish royal court in ''Theatre/{{Hamlet}}'' is probably the most obvious, alongside others such as the [[DeadlyDecadentCourt British court]] in ''Theatre/{{King Lear}}'' or those of Sicilia and Bohemia in ''Theatre/{{The Winters Tale}}''.

* Caterers: this is actually a fairly important job, absurd as it sounds. Knowing how to put on a good FancyDinner or DancesAndBalls puts people in a good mood to begin negotiations, and advertises a monarchs importance. If TheKingdom can pay for political disputes with wine instead of blood, TheKingdom has gotten a good deal. As a footnote, having rival dignitaries drunk(or drugged) during a negotiation can be a useful if risky ploy. Certain palace servants like the sénéchal or majordomo will have making deals with caterers as one of their major jobs. Other servants have need of these as an obvious part of their role. Cooks need food. Bards need special effects experts, musicians and so on, the palace itself needs architects, and everyone needs expensive clothing, sometimes even including servants.

* Most, if not all, of the books written by MercedesLackey have at least one.

* If there are enough nobles, they might form a separate body within the court that acts as a kind of legislature for the nation. [[{{Expy}} Expies]] of the [[UsefulNotes/BritishPoliticalSystem British House of Lords]], the French Estates-General (or just the First and Second Estates), the [[UsefulNotes/TheRomanRepublic Roman Senate]], and the [[HolyRomanEmpire Holy Roman]] ''Reichstag'' are common.

* ''Franchise/{{Dune}}'' features several, from the simple and open Ducal court of the Atreides to the decadent, despotic court of the Harkonnens to the (presumed to be) [[DeadlyDecadentCourt deadly decadent Imperial court]] of the Corrinos. The Landsraad is also presumably one of these, as well as being an {{Expy}} of the HolyRomanEmpire's ''Reichstag''.

* ''TheFiveStarStories'', being a FeudalFuture, has quite a few. Most notable is Amaterasu's royal court, wherin nearly everyone is also the pilot of a HumongousMecha.

* ''CodeGeass'' has a DeadlyDecadentCourt that includes TheEmperor, his OneHundredAndEight consorts, his many children (the numbered princes and princesses), the Knights of the Round, and the many nobles who hold important positions in TheEmpire. The First Prince (Emperor Charles' oldest son) Odysseus is "The Heir" (although he's not very savvy), and Second Prince Schneizel is the Prime Minister/Chancellor. Princess Cornelia appears to be a very high ranked military official (possibly the head of the army), and Clovis is the Viceroy of Area 11 (Japan).

* ''TheTudors'' would be a perfect example, considering that the entire show is about Henry VIII and his court.

* The royal court of ''Series/{{Merlin}}'', naturally. The King (first Uther, now Arthur), the Royal Sibling (Morgana) the Advisor (Gaius), the EvilChancellor ([[EvilUncle Agravaine]]), and plenty of Nobles. Arthur was the Heir until season 4, Merlin is the Court Mage, albeit in secret, and Guinevere is now [[TheHighQueen Queen Consort]].

* The Scarlet Dynasty in ''{{Exalted}}'' are one of the less-detailed variants.
* {{Traveller}} : The aristocracy of the Third Imperium is heavily detailed in the volume ''Nobles''. The Imperium's court is on a grand scale with tons of courtiers and servants, and there are dozens of provincial courts as well.

* Various court offices, ranging from the sénéchal, whose position is akin to that of a butler in a great aristocratic household in Britain, to various smaller ranks such as the ''grand moutardier'' of the papal court in Avignon (yes, he was in charge of the pope's mustard). Some of these offices became much more important than their original circle of duties over time, thus the chancellor, originally the head of the king's chancelry and in charge of writing his documents, became the title of the king's most important official advisor, while marshal (the word originally meant "horse-servant") became a high military rank. In the HolyRomanEmpire the seven princes-elector held the key court offices as herditary ranks, but only acted in the respective capacities during the coronation ceremonies, on other occasions these functions were fulfilled by others.
* If there are enough nobles, they might form a separate body within the court that acts as a kind of legislature for the nation. [[{{Expy}} Expies]] of the [[UsefulNotes/BritishPoliticalSystem British House of Lords]], the French Estates-General (or just the First and Second Estates), the [[RomanRepublic Roman Senate]], and the [[HolyRomanEmpire Holy Roman]] ''Reichstag'' are common.

