Titles full list in history. Noble titles in France: description, history and hierarchy

Nobility in German linguistic space is a heterogeneous phenomenon. Each land had its own specifics. The nobility can be divided: according to the method of nobility - into ancient and granted; into titled and untitled; according to the hierarchy - higher and lower.

The ancient nobility includes families that existed before 1400. They, as a rule, received confirmation of nobility from the sovereign and were listed in the old “Gothic Almanac” and in the new “Genealogical Guide to the German Nobility” in chapter “A”. Representatives of the ancient nobility were not always barons or counts. Some of these families were very proud that they refused to be elevated to the title of baron or count (these titles were often devalued due to the practice of selling them).

The granted nobility includes families originally of burgher origin, which were elevated by the sovereign to the dignity of nobility with the presentation of a copy of the nobility charter and the grant of a coat of arms. This process began in Germany already during the time of Emperor Charles IV, with the elevation of the so-called “ministerials” (officials) to the nobility. The oldest charter of nobility was issued by Emperor Charles IV to Wicker Frosch, scholastic of St. Stephen's Church in Mainz, on September 30, 1360. These families were entered in the noble books in chapter "B".

Elevation to the nobility before 1806, during the Holy Roman Empire, was primarily the prerogative of the emperor. The exceptions were Prussia, which did not belong to the Roman Empire, and several other princes who received this right: the Archduke of Austria (in 1453), the Electors of Bavaria and the Palatinate, the Duke of Lorraine (in the 14th century).

A special category of the granted nobility were noble officers and nobles "according to the order." After 30 years of service in the imperial army (until 1806), every officer of burgher origin had the right to a legal claim to elevation to the nobility. The tradition was continued in Austria-Hungary until 1918.

The lower nobility refers to nobles who do not have any title. Their surnames, however, like those of the higher nobility, have a predicate to the name “von”. There are also surnames that do not have any noble predicates, but are still nobles, received the right to coats of arms, participation in tournaments and the right of access to the court, becoming a closed class of the empire.

The nobility of the sword was established by the King of Prussia for the military after the victory in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871. Already on the day of the entry of Prussian troops into Berlin, Wilhelm I granted nobility to 42 staff officers. How common feature in the coat of arms they all received a purple head with a green laurel crown, which contains a crossed scepter and sword. The nobility of the sword had its own genealogical book since 1897.

The highest title of the empire was, of course, the title Kaiser (Kaiser) - the word comes from the Latin word “caesar” (Caesar, Caesar) and can be legally translated into Russian as “emperor”.

The second was the title König (konig, king) “high-born”. It is translated into Russian as “king”.

The highest "non-crowned" title in the empire was Herzog (duke) "leader". This is what the ancient Germans called their military leaders. During the empire, the dukes were the military governors of the emperors in large areas.

The German word Fürst is translated as “prince,” which is not entirely correct. The word comes from the Old German "virst", meaning "first". The title itself arose already in imperial times and designated the highest nobility of the empire. Subsequently, it was assigned to those of its representatives who were not kings or dukes. Thus, the translation “boyar” suggests itself.

There is a derivative of this title - Kurfürst (Kufurst), given in our literature without translation. We already know what “Fürst” means, and “kur-” means “choice”. At the end of the 13th century, Holy Roman Emperors began to be elected. A narrow circle of nobles (i.e., fürsts) took part in the elections. In Latin texts (chronicles) these nobles were called “elector” - “voter”. In German their title was "Kurfürst".

Next in the German feudal hierarchy was the Graf (count). The word itself comes from the Greek graphios - “scribe”. This was the name of an imperial or royal employee, endowed with full administrative and judiciary on certain territory(i.e. in your county).

In addition to ordinary graphs, there were also mark- and palatine-counts. A margrave is the royal governor of a march. Similar to the French title marquis.

Pfalz (palatinate) - comes from the Latin "palatium" - "palace", and meant a temporary royal or imperial residence. As a rule, the kings of the early Middle Ages did not have permanent residences (states did not have capitals as such). The kings used several residences in different parts of the country. In the absence of the king, all affairs in such a residence were managed by his representative, who bore the title of Count Palatine.

As such, the title Baron did not exist in Germany. The Russian fashion of calling all Germans barons came from Peter I, who began calling almost all Baltic Germans barons. IN Western Europe in the Middle Ages it was a direct vassal of the king, and the term was rather a collective one.

The lowest title in the German feudal hierarchy was Freiherr. This is what all German nobles, known among us as “barons,” wear. Literally "Freiherr" is translated as "free master". Similar status The owners of their own patrimony (domain), as opposed to the holders of estates (fiefs), could have. With the formation of the feudal system, the concept of "title" necessarily included a relationship to a specific hereditary land holding. Therefore, any title in the Empire included the preposition "von" (from) and the name of the possession. In France, the preposition "de" served the same purpose.

However, there were nobles without possessions. It was they who, while performing military service, made up a large layer of knighthood. Interestingly, the Russian word "knight" directly comes from the German title Ritter (ritter). Common roots with the word "Reiter" - rider. Interestingly, the French “chevalier” (chevalier, gentleman) has the same etymology. That is, the title of knights goes back to their occupation - service in the feudal army as heavily armed horsemen.

The monarchs of the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway stopped conferring all types of noble titles. In Great Britain, the last grant of hereditary title took place in the early 1990s (the title of baronet for Denis Thatcher, wife of Margaret Thatcher), but the grant of personal nobility and elevation to a life peerage with the rank of baron continue. Awarding titles, personal and hereditary nobility is still practiced in Belgium, Spain (for example, the title of Marquis del Bosque in 2011), and Liechtenstein.

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About noble titles, their appropriation, addressing titled persons in different countries, ranks and titles of nobles in European countries, the meaning and status of each title according to its affiliation, the origin of titles and their modern meanings. And also about the hierarchy in Protestant and catholic churches and accordingly addressing their servants.

Titles Great Britain . There is a fairly strict order of protocol seniority - 129 points.
Basic:

The Sovereign and his family members .

