Style of address in Savam

Many styles exist in the Savamese Empire, used by people entitled to natural or ex-officio titles, respectively members of the nobility and government magistrates and other office holders. The Registre nobiliaire is the government institution tasked with, among other duties, maintaining a proper record of all the styles of address, and their appropriate usage. The use of styles is a defining aspect of the Savamese formal society; improper use of styles is considered a major faux pas, or even insulting in some situations. Note that this applies to all styles, not only noble ones; Savamese make a point of addressing a person with their proper style even in the case of academic achievements.

Nobility styles

Styles for the nobility are directly related to the person's title.

Rulers

The Emperor uses the style His/Her Imperial and Royal Majesty, as the Emperor is always also a sovereign of one of the realms. Proper Savamee form: Sa Majesté impériale et royale l'empereur (l'impératrice).
Kings and Queens use the style His/Her Royal Majesty; the two princes of Benovia and Occois-Garde are also allowed to use this style by derogation with regards to the their status as the rulers of member states.
Ruling archprinces and princes used the style His/Her Majesty, but there is currently no person holding such sovereign title.

When speaking with the Emperor or a king/queen outside of a formal context, the abbreviation Your Majesty is tolerated. When sovereigns of equal rank speak between themselves, which also applies to foreign sovereigns of allied realms (especially if they are relatives), it is customary to use the normally informal pronoun tu. The style can still be used, but without the possessive adjective: Majesté, tu..., i.e. "Majesty, you...". Using the formal pronoun in this context is considered an insult, for example as used by Guillôme of Emilia in 1956 (in the midst of the Savamese occupation of Emilia) when replying to Emperor Adrien II's birthday message. The formal address is still used in ceremonial context. This usage of the tu is not tolerated between nobles of lower rank, unless they are relatives or friends.

Family of rulers

Members of the imperial family, who hold an archprince title, use the style His/Her Serene Imperial Highness (Altesse sérénissime impériale)
Members of the imperial family that hold a prince title use the style His/Her Imperial Highness (Altesse impériale).
Members of other ruling families, who hold an archprince title, use the style His/Her Serene Royal Highness.
Members of other ruling families, who hold a prince title, use the style His/Her Royal Highness.

The address Your Highness is tolerated outside of formal contexts. Members of ruling families are the only one using the titles of Archprince and Prince in modern Savam. Upon the death of the Emperor and if its newly elected successor is not from the previous family, the late emperor's family reverted to the style appropriate for their position. The only exception is the late emperor's spouse, who is entitled to continue use the imperial style until their own death. Similar exceptions can be given by letters patent from the succeeding sovereign.

Titled nobles

Archdukes use the style His/Her Excellent Higness (excellente Altesse).
Dukes use the style His/Her Higness.
Archcounts use the style His/Her High Excellency (haute Excellence).
Counts use the style His/Her Excellency (Excellence).
Viscount use the style His/Her Grace (Grâce).

For archdukes and lower ranks, who form the tilted landed nobility, the usual form of address combines the style and gender-appropriate honorific. For example: Son excellente Altesse Monsieur l'archiduc d'Arcédie.

When speaking to the title holder, the possessive adjective son/sa ("his/her", which depends in Savamese not on the person's gender but on the grammatical gender of the style of address) is changed to the formal plural form votre. When several title holders are considered, one should use leurs and vos. Note that if there are person of different ranks to be addressed, the usage is to first single-out the highest-ranked titleholder, then use a address most appropriate for all the others. For example, if ones addresses to the assemble realm sovereigns, including the Emperor, they should say: Votre Majesté impériale et royale, vos Majestés royales. If addressing to an assembly made of a king and several higher-ranking nobles such as princes and dukes, the style is: Votre Majesté royale, vos altesses.

Untitled nobles

Untitled nobles, including landed nobles as well as members of the nobility of the sword and honours use the following pattern:

the Honorable Knight or Honorable Squire (l'honorable chevalier) for sword nobles.
the Honorable [rank] Knight of [order] for members of chivalric orders (such as the National Merit Order); the rank depends on the specific order, but can include premier chevalier, grand chevalier, etc.
the Honorable Lord (l'honorable seigneur) for landed nobles
the Honorable (l'honorable) for members of the nobility of honours.

They should be addressed as messire or monseigneur (female: maseigneuresse) when spoken to, and the complete written address usually include the normal gender honorific in a similar fashion as with most of the titled nobles, followed by their name; for example, l'honorable chevalier Monsieur de Vertel. In the case of landed nobles, their family name is usually replaced by the name of their estate unless their name is the same as their estate: l'honorable seigneur Monsieur de Saint-Valentin-en-Garde.

Clerical styles

the Holy Mother uses the style Her Holiness (Sainteté). The Holy Mother is also the highest ranking individual in the country, even outranking the Emperor; as a result, the Holy Mother can address the Emperor as Monsieur (or Madame if an Empress), the usual usage when a noble of higher rank addresses a noble of lower rank. However, the Holy Mother does not use the informal tu when speaking with the Emperor.
Archmatrons use the style Her High Grace (haute Grâce).
Matrons use the style Her Grace.

Magisterial styles

the Viceroy uses the style His/Her Eminence (Éminence). If the viceroy hold a ducal or archducal title, her or she can then use the address appropriate for that rank (Excellent Highness or Highness), which are both considered superior to Eminence. If the viceroy was a member of any ruling family, a case that has not yet happened but is not impossible, then the appropriate royal or imperial style would be used. Note that in terms of the order of precedence the viceroy outranks nobles that use a higher style of address, ranking just below the realm sovereigns and their immediate relatives. Former viceroys are entitled to continue using the Eminence style after they left office.
Members of the Council of the Chancellorship, high-level civil servants heading government agencies and directorates, prefects and regional chancellors use the style His/Her Excellency.

Full name and honorifics template

Barring exceptions recorded by the Registre nobiliaire, the following template is followed in writing when creating the full name and honorifics for a titled noble:

for the full honorifics with no personal name:
- [Style] [Monsieur/Madame] the [senior-most title]
- Example: Son Altesse Monsieur le duc du Piémont
for the full honorifics including the personal name:
- [Style] [Monsieur/Madame] Full name, [senior-most title], [other titles], [military ranks]
- Example: Son Altesse Monsieur Urbain de Lautrec, duc du Piémont, comte de Villiers, seigneur de la Paye et de Chinon-Bielle

And for untitled nobles:

landed:
- [Style] [Monsieur/Madame] [given name (optional)] [Familly name or estate name]
- Example: l'honorable seigneuresse Madame (Ariane) de Plouvedel-en-Arcédie
unlanded:
- [Style] [Untitled honorific] [Monsieur/Madame] Full name, [other titles], [military ranks]
- Example: l'honorable chevalier Monsieur Ignace du Plessy, Colonel des armées