Bugs me that the top is King. Rome did not have kings after the original 7. They tended to stab or nail to a tree anyone calling themselves "King"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_of_Rome
The Holy Roman empire, however had two Kings within its boarders
the Romans also had client kings.
I have had a hard time reconciling the Imperial naval titles with the Roman like Structure
This is the best I can manage
The Society as Presented is we have the Emperor at the Top
The Imperial Family and Cadet Branches carry the title of Prince or Princess
Then We have the Senators, each of who control a System (or more)
They then have powerful Patrons beneath them
Who in turn have Cliens under them
Who have Citizens under them
Who have Imperial Slaves under them
Allied Foreigners fall somewhere between citizens and Imperial Slaves, with Imperial slaves being citizens of might have rights allied foreigners might not.
They all follow the Patron Client system with each tier being the Patron of the Tier it is above and the client of the tier it is below; and is a copy of Classical Rome under Augustus
This would be the Norm in the Patronage Minor factions.
Corporate Minor Factions are imperial corporations where the Board of Directors/CEO would likely be Patrons and a Senator.
Dictatorships are by appointment of the Senate and thus likely a powerful Patron grated "imperium" over all operations of the minor faction; Dictator was a position in Rome after all, thought here it is used in key systems usually Industrial systems producing arms, so a Dictator is appointed to ensure there is no destruction to the arms and logistics networks.
There are Feudal realms in the Empire but they are Neo-feudalist suggesting they are several powerful corporations in a feudal structure.
"A faction that actively engages in activity to ensure that Imperial Corporations are ceded more control over the day to day running of Imperial Worlds "
However none of this suggests the titles awarded by the Imperial Navy are connected with actual peerage or land.
If it was this would be moving the Empire from a Classical Roman structure to a HRE like one; which would be fine on its own, but does not seem to reconcile with the Patron Client system we see as well establish, but in the lore and the majority of Imperial Minor factions being a Patronage.
We know the Federal naval ranks are granted as part of the Federal Naval Auxiliary/Reserve; to denote the Mercenary/freelance nature of Pilots' Federation commanders.
Apply the same to the Empire and they are granting titles as if the Pilot was a
Foederati, an allied Barbarian.
cf. the historic Foederati and the "allies" that fought along side Rome
Thus one is granted the Dignitas and Auctoritas but no land or imperium, based on your title as a Allied Foreigner.
Thus when you are an Earl in the Imperial naval Reserve, you are granted the Courtesy, Dignity and deference of a Foreign official with the Rank of an Earl, ala the Client Kings we mentioned before.
This allows allied Client Kings (and other ranks) to fit on both a Empire and the Patron Client system
Presumably some Imperial Bureaucrats codified all foreign dignitaries into the 14 ranks we have at some point.
Being Imperials they made sure that what ever one is one is subordinate to the Dignity of the Emperor, and probably deliberately chose Feudal ranks to separate themselves from the Federation Further, but also to differentiate from actual Imperial society to make sure they were still foreigners. "You may be a allied client King and we will treat you with the courtesy and deference that title infers but you are still not one of us", the archetypical Imperial insult in a compliment.
This also explains why the first imperial rank is "Outsider" as you are an Ally but considered an outsider, a foreigner but a known one, vs. having "None" which means you are not an ally to the imperial Navy.
Naval rank being the relationship to the Imperial Navy, and Major faction Rep being the relationship with the non military structure of Imperial society.
Having a Naval rank, even Outsider, is a way of recognising your status as a Client to the Imperial Navy, you serve the Navy as you would you Patron , and it turn they reward and protect you as their client, such as access to various Gutamaya Fleet yard ships.
I should add that when regular Imperial Military figure appear in Galnet, be it the Imperial Navy, Imperial Naval Infantry or Imperial Guard, we see that they have "regular" ranks of
General,
Captain and
Sergeant.
This suggests that the regular Imperial Military has a different rank structure to the Irregular forces the Commanders, whom are granted the titles, join.
Several NPCs for Imperial Player Minor Factions have an Admiral at the top as opposed to a Titled peer
. There aren't any benefits to the ranks, other than the ability to buy certain ships. If you don't care to ever fly a clipper or Cutter, then you have zero incentive to ever do a rank mission. 