The Four Main Marquis families are the original warrior class that supported the Soleil Chieftain during their settlement.  Historically, they have the closest relationship to what is now the Imperial family, and their bloodlines have intermingled.  Unlike the other kingdoms and principalities in the Central Corridor, Soleil did not disband its warrior class as it saw a value in having a permanent military led by a skilled group, to protect themselves.  Eventually, this warrior class was used to subjugate the other kingdoms and principalities in the region.

 

During the Expansion and Conquest period, the warrior class, considered noble lords, left the Central Corridor to gain more territory for Soleil.  They started by moving westward to conquer and settle the rest of a relatively flat agrarian zone.  This conquest was led by the Tuagh Lords, whose success and loyalty was rewarded by making them a Marquis family: the O'Tuagh family.  They settled on the westernmost tip of the continent to guard the western coastal region at site called King's Harbor, dedicated to the then King of Soleil as a sign of loyalty.  The O'Tuaghs quickly developed the empire's naval power and currently command most of it. 

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The second region expanded into was the south.  The Guevera Lords crossed the Mezzaluna mountain range to a dry, hilly area.  This was already a populated region.  Though there was no central power to unite them, their familiarity with the region gave them significant ability in defending their territory from the Guevera Lords and Soleil, which kept their armies well supplied.  It took almost two centuries to get Sur completely under their control and part of it was the long process of slowly absorbing existing towns and villages.  It is considered a very ethnically diverse area.

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Sur was given to the Gueveras, along with the title of Marquis, for their success and firm defense of the Soleil.  Due to their proximity with a continent just across the water, they do a lot of trading and need to keep a strong standing army and a significant portion of the navy to assert their power in the region and prevent any possible invasions, as well as keep piracy under control.  

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The eastern region has proven the  most difficult in terms of conquest simply because it is their only land border and under constant attack.  While Soleil now holds a large swath of land that has been safely considered theirs, their eastern border has been attacked numerous times.  Currently, the Duraga Federation continues to attack to try to take what is Osten, the eastern region awarded to the Schwert Lords who became the von Schwert Marquis family.  They have a very strong standing army. 

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Nordur, the northern region, was settled more than conquered, as it was sparsely populated due to the extreme climate and dangerous terrain.  The Nord Lords started settling around the time of the southern expansion and it was a slow and steady exploration limited by weather conditions and technological advancement.  Most of inland Nordur is barren; most of the population live on the coasts.  The Nordursins settled in Enda, the northernmost tip of the continent.  As they do not have an army or navy in the traditional sense, the Nordursin Marquis family oversee a lot of support work, logistical, medical, and other research to support the other Marches.  

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The military under the Four Main Marquis Families act as a unified organization that is split into branches for easier management.  They work together and frequently share manpower, sending soldiers and officers where needed, regardless of which marquis army they are assigned to.  

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Each family also keeps a private guard of knights whose loyalty is to the family.  They are handpicked and trained by each family, and will go to support the army if needed.  Usually, they do escort work and guard the home bases of the Marquis families.  

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Because of their long history tied very deeply to Soleil, the Imperial family holds them in high regard and often still marries into them.  They are highly respected and considered protectors of the empire.  Their influence on politics is limited due to proximity from the capital and that their focus tends to be elsewhere.  Surprisingly, the Marches are quite wealthy and are often the first to deal with international trade because of their locations.  While they do pay taxes, it inevitably goes back into the armies and navy, including the upkeep of the various fortresses, garrisons, and bases.  

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The culture of Marquis families is different from other nobles and much of it is tied to their origins as a warrior class that valued pragmaticism and loyalty.  They are far more casual in terms of dealing with class and see no issue in associating with commoners, wealthy or poor.  For the most part, children are raised without a hardline distinction between sexes.  Women also tend to wear what the rest of the empire considers men's clothing more often than any other class, including commoners, as they will wear whatever lets them work best.  Tori almost always wears pants and tunics to the delta and no one questions this, as it is seen as practical; although in her case, she's just used to wearing pants from her original world.

 

It is the norm for Marquis families to split off into branches amongst immediate family in order to focus on one aspect of the March.  In west, Siobhan focuses on the overall management of the March and the sub marches and various regions within it, while second daughter Bridget deals with the family's businesses, and third daughter, Eili, and son, Andrew, are naval officers.  Family ties are very important in Marquis families, as are ties with the other Marquis families.  

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It is normal to forgo formalities in private and semi-private settings, particularly amongst each other.  Age is considered more a signifier of rank than actual social rank.  Empress Monica will usually be seen and addressed as a daughter of a marquis by others in a marquis family and she will see this as a norm.  Marquis Lawerence O'Tuagh, who is her father's generation, can and will call her simply by her name.  To be addressed formally in a non-formal setting can be seen as othering; as if one has been cut off from their family.  

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Family members that do not meet the expectations of the family are simply not given power, regardless of their status within the family.  They are relegated to simple positions, sent to learn other occupations, or removed from the line.  While absolute primogeniture is the rule, it can be contested if family members have no confidence in the heir.  The worst case scenario is to be disowned or, if severe enough, killed.  This is seen as a matter of survival and strength of the march and is a holdover from the warrior class.