Final answer:
The selection for royal court positions varied by culture, with methods ranging from elite grooming and examinations to inheritance and social connections. Prominent examples include Silla's Flower Youths, the Aztec nobility, Tang dynasty's clan connections and civil service exams, and the Ottoman Empire's devshirme system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The process of selecting individuals for positions at the royal court varied across different cultures and times. In the historical Korean state of Silla, starting from the sixth century, elite boys could join the "Flower Youths" or Hwarang to be groomed for power. Good archers and lower-elite men who studied in Tang, and those who mastered composition and calligraphy, were also eligible for office.
By contrast, the Aztec empire had a Council of Four comprised of nobles responsible for selecting the emperor, or Huey Tlatoani, from amongst the nobility. The Tang dynasty in China selected officials through close connections to the imperial house, via recommendations from relatives in office, or through civil service examinations, although this was less common and did not much challenge the dominance of the aristocracy.
The Ottoman Empire's system known as devshirme trained young men at the palace school for administrative and military roles, fostering loyalty to the sultan above all. In general, inherited rank, social connections, and education played significant roles in one's prospects for achieving office in royal courts.