No one gets a duchy for having the most days in realm. You get the duchy because you have friends, not because your "days in realm" count is higher than anyone else's. Sticking around longer does give you a greater opportunity to be a distinguished member of the realm. And you've had a longer time to make more friends, and to amass more favors that you are owed.
But doesn't that make sense? Isn't it natural for the leaders of the realms to want to give positions to the people they know and trust? It's not like they are going to pick Kepler McNewbie as the new duke when the guy has only been around for a few weeks. (Well, OK, maybe Ohnar West might do that...
) And I know that a few times that I have specifically chosen new players to be dukes, that I've been thoroughly bitched out by other players for picking such young characters/players for such an important role. I remember when I gave the Duchy of Perdan to a newer player one of the knights of the region actually threw a hissy fit and quit. (I think this was more of a "last straw" kind of thing from a player losing interest but still, his final message was something like "Giving it to someone not even the duchy, when I'm a knight of the region and have a stronger claim is bull!@#$, I quit")