Dukes (of England, then Scotland, Great Britain, Ireland, the United Kingdom and Ireland)
Eldest sons of dukes of royal blood
Marquises (same seniority)
Eldest sons of dukes
Graphs
Younger sons of dukes of royal blood
Eldest sons of the marquises
Younger sons of dukes
Viscounts
Earls' eldest sons
Younger sons of the marquises
Bishops
Barons
Eldest sons of viscounts
Younger sons of counts
Eldest sons of the barons
Younger sons of the barons
Sons of life barons
Baronets
Knights of the Orders (except for the Order of the Garter - it is higher)
Knights who are not members of the Orders
Exquires
Squires

In Great Britain, only the head of a family has a noble title. The eldest son and the son of the eldest son (among dukes and marquises) may, by right of courtesy, also bear the title, but below the title of the head by one or more points. The title of Lord is borne by the sons of dukes and marquises. The younger sons of earls and all sons of barons and viscounts are called Honorable (abbreviated to The Hon in letters)
Ladies are the daughters of dukes, marquises and counts. Daughters of Viscounts and Barons - The Hon. Only the Duke and Duchess are invariably referred to by their full title.
Marquises, earls and viscounts are titled only on ceremonial occasions, but on other occasions they should be called Lord or Lady, the same for barons and baronesses.

France.

Sovereign
Princes
Dukes
Awnings
Graphs
Viscounts
Barons
The family title is inherited by the eldest son, the others receive the next in rank.
The title of knight is not inherited.
Appeal:
Mister Duke- Monseigneur le Duc
Madame Duchess- Madame la Duchesse
Common address in aristocratic circles: Duke + first name, Baron/Earl + last name, Sir + first and last name

Church. Appeals.

Protestant.
Archbishop - Your Grace
Bishop - Lord
Clergymen up to the rank of prebendary - Sir
Others - Reverence + first and last name

Catholic .
Pope - Holy Father or Your Holiness in the third person
Cardinal - Eminence or Your Lordship
Archbishops and bishops - Excellency or Your Lordship in the second person
others - according to rank

LORD (English lord),
1) in medieval England, initially a feudal landowner (lord of the manor, landlord), then a collective title of the English high nobility; assigned to the peers of the kingdom, forming the House of Lords of the British Parliament. Since the 19th century The title lord is granted for the merits of scientists and cultural figures.
2) An integral part of the names of some positions in the UK (for example, Lord Chancellor - chairman of the House of Lords, Lord Mayor - head of local authorities in London and other large cities).

Prince Regent
A Prince Regent (or Regent) is a prince who rules as a monarch. Regent instead of Monarch, for example due to the Sovereign's incapacity (due to age or illness) or absence (the monarch's distance from his state, such as exile or a long trip). At the same time, the title may have a generic meaning and refers to any prince who served as a regent; historically, the title was primarily used to distinguish the small number of those princes who ruled as Regents.

In England, the use of the title Prince with the prefix Regent is usually associated with George IV, who used the title (HRH) during the inability of his father, George III, to govern. This period in British history is known as the English Regency, or simply the Regency. The title was awarded by the Regency Act of 5 February 1811. With certain restrictions during the regency period, the Prince Regent was able to exercise the powers of the King.

In Germany, the title Prinzregent (literally Prince Regent) is usually associated with Prince Lutpold of Bavaria, who served as Regent under two of his nephews, King Ludwig II of Bavaria, who was declared feeble-minded in 1886, and King Otto of Bavaria (who was declared insane in 1875). , from 1886 to 1912. The years of Lutpold's regency were marked by enormous artistic and cultural activities in Bavaria, these years were later known as Prinzregentenjahre or Prinzregentenzeit. Numerous streets in Bavarian towns and cities are called Prinzregentenstrasse. Many institutions are named after Lutpold, for example the Prinzregententheater in Munich. Prinzregententorte – a layered chocolate cream cake named after Lutpold. After Lutpold's death, in 1912, his son Prince Ludwig III of Bavaria became Prince Regent. Ludwig retained this title for a short period less than a year, since the Bavarian Legislature decided to recognize him as king.

Kaiser
Kaiser is a German name meaning "Emperor", Kaiserin - the female equivalent - "Empress". This title is directly derived from the Latin title Caesar, which in turn was derived from the name Julius Caesar.

The style of existence (foundation of institutions, political institutions, regulation of public life) of the Roman Empire was restored in the Kingdom of the Franks by Emperor Charlemagne in 800. When his empire was divided, the title of emperor went to the ruler who ruled the Roman kingdom. Through a system of succession, this kingdom became part of the Eastern ("German") kingdom. The Holy Roman Emperors (962-1806) called themselves Kaiser, combining the imperial title with the title of King of Rome; they perceived their reign as a prototype of the reign of the Roman Emperors and used a title whose pronunciation was derived from the title "Caesar" to reflect their imagined heritage.

The rulers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1804-1918) were from the Habsburg dynasty, which represented all the Holy Roman Emperors since 1440. The Austrian-Hungarian rulers adopted the title Kaiser.

In English (untranslated), the word "Kaiser" is primarily associated with the emperors of the unified German Empire (1871-1918) and especially Kaiser Wilhelm II.

In 1871, a debate was held regarding the exact title for the monarch of a united Germany. Deutscher Kaiser ("German Emperor") was chosen among others such as Kaiser von Deutschland ("Emperor of Germany"), or Kaiser der Deutschen ("Emperor of the Germans"); since the selected title expressed the least degree of superiority over the rulers of other principalities. There were only three Kaisers of the (second) German Empire. All of them belonged to the Hohenzollern dynasty, which was the informal leader among the rulers of Germany - the Kings of Prussia, the largest power among the German principalities. German Kaisers:

Wilhelm I (1871-1888);
Frederick III (1888), who ruled for 99 days;
Wilhelm II (1888-1918), during his reign, the monarchy in Germany ended after the end of the First World War.

