Nobility title

The title of nobility indicated the rank of a nobleman in the social hierarchy . Many titles of nobility were originally functional designations. The titles of nobility described here refer to Europe in the Middle Ages and in modern times .

A distinction must be made between the title of nobility on the one hand the predicate title (the salutation ), on the other hand the nobility predicate (in German that of , i.e. the addition to the name as a sign of nobility).

Overview: nobility titles and ranks

Basically there were the following titles (in order of rank in descending order)

Ruler title		Salutation (predicate title)	general title for the descendants		annotation
male	Female	Salutation (predicate title)	male	Female	annotation
Emperor (also tsar)	Empress (also Zariza)	(Imperial) Majesty	(Crown) Prince, but with the sons of the Russian Tsar: Tsarevich or Grand Duke	(Crown) Princess, with the daughters of the Russian Tsar: Tsarevna or Grand Duchess	For the princes of the imperial house the salutation Imperial Highness.
king	queen	(Royal) Majesty	(Crown) Prince	(Kron) princess	For the princes of the royal house, the salutation Royal Highness.
Archduke	Archduchess	Imperial and Royal Highness (formerly: Most Serene)	Archduke	Archduchess	The title was regularly available to members of the House of Habsburg .
Grand duke	Grand duchess	Your Royal Highness (Salutation: Most Serene)	Prince / Hereditary Grand Duke	Princess / Hereditary Grand Duchess	For the princes and princesses of the grand ducal houses of Luxembourg, Hesse and Baden, the salutation Royal Highness.
Elector	Electress	Royal Highness (formerly: Most Serene )	Elector Prince	Electoral princess	In the Holy Roman Empire (HRR), an elector was one of the high nobility who was entitled to elect a king or emperor. Electors carried different titles of nobility (kings, dukes, archbishops, counts, margraves and palatine). In contrast to today's usage, the title of elector did not refer to the ruled territory, but to the empire. For example, the title of the Brandenburg ruler was not called “Elector of Brandenburg”, but “Elector of the Holy Roman Empire, Margrave of Brandenburg”. After the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, only the Landgrave of Hessen-Kassel carried this title as a personal title until 1866. He was considered equal to a grand duke. These details refer to the latter.
duke	duchess	(Royal) Highness (ruling), Your Highness ( noble / mediatized )	prince	princess	Ruling dukes from the royal family and their direct descendants were addressed as "Your Royal Highness".
Landgrave	Landgrave	Your Highness, Your Highness	prince	princess	The title was only available in the German-speaking area (examples: Thuringia , Hesse ). Only occasionally belonging to the imperial princes, they were nevertheless equal in rank to the dukes. L. von Hessen-Homburg, as the last bearer of the L. title, was addressed as imperial prince "Royal Highness"; likewise the L. and Prince of Hesse. Members of secondary lines headlined "Highness" or "Highness".
Count Palatine	Countess Palatine	Your Highness, Your Highness	prince	princess	The Count Palatine near Rhine was imperial vicar for the areas under Frankish law when the throne was vacant . As a sovereign elector, he deserved the title “Your Royal Highness”. For the states under Saxon law, this was the Elector of Saxony . As elector, he deserved the title “Your Royal Highness”. After 1806 the title lost its character as a ruler title.
Margrave	Margravine	(Royal) Highness, Your Highness, Your Highness	prince	princess	In Germany mostly sovereign princes, some of whom were granted electoral dignity (the Margrave of Brandenburg in 1356, the Margrave of Baden in 1803). On the other hand, the title enjoyed changing prestige and was considered to stand on the border between the high and low nobility.
Prince	Princess	Highness, High Princely Highness (ruling), Highness (mediatized, also titular Prince) otherwise: Princely graces	(Hereditary) Prince or (Hereditary) Count	(Hereditary) Princess or (Hereditary) Countess	The ruling princes of Reuss , von Lippe and von Schaumburg-Lippe were addressed as "Hochfürstlich". Only the Prince of Hohenzollern deserved the address "Highness". Titular princes on the basis of personal bestowal possessed i. d. Usually no rulers rights ( imperial estate ) and therefore did not belong to the high nobility per se. A prominent example was Otto Fürst von Bismarck .
Count	countess	Sublime (ruling or mediatized imperial count ), otherwise: highborn	Hereditary Count	Hereditary Countess, Countess	New ennobled titular counts without rulership rights (imperial estate) were considered to belong to the lower nobility. For unmarried female family members: Komtess or Comtesse (out of use).
Freiherr , Baron	Baroness, Baroness	Highborne ( nobility ), otherwise: Hochwohlgeboren	Freiherr, Baron	Baroness , Baroness
Knight , noble , lord of, junker of, farmer of,	Noble woman from, junk woman from	Highly born	Knight, noble, lord of, junker of	Noble, Miss / Mrs. von, Junk Frau von	In Bavaria, knight was a separate aristocratic class from the 19th century, to which all residents who had been awarded an Order of Merit belonged.

