The is a unit of twelve elite soldiers under the direct command of the Britannian Emperor himself, each holding a rank from one to twelve. They operate outside the normal command structure of the Britannian Military, and take orders only from the Emperor. The Knights of the Round each pilot a unique Knightmare, maintained by a personal support unit. All of the Knights of the Round's Knightmares are named after the Knights of the Round Table. Knights of the Round are treated as nobility within the Empire. Their ranks do not seem to have any particular bearing on their skill level or dominance over other Knights, except for the Knight of One, who is universally acknowledged as the strongest warrior in the Holy Britannian Empire. The Knight of One may request governance of an Area of his choice from the Emperor. Only eight of the twelve seats are filled (as the "Code Geass" novels explain).