Infant
In the Spanish and former Portuguese monarchies, the (male) Infante or (female) Infanta was given to the son or daughter of the reigning King, who is not the direct heir to the throne. Also, the Princes of the Blood of the Spanish and Portuguese royal families most often received this title by inheritance (the children of aristocrats also bore the title of Infants, but in their case the title was associated with the definition of “child”, without reference to the royal family). Note that infante is also used for a hereditary title of the aristocracy, such as Los infantas de Carrión (heirs of Carrión).

The name comes from the same root as "baby", "child" in the Romance languages ​​(French, Enfants de France), and in this case indicates that the Infante or Infanta is the child of the monarch.

The modern Infantas of Spain are Leonor and Sofia (daughters of Prince Felipe and Princess Letizia), Elena and Cristina (daughters of King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia), Pilar and Margarita (daughters of Juan de Bourbon, Count of Barcelona). Carlos de Bourbon, Duke of Calabria and cousin of King Juan Carlos, also holds the title of Infante of Spain. Prince Felipe, son of King Juan Carlos, is heir apparent to the Spanish throne and therefore bears the title Prince of Asturias.

The modern Infantes of Portugal (now a republic) are Henrique, Duke of Coimbra and Miguel, Duke of Visi (brothers Dukes of Duarte Braganza, pretenders to the Portuguese royal throne), Infante Afonso, Prince of Beira, Infanta Maria Francisca Isabel of Portugal and Infante Dinis, Duke of Porto (sons of the aforementioned Duke of Braganza).

Prince
The title "prince" has a long history. At the time when Emperor Augustus accepted the title of Emperor from the Roman Senate, it (the title) meant "one who is among equals, or equal." This title remained one of the titles of the Roman Emperor. English word"chief" retains some of this meaning. In German the idea was translated by the title "Fürst".

In the majority general terms, when not referring to the children of a king, "prince" refers to the supreme or one of the supreme men, that is, the person who has direct personal rule over a relatively small territory, such as modern Monaco and Liechtenstein.

Since the German states were governed big amount princes, the people were more loyal to the Princes than other European nations outside the Empire (meaning the Holy Roman Empire, it did not occupy the entire territory of Europe), and therefore the German language has an additional title to define a prince in the pan-European understanding of the title - this is “Fürst”. "Prince" in German does not have a royal imprint on an aristocrat's title, and sometimes this title may be classified as a lesser title than Duke, or "Gro?herzog" depending on the history of the particular titular family. "Fürst" is a uniquely German title that is best translated as "prince" and should be regarded as a title above "prince". This title identifies the head of a royal house, or the head of the ruling branch of such a house. For example, German uniform Prince Rainier's title "Fürst von Monaco".

The electors of the Holy Roman Empire were called "Electors". "Gro?furst" is the word used in German for the Russian Grand Duke (son of the Tsar).

From the above examples it is clear that in the German system (and in other continental systems), a prince sometimes represents something more than a mere nobleman, but not necessarily of royal blood, and it is this difference that makes comparison of this title with the British system difficult.

IN Russian system, "prince" (translated into European languages, as a prince, for example, Prince Potemkin) the highest degree of nobility, and sometimes, represents the average title for the senior branch of a dynasty by birth (for example, the Bagrations), who passed into the Russian nobility under the Russian imperial dynasty (previously the Bagrations were a royal dynasty that ruled in Georgian state); this term was also used originally by the Rurik dynasty.

"Prince" is also a term used to translate the most high level old Gaelic nobility.

Graph
Earl or Jarl was an Anglo-Saxon and Scandinavian title meaning "chief" and referring primarily to the chiefs ruling over territory on land owned by the king (a detached manor or castle). In Scandinavia the title became obsolete and fell out of use in the Middle Ages, being replaced by the title of Duke (hertig/hertug), while in Great Britain the title became synonymous with the continental title of Earl.

Today, an earl is a member of the British nobility, and in the aristocratic ranks is ranked below the Marquess and above the Viscount.

The word "earl" comes from the Middle English word "erl" meaning warrior, nobleman, and is the equivalent of jarl in Old Norse. It remains unclear whether there is a real etymological connection with the Anglo-Saxon concept of "Ealdorman", which translates literally as "Elder", and denotes a title that was subsequently replaced by Earl during the eleventh century.

Earls were originally the king's "governors" (that is, appointed administrators). Although the title of Earl was nominally equivalent to the continental sense of a similar title, unlike in continental Europe, counts were not the actual rulers of their own domains. After the Norman Conquest, William the Conqueror attempted to rule England using the traditional system, but ultimately changed it to his own. own system boards and divisions of lands. Counties became the largest secular divisions in England.

There was only one person in Iceland who ever held the title of Earl (or Jarl). It was Gissur Borvaldsson who was made Count of Iceland by King Haakon IV of Norway for his efforts in bringing Iceland under Norwegian royal rule.

Khan
Khan is a sovereign (from sovereign, independent ruler) and military title to designate a ruler in Altaic languages. The title originally came from the Turkish language, meaning the tribal leaders of the Mongols and Turks. This title now has many equivalent meanings, such as commander, leader, or ruler. Now the Khans exist mainly in South Asia, Central Asia and Iran. Female alternative titles are Khatun, Khatan and Khanum.

The Khan rules the Khanate (sometimes written as Khanate). The Khan heads the ruling dynasty, and is the ruler in a monarchical state. The Khan is also sometimes perceived in the European sense as a king or prince, but this is wrong. Initially, the khans only headed relatively minor tribal domains, in the vast Eurasian steppe, where the tribes led a largely nomadic lifestyle.
.

The title Khan of Khans was among the numerous titles used by the Sultans of the Ottoman Empire, as well as by the rulers of the Golden Horde and its descendant states. The title Khan was also used in the Seljuk Turkish dynasties of the Middle East to designate the head of a variety of tribes, clans, or nations.

Baron
Baron is a specific aristocratic title. The word Baron itself comes from the old French word baron, and directly from the Frankish word baro, which meant "honorary citizen, warrior"; this word later merged with the related Old English beorn to mean "nobleman".

In the British system of titles of nobility, barons rank below viscounts, being the lowest rank in the peerage (a peer is the name given to aristocrats of all titles). A woman from a family with a baronial title has her own equivalent - a baroness. A baron can hold a barony (multiple baronies) if the title has an original relationship to a feudal barony.

