What is a fons honorum and why is it important?

 Did you ever wonder how royal titles like "baron" or "lord" get granted, or how a chivalric order gets established? In this case, both questions have the same answer - the fons honorum, or (literally) "fount of honour".

The term fons honorum comes from Latin, and refers to an individual whose position grants them the right to confer titles on others and/or to establish chivalric orders. Typically, this is the sovereign ruler of a nation, such as a king or queen. Elected officials such as presidents and prime ministers are typically NOT considered to be a fons honorum.

A related but different concept is the military commission - in many military organizations, an officer carries a "commission" which is a formal document communicating the individual's authority to effectively act on behalf of the head of state in the command of others. In this case the head of state could be a president or prime minister, rather than just a sovereign. As an aside, this is also why enlisted military personnel such as sergeants and corporals are sometimes called NCM (non-commissioned members) or NCO (non-commissioned officers). Not to muddy the waters further, but in the US military a "warrant officer" has their position and authority granted by a warrant that's usually signed by the secretary of the respective service, rather than a commission signed by the president.

Going back to the topic at hand, i.e. the fons honorum, it is possible to delegate the authority - in Slabovia's case, I granted the Baron of Mars (AKA my chancellor) and his household the authority to create and grant a household honour, and I understand that they are now designing it. I also granted my queen-consort, Queen Lynne, the authority to name individuals to her "Queen-Consort's Fellowship", an honour she has granted numerous times over the last eight years.

The Queen-Consort's Fellowship medal

To sum up, a ruling sovereign is the fons honorum, or fount of honour, for the nation they rule. As such, yes, I have the power to elevate someone to the nobility - I could, for example, proclaim someone to be the Baron of Barrie or the Count of Cabbagetown, and such a title would be valid within the confines and the context of Slabovia. Whether that could get you any perks, such as a discount at your local drycleaners, is left as an exercise for the reader.

Oh, and before anyone asks.. No, I will not elevate you to the peerage (or knight you) just because you asked. Such honours are bestowed for a reason, and giving them out like candy would cheapen them.