validity

Titles of nobility were abolished after the end of the First World War (1918) in Germany and Austria in 1919 and gradually also in the former Austrian crown lands and in Hungary after the Second World War with the transition to the communist republic. It is no longer possible to confer nobility titles in these countries. In December 2010, the ECJ ruled that a member state (in the case of Austria) may refuse, for reasons of public policy (in the case of compliance with the principle of equality ), the component of the family name of one of its nationals reminding of a previous title of nobility, as it is in could be acquired by adoption in another Member State.

Germany

In the German Empire , the last title of nobility was conferred on November 12, 1918 by Leopold IV zur Lippe , who on the day of his abdication raised Kurt von Kleefeld (1881–1934) to the nobility.

With the transition to the Weimar Republic and the coming into force of the Weimar Constitution (WRV) of 1919 (Constitution of the German Reich) , Art. 109 WRV put all citizens on an equal footing before the law and gave birth, sex, class, class and privileges of the creed excluded. The nobility designations (the nobility titles and the predicates such as “from” and “to”) became part of the name and may no longer be awarded.

On June 23, 1920, the Prussian state assembly passed the Prussian law on the abolition of the privileges of the nobility and the dissolution of property. According to this nobility law, which was adopted in a similar form by the other countries of the German Empire, the primogeneity titles , which until now only belonged to heads of families and rulers, were repealed. The general titles that the other family members had, which varied from family to family, became part of the family name. This means that previous titles such as prince or count, which were previously available to all family members, were retained as part of the name, while titles such as king, grand duke, etc., which were only available to rulers ( rulers ) or heads of families, were completely omitted. This led to very different family names. For example, the descendants of the former royal house of Württemberg bear the family name "Duke of Württemberg" or the descendants of the former electoral house of Hesse the family name "Prince and Landgrave of Hesse".

A transitional regulation stipulated that those persons who had already held a primogeneity title at the time the Weimar Constitution came into force could retain this title for themselves.

According to a decision of the Reichsgericht dated March 10, 1926 (RGZ 113, 107 ff.), The earlier nobility designations were changed according to gender.

In the Federal Republic of Germany, the Weimar Constitution initially continued to apply as a whole, unless individual articles became part of the Basic Law. After a legal adjustment in the 1960s, only Article 109, Paragraph 3, Clause 2 of the WRV (“designations of nobility are only part of the name and may no longer be awarded”) is still in force under simple law.

A title of nobility no longer has any further legal consequences. However, it still receives attention in some social circles and when determining the rank for the protocol . The continuation of historical nobility titles in social life practiced by some people has no legal meaning, and there is no longer any right to be addressed with a title such as " Serene Highness ".

Austria

In the newly established Republic of German Austria (1918–1919), on April 3, 1919, with the Nobility Repeal Act and the associated implementing ordinance, all titles of nobility, secular orders of knights and ladies as well as a number of titles, dignities and privileges of the nobility were abolished and the infringement made a punishable offense ( Fine or up to six months imprisonment).