William the First introduced the title of "baron" as a title of nobility in England to distinguish nobles who pledged their loyalty to him. Previously, in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Britain, the king's companions held the title of earls, and in Scotland, the title of Thane.

In Scotland, the title of Baron is an aristocratic title associated with the feudal nobility of Scotland, and refers to the holder of a feudal barony having its own holdings.

In the twentieth century, Great Britain introduced the concept of non-hereditary life peers. All appointees accept the title of baron, but cannot pass it on to their children.

During the Ancien Regime, the French baronies were very similar to the Scottish ones. Feudal tenants had the right to call themselves barons if they were nobles.

In pre-Republican Germany, all noble families (sometimes distinguished by the prefix "von") were eventually recognized as barons. Families who always held this status were called Original Aristocrats. Today there are no legal privileges associated with hereditary titles. The offspring of those who possessed aristocratic titles may want to distinguish themselves from later "ennobled" families, however, many Baron surnames do not contain any such prefix (von). In general, all male members of a baronial family inherited the title of Baron from birth.

In Spain the title is one of the lowest. The Baron's wife takes the title of "Baronese". The term Baronesa was also used for a woman who was granted a title based on her merits. In general, the title of "Baron" until the nineteenth century corresponded to a title of nobility, derived from the "Crown of Aragon". The title lost territorial jurisdiction around the mid-nineteenth century, and since then it has been used only as an honorific.

The title was very common in most European countries, in various languages ​​the title was pronounced with virtually no changes in sound.

Like other major Western noble titles, Baron is sometimes used to designate a similar title outside the Western world.

In some republics of continental Europe, the unofficial title of "Baron" is retained as a socially prestigious title, without specific political privileges.

In the Polynesian monarchy of Tonga, in contrast to Europe, barons are given power, and usually barons exercise certain political activity being endowed with power.

Viscount
A viscount is a member of the European nobility, a title usually ranked equivalent to the British peerage, above baron, below earl (in Britain) or duke (its continental equivalent).

The word Viscount has been used in English since 1387, and comes from the Old French word visconte (Modern French: vicomte), which in turn comes from the Medieval Latin term vicecomitem (originally meaning companion; later Roman imperial courtier).

As a rank in the British peerage, this title was first registered in 1440, when John Beaumont, 1st Viscount Beaumont, became King Henry VI. According to early sources, early viscounts were not initially granted titles or honors by the monarch, and the title was not hereditary.

A viscount is said to hold a "viscountcy" or area belonging to the viscount. The female equivalent of a viscount is a viscountess.

In British practice, the title of Viscount can be either a place name or a surname, or sometimes a combination of both.
It is certainly British custom to use the title Viscount as an expression of respect for the heir to an earl or marquess. The heir apparent to a peer is sometimes also referred to as a viscount. More often than not, it is not the eldest son of a British duke who receives the title of marquis; with exceptions such as the Duchy of Norfolk, which does not have the title of Marquess, thus the heir receives the next title below Duke, namely that of Earl.
The son of a marquis or earl may be referred to as a viscount when the title of viscount is not the second-highest title in the family. For example, the second most "senior" title of the Marquess of Salisbury is Earl of Salisbury. The eldest son of a Marquess does not use the title Earl of Salisbury, but the eldest title, Viscount Granborne.
Sometimes the son of a peer may be referred to as a viscount, even when he may use a more senior title. In this case, family tradition plays a role. For example, the eldest son of the Marquess of Londonderry is Viscount Castlereagh, even though the Marquess is also the Earl of Vane.
The title of viscount is less common in Italy ("visconte"), although the noble Visconti family, the rulers of Milan, are among the most prominent representatives of the modernization of this title.
In the former kingdom of Portugal, the visconde ranks above the baron, and below the conde.
In the Kingdom of Spain, this title began to be awarded from the time of Felipe IV (1621-65; Habsburg dynasty) until 1846.

There are non-etymological equivalents to the title Viscount in several languages, including German. For example, in Dutch, Burggraaf is a title above Baron but below Earl in the kingdoms of the Netherlands and Belgium. In Welsh this title is rendered as Isiarll.

There are also non-Western copies of this title:

Korean jajak or Pansoh
Chinese Tzu or Zi, fourth class hereditary title
Japanese Shishaku or Shi, the fourth and lowest, but one of the five ranks of noble titles

Duke
The Latin Duke was a military title that could be equivalent to "field marshal". The historical core of the title is found in the stories of King Arthur, and most likely relates to Duke Bellorus, who was responsible for the forces holding back the barbarian attack on early post-Roman Britain. The English kings introduced the French ducal structure into the British system, and it was initially mainly royal title. In France especially after 1600, however, as in Great Britain, the title no longer meant royalty.

However, the perception of the title Duke as a royal one was strong in Germany, perhaps more so than ever in Great Britain and other parts of Europe, where all children of the head of the ruling house automatically received the title Duke, and descendants of the Imperial Family were Archdukes or Archduchesses.

A duchy (or grand duchy) is a territory ruled by a duke (or grand duke). There are properly only two duchies in Great Britain, Lancaster and Cornwall; they are essentially "corporations" that provide income to the Queen (who is the "Duchess" of Lancaster) and the Prince of Wales (who also holds the title Duke of Cornwall).

A Duke is a nobleman, historically the highest rank below a King or Queen, and usually rules a Duchy. The word itself comes from the Latin word meaning chief, which was understood as a "military commander" and was used by the Germanic peoples themselves, as well as by Roman authors.

In the Modern era, the title became a nominal title without an actual principality. Duke is still the highest nominal aristocratic title in France, Portugal, Spain, Great Britain, and Italy.

During the Middle Ages, after the collapse of Roman power in Western Europe, the title was still used in the Germanic kingdoms, most often by the rulers of old Roman regions and colonies.

In the 19th century, the supreme dukes of Parma and Modena in Italy, and Anhalt, Brunswick-Lüneburg, Nassau (state), Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Main and Saxe-Altenburg in Germany survived Napoleon's restructuring. Since the unification of Italy in 1870 and the end of the monarchy in Germany in 1918, there have been no more ruling dukes in Europe; only the Grand Duke remains, who rules Luxembourg.

