Okay, so the issue then is that I cannot appoint myself Margrave of BR, because I cannot take an estate in the region (when transferred over it joined the other duchy and so I can't be lower than the other Duke) and so I can't make myself the Duke.
Other than resigning from being ruler, is there a way to get around this? Seems kind of severe to me...then again, this game has gone to great and extreme lengths to do severe things to me