Editing Sam Vimes (section)

==Vimes as Duke of Ankh==
Vimes' involvement in preventing a pointless war with [[Klatch]] in the novel ''[[Jingo (novel)|Jingo]]'' led to his being once more rewarded with an unwanted title, in this case, Duke of Ankh. He now finds himself in the awkward position ("practically zen" according to his boss) of continuing to despise the ruling classes of the city while actually being a member of them. In the course of his mission to [[Überwald (Discworld)|Überwald]] as ambassador, he was disgusted to learn that he was also entitled to be addressed as "His Excellency", although he learns to wield it for practical clout, especially when pursuing investigations where his status as an officer is unknown or ignored.

His role as Duke of Ankh largely involves diplomacy (his visit to Überwald in ''The Fifth Elephant'' for example), and his rough and ready upbringing has given him an obliquely effective approach to this field. For instance, he once threatened to personally send an opposing diplomat "''home in an ambulance''" for parading his troops near Ankh-Morpork's borders, an act that caused the man to order an ''immediate'' withdrawal so drastic that [[Havelock Vetinari]] remarked "''they were nearly in the next country over.''" Despite having competent subordinates, including [[Police captain|Captain]]s Carrot and [[Angua von Überwald|Angua]] and Sergeant Detritus, Vimes finds it difficult to delegate, and is frustrated by the fact that the growth of the Watch has left him with less and less time for actual boots-on-the-pavement policing. In some ways he found it a relief when, in ''Night Watch'', he was transported back to the Ankh-Morpork of his youth, and became a [[sergeant-at-arms]] in the inefficient, paperwork-free albeit moderately corrupt Watch of that time.<ref>''[[Night Watch (Discworld)|Night Watch]]'', page 104, {{ISBN|0-385-60264-2}}</ref>