Spanish infantas were usually given a dukedom upon marriage. This title is currently not hereditary. Modern royal duchesses: HRH Duchess of Badajoz (Infanta Maria del Pilar), HRH Duchess of Soria (Infanta Margherita) (although she inherited the title of Duchess of Hernani from her cousin and is the second holder of that title), HRH Duchess of Lugo (Infanta Elena) and HRH Duchess of Palma de Mallorca (Infanta Cristina).

Emperor
An emperor is a (male) monarch, usually the supreme ruler of an empire or other type of "imperial" kingdom. Empress is the feminine form of the title. As a title, "empress" can refer to either the wife of the emperor (empress consort) or the woman who is the reigning monarch (empress regnant). Emperors are generally recognized to be superior to kings in the aristocratic hierarchy. Today the Emperor of Japan is the only ruling emperor in the world.

Both kings and emperors are monarchs. Within the European context of monarchical titles, "emperor" is considered the highest of monarchical titles. Emperors were once given primacy over kings in international diplomatic relations; Currently, such primacy is limited to the duration of the period on the throne of the head of state.

How to rank these titles: count, marquis, duke, viscount, prince, baron?

1. I see everything here from the Internet, copy it :)
2. Mark us for a long time - marks for. March
3. Prince, Duke, Marquis, Count, Viscount, Baron.
4. The title of count was awarded for special services to the Fatherland, it was one of the show-offs.
   Prince is the highest title in Rus' in appanage principalities. Over time, the princes began to submit to the Grand Duke and then to the Tsar. The boyars served the princes and later the tsar. The title of warrior under Peter 1 was abolished.
   A nobleman is a person who owns an estate (yard). . Over time, these titles spoke only of the antiquity of the family, but had no significance for their career.
   Marquises, dukes, viscounts, barons - these are from Germany and France, in origin they are approximately equal to princes, but they had a more developed system of vassalage and therefore more titles.
5. The highest title after the king, queen and princes and princesses held
   DUKES
   Duke (duke) - Duchess (duchess)
   The title was created in 1337 by King Edward the Third for his son, and from 1337 to 1483 was given exclusively to offspring of royal blood in the male line, and since 1483 and outside the royal house
   AWNINGS
   Marquess (marquis) - Marchioness (marquise)
   Title created in 1385
   COUNTS (and maybe even a countess)
   Earl (Count) - Countess (Countess)
   The oldest title of English nobility, created between 1016 and 1035, remained highest rank before 1337
   Viscounts
   Viscount (viscount) - Viscountess (viscountess)
   Title created in 1440
   BARON
   Baron (baron) - Baroness (baroness)
   The title was introduced by Richard II in 1387

   The hierarchy of titles is very simple at first glance.
   At the very top is the royal family (with its own hierarchy).
   Next, in order of importance of titles, are
   Duke (Duc) - Duchess (Duchess)
   Marquis (Marquess) - Marchioness
   Earl - Countess
   Viscount - Viscountess
   Baron - Baroness
   Baronet - (no female version of the title) - although this is a hereditary title, baronets do not actually belong to the peerage (titled aristocracy) and do not have seats in the House of Lords.
   All others fall under the definition of "commoner", i.e. not titled (including Knight, Esquire, Gentleman)
   http://74.125.77.132/search?q=cache:4vgQ_tordRsJ:parallel.okbb.ru/viewtopic.php?id=88+hierarchy+titlescd=1hl=ruct=clnkgl=ru

   In her book The Language of Aristocracy: The Socio-Historical Aspect, T. A. Ivushkina explains the reason for the emergence of titles: The system of awarding and presenting special insignia has its roots in the distant past in those old times when the wars started. Even then, the warriors had a need to somehow highlight the leader on whose side they fought, to emphasize and celebrate his merits. For this purpose, insignia were invented, which have been preserved and are significant to this day (Ivushkina, 1997:34). The author also provides a list of the main titles of British aristocrats and the history of their origin.
   We, in turn, considered it appropriate to compare the social ladder of the two countries to identify correlations in the history and culture of Great Britain and Russia. The comparison results can be presented in the form of the following table.
   Titles
   UKRussia
   The monarch and his familyThe monarch and his family
   Archbishop of Canterbury
   Lord Chancellor
   DukePrince
   Marquis
   GraphGraph
   Viscount
   BaronBaron
   Baronet
   Knight
   Esq
   Gentleman

6. Baron My Lord/Milady, Your Grace (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)
   - honorary title of nobility; major ruling nobleman and feudal lord; the title of a junior peer, and is located in the hierarchical system below the title of viscount, occupying the last place in the hierarchy of titles of the highest nobility. In Germany it is below the county.

   Eldest sons of viscounts
   Younger sons of counts
   Eldest sons of the barons
   Younger sons of viscounts
   Younger sons of the barons

   Duke Your Grace, Duke/Duchess
   -the title "Duke" was assigned to representatives of the highest nobility, primarily to members of the royal family and related families.

   Earl My Lord/Milady, Your Grace (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)
   - title of the highest nobility; honorary title of nobility; The position and possessions of the count are hereditary.

   Eldest sons of the marquises
   Daughters of the Marquises
   Younger sons of dukes

   Viscount My Lord/Milady, Your Grace (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)
   -in the hierarchy of titles, the viscount is ranked above the baron, but below the count; The Earl's eldest son (during his father's lifetime) bears the title of Viscount.

   Earls' eldest sons
   Younger sons of the marquises

   Lord is not a title - it is an address to the nobility, eg Lord Stone.
   - title of nobility in Great Britain;

   Peers
   - members of the highest nobility enjoying special political privileges; the title appeals primarily to layers of the bourgeoisie; the title of lord is hereditary; the title of lord is used by the children of nobles of the highest ranks (dukes, marquises, viscounts).

   Marquis My lord/milady, marquis/marquise (mention in conversation - lord/lady)
   - Western European noble title (marquisate).
   According to the hierarchy, it is between the ducal and count titles.

