On 17Dec2018 1412, Jeffrey Schwartz wrote:
> IMTU, there's the Nobility, and the "Local Nobility"
>
> A noble can elevate someone, but it's only recognized within his
> demesne as being politically relevant.
> Outside of it, it's a social fiction: They're treated politely, but
> have no power.
> They may have influence, which is a sort of indirect power, but no
> ability to do anything directly.
> Further, people who weren't ennobled by the Emperor don't have access
> to the Moot.
>
> So - Count Ivan is a vassal of the Emperor, and controls a whole star system.
> He can knight people and place them in positions, so that Sir Lloyd is
> his seneschal over the second planet of the system, for example.
> If Sir Lloyd goes outside the limits of Ivan's Star, he's politely
> called Sir Ivan, but has no ability to arrest people (or whatever)

I would assume that a noble in Traveller that has a demesne can appoint
someone to a vacant title and fief, and following due process can strip
a vassal of their fief and title (subject to appeal to the next higher
noble).

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I think of this as a sort of 'nomination process' that would wend it's way up the

chain of subsector/sector/domain/Capital levels. Due to the lengthy period 

(years perhaps?) of time involved, I think it's reasonable to assume that the 

recipient/candidate would take over immediately.

However, I think this would be restricted to the Dukes. I think the Subsector

Dukes are 'close' enough to the situation to make the call altho I have no doubt

that titled nobles lower than him w/i the subsector would participate.

BTW, the TNS newsfeed from SJG covered the death, with no heir, of a Subsector

Duke w/i the imperial part of the SolRim. A subsector-wide conclave was convened

to elect a successor. I've always figured that the election was still subject to Sector, 

Domain, & Capital approval.

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They can't create new titles, though they can grant fiefs to
lesser nobles as long as the grant and its acceptance fall with certain
legal and traditional limits. 

I also assume that Arch-Dukes can grant patents of nobility, as one of
the powers they've been delegated by the Emperor. Likewise they, and
some sector Dukes can knight people, but they must be careful not to
abuse the privilege, or the order into which they can induct knights
will fall into disrepute.
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The ArchDukes' power to grant titles & honors was explicitly stated way, way back in the 

CT days . The text I remember mentioned this power as one of the few remaining, at that 

time, to ArchDukes, whose roles had been greatly diminished over the centuries up to then.

So diminished, in fact, that the position of ArchDuke of Deneb, which had been created

just before the 1st FrontierWar, never having been filled, was still vacant, many emperors

& quite a few centuries later!

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