Switzerland

In Switzerland , titles of nobility are not recognized as part of the family name, and nobility designations are therefore not entered in official papers. On the other hand, the particle “from” is definitely listed by the Swiss authorities as part of the name in the civil register. This is due to the fact that it usually does not indicate a noble origin or affiliation: In the development of family names in the Middle Ages, alongside job titles and characteristics of people, field and community names played a role for identification. Von Moos, von Däniken and von Gunten are not noble names. Since the Confederation had been factually independent from the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation since the 14th century and also legally independent from 1648 , there could be no “new” nobility according to all applicable rules. Over time, old noble families lost property and influence or emigrated ( Habsburgs ), only a few remained in the Confederation, such as those of Salis , von Erlach or von Hallwyl . Numerous other names such as von Graffenried or von Wattenwyl are originally "only" patrician families who got it "from" themselves.

Titles of nobility in different languages

German	Latin	French	Italian	Spanish	English	Danish	Greek	Dutch	Czech	Hungarian	Russian	Persian	Arabic	Chinese	Amharic
Emperor , Empress	Caesar , Emperor, Augustus , Imperatrix ( Two Kaiser Problem )	Empereur, Impératrice	Imperatore, Imperatrice	Emperador, Emperatriz	Emperor, Empress	Kejser, Kejserinde	Αυτοκράτωρ, Αυτοκράτειρα	Keizer, Keizer	Císař, Císařovna	Császár, Császárnő	Царь (Tsar), Император Царица (Tsaritsa), Императрица	شهنشاه (Shah-en-Shah), شهبانو (Shahbanou)	Qayssar, pl. Qayâssira	皇帝, 女皇	Nəgusä nägäst , Nigiste Negest
King , Queen	Rex, Regina	Roi, pure	Re, Regina	Rey, Reina	King, Queen	Konge, Dronning	Βασιλεύς, Βασίλισσα	Koning, Koningin	Král, Královna	Király, Királynő / Királyné	Король (Korol '), Королева (Koroleva)	شاه Shah, شهبانو (Schahbanou)	Malik, pl.Mulûk	王, 女王	Negus , Negisti
Archduke , Archduchess	Archidux, Archiducissa	Archiduc, Archiduchesse	Arciduca, Arciduchessa	Archiduque, Archiduquesa	Archduke, Archduchess	Ærkehertug, Ærkehertuginde	Aρχιδούκας, Aρχιδούκισσα	Aartshertog, Aartshertogin	Arcivévoda, Arcivévodkyně	Főherceg, Főhercegnő	Эрцгерцог (Archduke), Эрцгерцогиня (Archduchinja)
Grand Duke , (Grand) Duchess	Magnus Dux, Magna Ducissa	Grand-Duc, Grande-Duchesse	Gran Duca, Gran Duchessa	Gran Duque, Gran Duquesa	Grand Duke, Grand Duchess	Storhertug, Storhertuginde	Μέγας Δούκας, Μεγάλη Δούκισσα	Groothertog, Groothertogin	Velkovévoda, Velkovévodkyně	Nagyherceg, Nagyhercegnő	Великий герцог (Veliki herzog), Великая герцогиня (Velikaia herzoginja)	Ilkhan (prince of a large tribal association)		大公
Duke , Duchess	Dux , Ducissa	Duc, duchesse	Duca, Duchessa	Duque, Duquesa	Duke , duchess	Hertug, Hertuginde	Δούκας, Δούκισσα	Hertog, Hertogin	Vévoda, Vévodkyně	Herceg, Hercegnő	Герцог (Duke), Герцогиня (Herzoginja)	Khan , Amir, in the sense of a tribal prince (Khanom)	Dûq	公