   Eldest sons of dukes
   Dukes' Daughters

   Sgun
   - in Japanese history, this was the name given to people who actually (unlike the imperial court in Kyoto) ruled Japan most time; the concept of sgun is defined as “a commander who, by order of the Emperor, becomes the head of an army that suppresses any rebellion or pacifies the barbarians”

   I should probably add that each country has its own set of titles.

7. Viscount, Marquis, Baron, Earl, Prince and Duke.
8. How do you like it best?

Previously, even the child knew who to call Your Excellency, whom Your Grace.
Now go figure out how the prince differs from the count.
There were many Grand Dukes in Rus' - Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver and Yaroslavl, but with the subordination of these principalities to Moscow, only the “Grand Dukes of Moscow” remained.
After Grand Duke Ivan IV accepted the royal title, the royal sons began to bear the titles of “princes” and “grand dukes,” and the daughters began to bear the titles of “princesses” and “grand duchesses.” “Tsar” in Russia was supplemented by the title “autocrat”, which historically meant the independence of tsarist power from the Golden Horde

In 1721, Peter I took the title of "emperor". In Western Europe, this title usually belonged to the ruler of a powerful monarchy, and its receipt was sanctioned by the authority of the Pope.
With the introduction of the title of emperor in Russia, the title “prince” remained with the tsar’s sons, and daughters began to be called not “princesses”, but “crown princesses”. Subsequently, Emperor Paul I abolished these titles, and granted the titles of “Grand Dukes” and “Grand Duchesses” along with “Imperial Highness” to all his descendants up to the fifth generation.

A special class category included noble titles - the most serene princes, princes, and count and baronial dignities introduced by Peter I. Historically, each title signified a degree of feudal independence. The patrimonial title could only be granted by the monarch, and it was passed on to descendants only through the male line. When a woman got married, she joined her husband’s family name and became a princess, baroness or countess. When their daughter got married, she lost her title, since it was impossible to transfer it to her husband.

In Russia there were only three noble titles: prince, count and baron.

The highest degree of a princely title was the title " Grand Duke", which belonged only to members of the imperial family.

At the turn of the 17th–18th centuries, a new noble title appeared in Russia - count. At first, the meaning of this title was not very clear to Russian people
COUNT (German Graf), in the early Middle Ages in the West. In Europe, an official who represented the king's authority in the county. During the period of feudal fragmentation, the counts turned into independent large feudal lords.

soon this title became very honorable, as prominent nobles, noble dignitaries and people close to the sovereign began to wear it.

The most honorable title in medieval Europe was the title of baron, where “baron” meant not only the highest government officials, but generally all feudal rulers, even if they had other titles (ducal, princely, margrave, etc.)
In Russia, the word “baron” was translated as “free master,” but before the reign of Peter I there were no “Russian” barons at all. In 1710, this title was first granted to the sub-chancellor P.P. Shafirov.
Among Russian subjects, this title was mainly held by nobles of the Baltic lands and immigrants from Germany.
In many cases, the grant of barony also meant the grant of nobility. This was the first stage of the titled nobility.

In Russia, the titles in descending order for the tsar are:
1) Tsarevich (first heir to the throne)
2) Grand Duke
3) Prince of the Imperial Blood
4) Prince
5) Duke
(complained only to foreign rulers, and also once to A.D. Menshikov)
6) Count
7) Baron
8) landowner,
.
When addressing persons who had certain ranks, persons of equal rank or inferior had to use the following titles:
"Your Imperial Majesty" - to the Emperor, Empress and Empress Dowager;

“Your Imperial Highness” - to the grand dukes (children and grandchildren of the emperor), and in 1797–1886 to the great-grandsons and great-great-grandchildren of the emperor;

“Your Highness” - to princes of imperial blood;

“Your Grace” - to the younger children of the emperor’s great-grandchildren and their male descendants, as well as to the most serene princes by grant;

“Your Excellency” - when addressing princes, counts, dukes and barons.

About “Your Honor” and “Your Highness” is a separate story.

"Ladder" of titles

At the very top is the royal family (with its own hierarchy).

Princes - Your Highness, Your Serene Highness

Dukes - Your Grace, Duke/Duchess

Marquises - My Lord/Milady, Marquis/Marquise (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)

Eldest sons of dukes

Dukes' Daughters

Earls - My Lord/Milady, Your Lordship (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)

Eldest sons of the marquises

Daughters of the Marquises

Younger sons of dukes

Viscounts - My Lord/Milady, Your Grace (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)

Earls' eldest sons

Younger sons of the marquises

Barons - My Lord/Milady, Your Grace (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)

Eldest sons of viscounts

Younger sons of counts

Eldest sons of the barons

Younger sons of viscounts

Younger sons of the barons

Baronets - Sir

Eldest sons younger sons peers

Eldest sons of baronets

Younger sons of baronets

sons

The eldest son of the title holder is his direct heir.

The eldest son of a duke, marquis or earl receives a "courtesy title" - the eldest of the list of titles belonging to the father (usually the road to the title passed through several lower titles, which then "remained in the family"). This is usually the next most senior title (for example, a duke's heir is a marquess), but not necessarily. IN general hierarchy The place of the sons of the title holder was determined by their father's title, not by their "courtesy title".

The eldest son of a Duke, Marquess, Earl or Viscount comes immediately after the holder of the title next in seniority to that of his father. (see "Ladder of titles")

Thus, the heir of a duke always stands immediately behind the marquis, even if his “courtesy title” is only that of count.

The younger sons of dukes and marquises are lords.

Women

In the vast majority of cases, the title holder was a man. In exceptional cases, a title could belong to a woman if the title allowed transmission through the female line. This was the exception to the rule. Mostly women's titles - all these countesses, marquises, etc. - are “courtesy titles” and do not entitle the holder to the privileges accorded to the holder of the title. A woman became a countess by marrying a count; marquise, marrying a marquis; etc.

In the general hierarchy, the wife occupies a place determined by the title of her husband. You can say that she is standing on the same step of the stairs as her husband, right behind him.

