Five Dukes

The Five Dukes was a group of lords in Beelzenian aristocracy granted their title by the Emperor. Typically inherited by the eldest head of each of its families, each of the Five Dukes governed a large portion of the Empire's territory and was responsible for the region's economic and militaristic stability.

Early History
Established by the Beelzenian Royal Family as part of the hierarchy for the Beelzenian Empire, the Five Dukes ruled over the different regions of the expanding empire throughout the first century EC; they included the Oruhari family Duke in Grabia, the Gastolle family Duke in Retasan, the Venomania family Duke in Asmodean, the Demilamb family Duke in the west, and the D'Autriche family Duke in Lucifenia.

Venomania Event
In late EC 135, Duke Ilotte and his family were slaughtered by his firstborn son, Cherubim. Taking up his younger brother's identity, the boy masqueraded as the real Duke while abducting numerous women throughout the Asmodean region. In EC 137, the Duke "Sateriasis Venomania" was assassinated by Count Kachess of the Kingdom of Marlon. With the Venomania family wiped out, the royal family elevated the Donald family head from a Marquis to a Duke.

Fluctuation and Decline
In EC 212, Duke Burglar entered a quarrel with the royal family, eventually crowning himself Emperor and declaring Asmodean's independence. After the death of Duke Gastolle in the resulting civil war, the royal family elevated Marquis Toitapea Conchita as a Duke in Gastolle's place, giving the Conchita family control of the eastern half of the former Retasan territory; per the request of Duke Tosuite, the territory was renamed the "Conchita territory" by the royal family.

Inherited by Muzuri Conchita in the late third century EC, Duke Muzuri's heavy taxes led to a severe famine in EC 311 and his territorial rights were seized by Empress Juno. Muzuri later died of a heart attack in August, EC 321. Afterwards, Empress Juno selected his daughter, Banica, as his successor and restored the Conchita's territorial authority.

Banica later became apostate and soon after disappeared in August of EC 325, her territory in chaos due to her lack of leadership. As a result, the royal family absorbed the Conchita territory into the Beelzenias region they controlled. As Beelzenia's ensuing war with Asmodean drew to a close, Duke D'Autriche broke away the Lucifenia territory from the Empire, establishing himself as King Lucifenia I of the Kingdom of Lucifenia. By the EC 500s, the Oruhari family continued to hold the title.

Curiosities

 * Each of the Five Dukes is able to bestow a title to a warrior who earned prestige on the battlefield; the title's name is derived from the Duke's family's name.