* The {{Deryni}} series is centred on a royal court.

* TheOnceAndFutureNerd has one.

Any court beyond the most basic will typically be fractal in structure. Most of the courtiers will themselves be the heads of lesser courts, mirroring the structure of the main court, and many of their courtiers will in turn head minor courts. Thus, the crown prince's best friend and chief advisor might be a duke, ruling over several earldoms, advised by the ducal chancellor. Historically, most courts stopped at four or five tiers, but in fiction there is no limit.

How elaborate the court is will depend on the [[TechnologyLevels technology level]], the wealth of the nation it rules, and the image the ruler wishes to convey. A barbarian warlord will have the most basic version; one right-hand man, a dozen minor chiefs, and a few hundred warriors. A galactic empire will have a court bigger than most cities, and a population to match - ten million courtiers living in conditions of unparalleled magnificence, their lives all revolving around the centre of power, the emperor at the court's heart. If, that is, the writer wants to keep in touch with reality; [[Literature/{{Gormenghast}} total mismatches between the size of the court and the size of the country]] occur, and often without causing administrative problems (if the court is too small) or financial ones (if the court is too large).

* Sneakiness - some courts are a web of conspiracies; in others, everyone is open about their intentions.
* Aristocrats vs civil servants - the nobles may actually run the kingdom, or they may leave all the administration to the clerks. (Note that in the RealLife [[TheMiddleAges Middle Ages]], appointing paid civil servants rather than letting the nobles run things was an important step towards modern government, although in some cases the civil servants became aristocrats themselves, e. g. counts, originally appointed officers of the crown became first a hereditary office and then a rank of nobility).
* Decadence - are the courtiers interested only in pleasure?
* Level of ritual - some courts are pretty plain, others can't do anything without a three hour ritual.
* Appearance - Can range from Spartan to the ErmineCapeEffect.