Note: You should pay attention to the following nuance: For example, there are marquises, wives of marquises and marquises, wives of the eldest sons of dukes (who have the “courtesy title” of marquis, see section Sons). So, the former always occupy a higher position than the latter (again, the position of the wife is determined by the position of the husband, and the marquis, the son of a duke, always ranks below the marquis as such).

Women are title holders “by right.”

In some cases, the title could be inherited through the female line. There could be two options here.

1. The woman became, as it were, the custodian of the title, then passing it on to her eldest son. If there was no son, the title, under the same conditions, passed to the next female heir to then be transferred to her son... At the birth of a male heir, the title passed to him.

2. A woman received the title “in her own right”. In this case, she became the owner of the title. However, unlike male title holders, a woman did not receive, along with this title, the right to sit in the House of Lords or hold positions associated with this title.

If a woman got married, then her husband did not receive the title (both in the first and second cases).

Note: Who occupies a higher position, the Baroness "in her own right" or the Baron's wife? After all, the title of the first belongs directly to her, and the second enjoys the “title of courtesy.”

According to Debrett, a woman's position is entirely determined by that of her father or husband, unless the woman has the title "in her own right." In this case, her position is determined by the title itself. Thus, of the two baronesses, the one whose barony is older is higher in position. (two title holders are compared).

Widows

In the literature, in relation to the widows of titled aristocrats, you can often find a kind of prefix to the title - Dowager, i.e. Dowager. Can every widow be called a "Widower"? No.

Example. The widow of the fifth Earl of Chatham may be called the Dowager Countess of Chatham if the following conditions are simultaneously met:

1. The next Earl of Chatham became the direct heir of her late husband (i.e. his son, grandson, etc.)

2. If there is no other Dowager Countess of Chatham alive (for example, the widow of the fourth Earl, the father of her late husband).

In all other cases, she is Mary, Countess of Chatham, i.e. name + title of her late husband. For example, if she is the widow of a count, but the widow of her husband's father is still alive. Or if after the death of her husband his nephew became the count.

If the current holder of the title is not yet married, then the widow of the previous holder of the title continues to be called Countess of Chatham (for example), and becomes "Dowager" (if eligible) after the current holder of the title marries and a new Countess of Chatham is created.

How is the position of a widow in society determined? - By the title of her late husband. Thus, the widow of the 4th Earl of Chatham is higher in position than the wife of the 5th Earl of Chatham. Moreover, the age of women does not play any role here.

If a widow remarries, her position is determined by that of her new husband.

Daughters

Daughters of dukes, marquises and counts occupy the next step in the hierarchy after the eldest son in the family (if there is one) and his wife (if there is one). They stand above all other sons in the family.

The daughter of a Duke, Marquis or Earl receives the courtesy title "Lady". She retains this title even if she marries an untitled person. But when she marries a titled man, she receives the title of her husband.

Ruler titles
Inherited:

Prince

Tsar heir Tsarevich (not always)

King heir Dauphin, Prince or Infant

Emperor

Maharajah

Elected:

Caliph of the Kharijites

Noble titles:

Boyarin

Chevalier

Kazoku - Japanese title system

Monarchs

Emperor(Latin imperator - ruler) - the title of the monarch, head of state (empire). Since the time of the Roman emperor Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD) and his successors, the title of emperor acquired a monarchical character. Since the time of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), the Roman Empire has almost always been led by two emperors with the titles of Augusti (their co-rulers bore the title of Caesars).

It is also used to designate the rulers of a number of eastern monarchies (China, Korea, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Japan, pre-Columbian states of America), despite the fact that the name of the title in the official languages ​​of these countries does not come from the Latin imperator.
Today, only the Emperor of Japan has this title in the world.

King(Latin rex, French roi, English king, German Konig) - the title of a monarch, usually hereditary, but sometimes elective, head of the kingdom.

A queen is the female ruler of a kingdom or the consort of a king.

Tsar(from tssar, ts?sar, lat. caesar, Greek k????? - one of the Slavic titles of the monarch, usually associated with the highest dignity of the emperor. In an allegorical speech to denote primacy, dominance: “lion is the king of beasts.”

The queen is the reigning person or the wife of the king.

Tsarevich - the son of a king or queen (in pre-Petrine times). In addition, the title of prince was given to some descendants of independent Tatar khans, for example, the descendants of Kuchum Khan of Siberia had the title of prince of Siberia.

Tsesarevich is a male heir, the full title Heir Tsesarevich, informally shortened in Russia to Heir (with a capital letter) and rarely to Tsesarevich.

Tsesarevna is the wife of the Tsarevich.

A princess is the daughter of a king or queen.

Titled nobility:

Prince(German Prinz, English and French prince, Spanish principe, from Latin princeps - first) - one of the highest titles of representatives of the aristocracy. The Russian word “prince” means direct descendants of monarchs, as well as, by special decree, other members royal family

Duke (Duc) - Duchess (Duchess)

The Duke (German Herzog, French duc, English duke, Italian duca) among the ancient Germans was a military leader elected by the tribal nobility; in Western Europe, during the early Middle Ages, he was a tribal prince, and during the period of feudal fragmentation, he was a major territorial ruler, occupying first place after the king in the military-feudal hierarchy.

Marquis (Marquess) - Marchioness

Marquis - (French marquis, Novolat. marchisus or marchio, from German Markgraf, in Italy marchese) - a Western European noble title, standing in the middle between count and duke; in England, besides M. in the proper sense, this title (Marquess) is given to the eldest sons of dukes.

Earl - Countess

Count (from German Graf; Latin comes (lit.: “companion”), French comte, English earl or count) - a royal official in Early Middle Ages in Western Europe. The title originated in the 4th century in the Roman Empire and was originally assigned to high dignitaries (for example, comes sacrarum largitionum - chief treasurer). In the Frankish state, from the second half of the 6th century, the count in his district-county had judicial, administrative and military power. According to the decree of Charles II the Bald (Cersian Capitulary, 877), the count's position and possessions became hereditary.

The English earl (OE eorl) originally denoted a senior official, but since the time of the Norman kings it has become an honorary title.

