This is starting to diverge significantly from historical precedent lol, mostly just making it up as I go along haha. I agree it’s good (and fun) to flesh out these details though for the purpose of the story and our own diversion.<br/><br/><br/>You’ve got the right idea with a confederation though, The Principalities all have their own military forces and traditions, and knightly orders and the like, they’re all necessary to defend their own realms against the various threats of the monstrous tribes and clans. On top of that however, the Council of Protectors has begun to establish a professional military rather than one composed purely of vassals and serfs as the Princes command. This force is drawn from an equal levy of each Prince and funded by an equal tax on all of them, and owe their allegiance solely to the council and the Protectorate as a whole. Thus they are generally held in reserve until a Prince calls on them for aid against whatever threat they might be facing, or else they are called upon in force should the Protectorate need to go on campaign against the barbaric creatures.<br/><br/>As for Gilberto . . . I’m inclined to say that while Reikmar women are free to hold positions even in Knightly orders and that they acknowledge equality of the sexes in inheritance, they are highly nationalist. Thus, since his mother accepted Marigliano tradition in terms of inheritance, and Gilberto himself has fought in no battles for the Reikmarches, he would likely be very much . . . disparaged back in the homeland of his mother and step-mother. However, Manfred might be able to swing some honor for him from the Protectorate itself, with accompanying obligations were they to work in his favor.