* The ruler. Normally this is the monarch, but sometimes the role is filled by a regent. Either way, this person bears ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the nation. Many factions, both within the court and outside, will be attempting to control or depose them. An evil regent may attempt to become RegentForLife. Good regents, as well as sovereigns, act as {{mentors}} to their successors. (Though some evil kings may try to arrange matters so that they won't ''need'' a successor...)
* The [[RoyalBlood heir]]. Normally the next in line to the throne, but during a regency this role is filled by the actual monarch. The heir spends most of their time waiting for the ruler to die, and may decide to hurry up the process with a little direct action, especially if the ruler isn't their parent. In turn, the heir is the frequent target of assassination attempts by people wanting to move up the line of succession. The heir is also an alternative centre of power for the court, since their inner circle is the government-in-waiting.
* Other royals.
** The previous generation. Royal uncles, and the Queen Mother. These tend to spend a lot of time telling the king what his father would have done, if they don't actually rule the kingdom as regents for an underage king. If the uncle is an EvilUncle who continues to plot against the king, even when it's his nephew rather than his brother... there will be trouble.
** The Queen Consort. Her official role is to [[HeirClubForMen produce the next generation of royals]], but [[ThickerThanWater her family will expect her to find them influential positions or other perks]], which can make her unpopular, and people will seek to use her to [[TheManBehindTheMan influence the King]]. If there isn't a queen, the process of filling the vacancy is itself a popular plot. She often comes in the varieties [[TheHighQueen dignified and noble]] and [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen cruel and petty]]. TheWomanWearingTheQueenlyMask is usually the supreme ruler herself. The rare Prince Consorts typically follow the same tropes with a gender flip, but are more likely to attempt to take power for themselves. If there is a partnership between a strong and competent king and a strong and competent queen this will form a RulingCouple. The latter might be indicated by them receiving audiences with dual thrones.
** [[RoyalHarem The Harem]]. Most often found in Middle Eastern or Far Eastern settings. Guarded by eunuchs. There is intense competition within the harem for the king's favour, and a tense relationship with the Queen (if there ''is'' a Queen).
** Royal siblings. These are either the King's most loyal supporters, or scheming to get the throne for themselves.[[EvilUncle This is especially true for the oldest younger brother of the present ruler.]]
** Royal children. The nation's long-term future lies with them, so it falls on them to learn their trade early on, and preferably marry well - probably after an EngagementChallenge. Now, the kids outside the direct line of succession can make real nuisances. If they're not kept busy, sibling rivalry often turns lethal. Illegitimate royal children get high status, but are outside the line of succession. There is almost always [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses a princess]], whether of the [[RebelliousPrincess Rebellious]], [[PrincessClassic Classic]], or [[PoliticallyActivePrincess Politically-Minded]] variety. The ShelteredAristocrat is sadly spoiled and naive, TheEvilPrince can decimate a regent's offspring. TheWisePrince, in contrast, would be any good king's pride. During part of the Middle Ages it was customary for younger siblings and sons to be encouraged to join the clergy; after the development of professional militaries, younger royal sons have tended to join the armed forces and often ended up as career officers.[[note]]Case in point: Since the 18th century, for every British monarch who had a second son, the second son either became a career officer or started on a military career before events intervened.[[/note]]
* [[TheConsigliere The chief advisor]]. May be titled Chancellor, Vizier, Dewan, or First Minister. They are often the EvilChancellor, but can also be a mentor, sidekick to the king, or even a figurehead. They can come from any of the power blocs.
* [[TheJester The court jester]]. Can be any form of entertainer, e. g. a minstrel or resident troubadour. These people have no official power, but do have the king's ear, and can often [[SpeakTruthToPower speak freely]] under the guise of silliness. Usually either pure comic relief or a power behind the throne and frequently turns to be [[ObfuscatingStupidity wiser]] or, in some cases, [[CrouchingMoronHiddenBadass more dangerous]] that they seem at first. In more modern ages jesters were replaced by other entertainers such as royal composers, poets laureate etc. Sometimes the jester is secretly also ''something else'', for example a court wizard or spymaster (like Zorn and Thorn of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' fame).
* Head of the church. Might be called HighPriest or archbishop. This person holds allegiance to an higher authority than earthly kings, making their relationship with the king fraught. On the other hand, many religions either place the king at the head of the Church or consider him outright to be [[GodEmperor a living god]], and even the ones that don't may allow the king to claim divine right to rule, in which case all is well. When the nation worships a pantheon, the king may have the fun task of balancing scheming high priests of several different gods without incurring any divine wrath. In some cases the head of the church is important enough to have a court of his own (e. g. medieval popes), in which case e. g. the king's own chaplain or confessor may assume the most influential clerical role in the royal court.
** The court chaplain. Often this role goes hand-in-hand with the head of the church, but when they're two separate positions, they're distinguished by the fact that the latter serves more as the monarch's personal spiritual advisor or confessor, whose authority is limited to the court itself. Of course, this doesn't make him any less important a figure, since having the ear of the monarch himself gives him a lot of influence.
* CourtMage or pet mad scientist. Not all courts have these. When they exist, they usually get on badly with the church representatives, and supply phlebotinum to the court. They are also popular choices for chief advisor.
* The head of the civil service. More common in Chinese-style and Space Opera courts. Since this person has risen through the ranks, they usually have an inferior social background, creating tension with the nobles.
* The head of the military. In medieval courts this role is often filled by the ruler, but some also had a crown commander with a title like Connetable, Shogun or Lord High Admiral; these titles on occasion become hereditary. Many monarchies have a professional army, with all the associated tropes. If GeneralRipper is the chief advisor, it's time for the neighbouring countries to get worried.
* [[TheSpymaster The head of intelligence]]. It might be official or unofficial, this person handles the more delicate affairs of court and country. They gather information that was not meant for their regent's ears, they find that BlackmailIsSuchAnUglyWord and they can make great nuisances disappear. Their loyalty is always an interesting question.
* The great magnates. These are the chief nobles, each with near-sovereign power in their own domains, standing as far above the typical noble as they do above their peasants. In medieval times these will also include e. g. the realm's most important bishops. Their support is essential for any rebellion, and priceless to foreign invaders. If the ruler loses majority support among the great magnates, the nation will be in crisis. In future settings, this role can be filled by the heads of [[MegaCorp megacorporations]] or planetary/sector governors.

* Any number of special favourites, courtiers who are important not because of their inheritance and offices but because the regent has an affection for them. They usually have a certain something about them which can be charm, boldness, honeyed tongue, cleverness, honesty, strength, beauty and other quirks and abilities. The important part is that their influence on the leader is not easily measured. The writers might add as much spicy SubText as they like.

* Any [[TheMistress mistresses]] the king has. Essentially the same role as favourites, but usually less respectable (although between Charles VII and Louis XV the position of official mistress to the king was highly prestigious in France). This doesn't stop ambitious courtiers parading their sisters in front of the king.