During the period of feudal fragmentation - the feudal ruler of the county, then (with the elimination of feudal fragmentation) the title of the highest nobility (woman - countess). It continues to be formally retained as a title in most European countries with a monarchical form of government.

Viscount - Viscountess

Viscount - (French Vicornte, English Viscount, Italian Visconte, Spanish Vicecomte) - this was the name in the Middle Ages for the governor of some possession of a count (from vice comes). Subsequently, individual V. became so strong that they became independent and owned well-known destinies (Beaumont, Poitiers, etc.) and began to be associated with the title of V. Currently, this title in France and England occupies a middle place between count and baron. The eldest son of a count usually bears the title V.

Baron - Baroness

Baron (from Late Lat. baro - a word of Germanic origin with the original meaning - person, man), in Western Europe a direct vassal of the king, later a noble title (woman - baroness). The title of B. in England (where it remains to this day) is lower than the title of Viscount, occupying the last place in the hierarchy of titles of the highest nobility (in a broader sense, all the English high nobility, hereditary members of the House of Lords, belong to B.); in France and Germany this title was lower than the count's. In the Russian Empire, the title B. was introduced by Peter I for the German nobility of the Baltic states.

Baronet - (no female version of the title) - although this is a hereditary title, baronets do not actually belong to the peerage (titled aristocracy) and do not have seats in the House of Lords.

Note: All others fall under the definition of "commoner", i.e. untitled (including Knight, Esquire, Gentleman)

Comment: In the vast majority of cases, the title belongs to the man. In rare cases, a woman may hold the title herself. Thus, Duchess, Marchioness, Countess, Viscountess, Baroness - in the vast majority of cases these are "courtesy titles"

Within a title there is a hierarchy based on when the title was created and whether the title is English, Scottish or Irish.

English titles are higher than Scottish ones, and Scottish ones, in turn, are higher than Irish ones. With all this, the “older” titles are at a higher level.

Comment: about English, Scottish and Irish titles.

IN different time titles were created in England:

before 1707 - peers of England, Scotland and Ireland

1701-1801 - Peers of Great Britain and Ireland

after 1801 - peers of the United Kingdom (and Ireland).

Thus, an Irish earl with a title created before 1707 is lower in the hierarchy than an English earl with a title of the same time; but higher than Earl of Great Britain with a title created after 1707

Lord(English Lord - lord, master, ruler) - a title of nobility in Great Britain.

Initially, this title was used to designate everyone belonging to the class of feudal landowners. In this sense, the lord (French seigneur (“senior”)) opposed the peasants who lived on his lands and owed him allegiance and feudal obligations. Later, a narrower meaning appeared - the holder of lands directly from the king, in contrast to knights (gentry in England, lairds in Scotland), who held lands belonging to other nobles. Thus, the title of lord became a collective title for the five ranks of the peerage (duke, marquis, earl, viscount and baron).

With the emergence of parliaments in England and Scotland in the 13th century, lords received the right to directly participate in parliament, and in England a separate, upper house of lords of parliament was formed. Nobles holding the title of lord sat in the House of Lords by birthright, while other feudal lords had to elect their representatives to the House of Commons by county.

In a narrower sense, the title of lord was usually used as equivalent to the title of baron, the lowest in the peerage system. This is especially true in Scotland, where the title of baron is not widespread. The granting of the title of lord by the Scottish kings to the nobles gave them the opportunity to directly participate in the country's parliament, and was often not associated with the appearance of land holdings in such persons by right of holding from the king. Thus the title of Lords of Parliament arose in Scotland.

Only the king had the right to assign the title of lord to a nobleman. This title was inherited through the male line and in accordance with the principle of primogeniture. However, the title of lord also began to be used by the children of nobles of the highest ranks (dukes, marquises, viscounts). In this sense, the wearing of this title did not require special sanction from the monarch.

Lord, this is not a title - it is an address to the nobility, e.g. Lord Stone.

Lord (lord, in the original meaning - owner, head of the house, family, from the Anglo-Saxon hlaford, literally - keeper, protector of bread), 1) initially in medieval England in the general meaning - feudal landowner (lord of the manor, landlord) and lord his vassals, in a more special meaning - a large feudal lord, the direct holder of the king - a baron. Gradually, the title of L. became the collective title of the English high nobility (dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, barons), which was received (since the 14th century) by the peers of the kingdom, constituting the upper house of the British parliament - the House of Lords. The title of L. is passed on through male lineage and seniority, but can also be granted by the crown (on the recommendation of the Prime Minister). Since the 19th century complains (“for special merits”) not only to large landowners, as was previously customary, but also to representatives of big capital, as well as some scientists, cultural figures, etc. Until 1958, seats in the House of Lithuania were filled only by inheritance of this title. Since 1958, the appointment by the monarch of some of the members of the chamber of parliament has been introduced, and those appointed by parliament sit in the chamber for life; their title is not inherited. In 1963, hereditary L. received the right to resign their title. 2) An integral part of the official title of some senior and local officials of Great Britain, for example, Lord Chancellor, Lord Mayor and others. Lord Chancellor, Supreme Law of Great Britain, is one of the oldest government positions (established in the 11th century); V modern Britain L. Chancellor is a member of the government and a representative of the House of Lords. Mainly performs the functions of the Minister of Justice: he appoints judges in the counties, heads the Supreme Court, and is the custodian of the great state seal. Lord Mayor is a title preserved from the Middle Ages for the head of local government in London (in the City area) and a number of others. major cities(Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and others). 3) In the 15th-17th centuries, an integral part of the title of L.-protector, which was assigned to some high-ranking statesmen of England, for example, regents under a minor king. In 1653–58, the title of L. Protector was also borne by O. Cromwell.

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Emperor

Kaiser | King | Konung | King | Basileus

Grand Duke | Grand Duke | Duke | Elector | Archduke | Prince

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Titled nobility

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Infant | Prince | Jarl/Earl | Palatine Count

Marquis | Margrave | Count | Landgraf| Despot | Ban

Viscount | Burggraf | Views

Baron | Baronet

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Untitled nobility.