* [[PraetorianGuard The royal bodyguard.]] Expect [[BlingOfWar flashy uniforms and weaponry]]. Depending on the story, they can be little more than a showy force with [[{{Mooks}} no substance]] [[RedshirtArmy behind them]] to [[EliteMooks unkillable badasses]]. May be a CadreOfForeignBodyguards [[note]] Common historically, e.g. the Swiss Guard who protect the Pope, the Varangian Guard of Norsemen and Anglo-Saxons who defended the Emperors of Constantinople, or Christian knights hired to defend Moorish princes[[/note]], and the possibility of a BodyguardBetrayal may become important. Anyone seeking to do harm to the ruler or anyone else in the court will likely have to deal with them at some point.
* Foreign Ambassadors. Representatives of foreign powers. These are like other courtiers but have more official authority not to mention more firepower behind them. These can range from a lowly envoy from a BarbarianTribe to a pompous glittering one from TheEmpire. Unlike most courtiers they might make open threats from time to time, however this will usually be during very unusual circumstances. Most of the time they do what other courtiers do; bribing, flattering, exchanging favors, and, of course, [[TheSpymaster recruiting spies]]. Whatever they are doing they are generally treated politely because the monarch would hardly want to get into a war for a [[SillyReasonForWar silly reason.]] What constitutes "politeness" will naturally vary according to the [[{{Worldbuilding}} culture]]. At the least, unlike other courtiers the ruler cannot say OffWithHisHead with an ambassador because that would certainly [[ThisMeansWar mean war.]]
* Miscellaneous dignitaries: These are various courtiers whose place has a {{Backstory}} more interesting(or at least better developed) then "I like to hang around court." Typical examples of these might be a NobleFugitive; it was long common practice for rulers to harbor pretenders to the throne of a rival kingdom or their followers in order to have possible leverage. Another possibility is a hostage; once it was considered an honorable practice for rulers to exchange relations as a [[OffWithHisHead guarantee]] of a treaty. Other possibilities include high-class prisoners of war awaiting their ransom. In both of these cases both the ruler and the prisoner or hostage are considered host and guest under the rules of SacredHospitality with appropriate modifications for the circumstances of their position. There could also be sons of lesser nobles being fostered by a given monarch as training as a warrior or courtier. Or a prince or princess from an ArrangedMarriage; this character would have constant ConflictingLoyalty. Guild leaders, especially from the capital city will often be here. And of course, as rulers never have enough money and merchants never have enough force there will likely be a MerchantPrince negotiating a deal with the monarch. If the ruler has a liberal streak or wishes to pretend to have such he might have a tribune or ombudsman speaking for the interests of "the people". And very common will be artists, or scientists, or scholars or other such expressions of "culture" who the monarch can sponser as a way to get prestige or simply as a PetTheDog.
* [[IdleRich Dissolute nobles and courtiers]]: Most courts have at least some of these. They might be [[SpoiledSweet fairly harmless]], or they might be a [[TheCasanova source of disgusted but rather envious scandal]]. Some of these end up sooner or later finding that they have HiddenDepths if appropriate to the plot.
* Caterers: This is actually a fairly important job, absurd as it sounds. Knowing how to put on a good FancyDinner or DancesAndBalls puts people in a good mood to begin negotiations, and advertises a monarchs importance. If TheKingdom can pay for political disputes with wine instead of blood, TheKingdom has gotten a good deal. As a footnote, having rival dignitaries drunk(or drugged) during a negotiation can be a useful if risky ploy. Certain palace servants like the sénéchal or majordomo will have making deals with caterers as one of their major jobs. Other servants have need of these as an obvious part of their role. Cooks need food. Bards need special effects experts, musicians and so on, the palace itself needs architects, and everyone needs expensive clothing, sometimes even including servants.

[[folder: Anime and Manga ]]

** Barrayar has Vorbarr Sultana. That's where Counts and the other Vor hang out. Ceremony is almost ostentatiously light. The administration is done by a modern civil service reporting directly to [[TheEmperor Gregor]], but it does seem that having Vor in front of your name is a route to promotion. Each Count has a seat in the planetary parliament (Gregor is also Count Vorbarra, but as Emperor he doesn't get a seat, just a folding army camp stool). Each Count likewise has his own private civil service to administer his District.

* [[TheJester The court jester]]. Can be any form of entertainer, e. g. a minstrel or resident troubadour. These people have no official power, but do have the king's ear, and can often speak freely under the guise of silliness. Usually either pure comic relief or a power behind the throne. In more modern ages jesters were replaced by other entertainers such as royal composers, poets laureate etc. Sometimes the jester is secretly also ''something else'', for example a court wizard or spymaster (like Zorn and Thorn of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' fame).

* The ruler. Normally this is the monarch, but sometimes the role is filled by a regent. Either way, this person bears ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the nation. Many factions, both within the court and outside, will be attempting to control or depose them. An evil regent may attempt to become RegentForLife. Good regents, as well as kings, act as {{mentors}} to their successors. (Though some evil kings may try to arrange matters so that they won't ''need'' a successor...)

** Royal children. The daughters get married off, perhaps after an EngagementChallenge. Finding something for the spare sons to do tends to be a problem for Kings. If they're not kept busy, sibling rivalry often turns lethal. Illegitimate royal children get high status, but are outside the line of succession. The ShelteredAristocrat is sadly spoiled and naive, TheEvilPrince can decimate a regent's offspring. TheWisePrince, in contrast, would be any good king's pride. During part of the Middle Ages it was customary for younger siblings and sons to be encouraged to join the clergy; after the development of professional militaries, younger royal sons have tended to join the armed forces and often ended up as career officers.[[note]]Case in point: Since the 18th century, for every British monarch who had a second son, the second son either became a career officer or started on a military career before events intervened.[[/note]]

* [[TheJester The court jester]]. Can be any form of entertainer, e. g. a minstrel or resident troubadour. These people have no official power, but do have the king's ear, and can often speak freely. Usually either the comic relief or a power behind the throne. In more modern ages jesters were replaced by other entertainers such as royal composers, poets laureate etc. Sometimes the jester is secretly also ''something else'', for example a court wizard or spymaster (like Zorn and Thorn of ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIX'' fame).

** Royal children. The daughters get married off, perhaps after an EngagementChallenge. Finding something for the spare sons to do tends to be a problem for Kings. If they're not kept busy, sibling rivalry often turns lethal. Illegitimate royal children get high status, but are outside the line of succession. The ShelteredAristocrat is sadly spoiled and naive, TheEvilPrince can decimate a regent's offspring. TheWisePrince, in contrast, would be any good king's pride. During part of the Middle Ages it was customary for younger siblings and sons to be encouraged to join the clergy; after the development of professional militaries, younger royal sons have tended to join the armed forces and often ended up as career officers.[[note]]Case in point: Since the 18th century, for every monarch who had a second son, the second son either became a career officer or started on a military career before events intervened.[[/note]]

** Royal children. The daughters get married off, perhaps after an EngagementChallenge. Finding something for the spare sons to do tends to be a problem for Kings. If they're not kept busy, sibling rivalry often turns lethal. Illegitimate royal children get high status, but are outside the line of succession. The ShelteredAristocrat is sadly spoiled and naive, TheEvilPrince can decimate a regent's offspring. TheWisePrince, in contrast, would be any good king's pride. During part of the middle ages it was customary for younger siblings and sons to be encouraged to join the clergy.

* The great magnates. These are the chief nobles, each with near-sovereign power in their own domains, standing as far above the typical noble as they do above their peasants. In medieval times these will also include e. g. the realm's most important bishops. Their support is essential for any rebellion, and priceless to foreign invaders. If the ruler loses majority support among the great magnates, the nation will be in crisis. In future settings, this role can be filled by the heads of megacorporations or planetary/sector governors.

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[[AC:VideoGames]]

[[AC:Web Original]]

* Caterers: This is actually a fairly important job, absurd as it sounds. Knowing how to put on a good FancyDinner or DancesAndBalls puts people in a good mood to begin negotiations, and advertises a monarchs importance. If TheKingdom can pay for political disputes with wine instead of blood, TheKingdom has gotten a good deal. As a footnote, having rival dignitaries drunk(or drugged) during a negotiation can be a useful if risky ploy. Certain palace servants like the Seneschal or Major-domo will have making deals with caterers as one of their major jobs. Other servants have need of these as an obvious part of their role. Cooks need food. Bards need special effects experts, musicians and so on, the palace itself needs architects, and everyone needs expensive clothing, sometimes even including servants.