Grand Duke , Grand Duchess	Magnus Princeps	Grand Prince Grand-Duc, Grande-Duchesse		Gran Príncipe, Gran Princesa	Grand Duke, Grand Duchess	Storfyrste, Storfyrstinde			Velkokníže, Velkokněžna		Великий князь (Veliki knias), Великая княгиня (Velikaia kniaginja)	Khan, Amir, (Khanom)
Elector , Electress	Princeps Elector	Prince Electeur	Principe Elettore	Principe Elector	Elector / Electoral Prince	Kurfyrste, Kurfyrstinde	Eκλέκτορας	Keurvorst, Keurvorstin	Kurfiřt, Kurfiřtka		Курфюрст (Elector), Курфюрстина (Kurfürstina)			选帝侯
Prince , princess	Princeps	Prince, Princesse	Principe, Principessa	Príncipe, Princesa	Prince, Princess	Fyrste, Fyrstinde	Ηγεμόνας / Πρίγκιπας, Ηγεμονίδα / Πριγκίπισσα	Vorst, Prins; Vorstin, Prinses	Knees; Kněžna		Князь (Knias), Княгиня (Kniaginja)	Amîr ( Emir ), pl. Umru '	Amîr ( Emir ), pl. Umru '
Sovereign Baron, Sovereign Baroness					Sovereign Baron / Sovereign Baroness							Khan, Beg (in the sense of a landowner)			Grazmach, Grazmach
Margrave , margravine	Marchio	Le / La Margrave Marquis , Marquise	Margravio, Marchese , Marchesa	Margrave, Margravina, Marqués , Marquesa	Marquess / Margrave, Marchioness / Margravine	Markgreve, Markgrevinde	Μαργράβος / Μαρκήσιος, Μαρκησία	Markies , Markiezin	Markrabě (from Moravia), Markýz (for France), Markraběnka, Markýza		Маркиз (Markis), Маркиза (Markisa)			侯
Count , countess	Comes, Comitissa	Comte, Comtesse	Conte, Contessa	Conde, Condesa	Earl / Count, Countess	Greve, Grevinde	Κόμης, Κόμισσα	Graaf, Gravin	Hrabě, Hraběnka	Gróf, Grófnő	Граф (Graf), Графиня (Grafinja)	Khan, Beg in the sense of a landowner (Khanom, Begom)		伯
Count Palatine , Countess Palatine	Comes palatinus	Le Comte Palatine, La Comtesse Palatine	Conte Palatino, Contessa Palatina	Conde Palatino	Palsgrave
Imperial Count , Imperial Countess	Sacri Romani Imperii Comes	Le Comte du Saint Empire, La Comtesse du Saint Empire	conte dell'Impero, contessa dell'Impero		Imperial Count			Rijksgraaf, Rijksgravin
Altgraf , Altgräfin	Comes vetus	Le / la Altgrave	Altgravio
Burgrave , Countess	Castellanus	Le / La Burgrave	Burgravio		Castellan			Burggraaf, Burggravin
Landgrave , Landgrave	Comes provincialis	Le / La Landgrave	Landravio	Landgrave, Landgravina	Landgrave, Landgravine
Raugraf , Raugrafess	Comes hirsutus	Le / La Raugrave or Le / La Rougrave	Raugravio		Raugrave
Rheingraf , Rhine countess	Comes rheni	Le / La Rhingrave	Renegravio					Rijngraaf, Rijngravin
Waldgraf , forest countess	Comes nemoris	Le / La Waldgrave	Forest gravio
Wildgraf , wild countess	Comes silvestris	Le / La Wildgrave	Wild gravio		Wildgrave			Wildgraaf Wildgravin
Freiherr , Baron Freifrau, Baroness Baroness, baroness	Baro	Baron, baronne	Barons, Baronessa	Barón, Baronesa	Baron , baroness	Baron, Friherre, Baroness, Friherreinde	Βαρόνος / Βαρώνος, Βαρόνη / Βαρώνη	Baron, Vrijheer, Barones, Vrijvrouwe	Svobodný pán, baron, Svobodná paní, baronka	Báró	Барон (Baron), Баронесса (Baronessa)	Khan, Beg, (Khanom, Begom)		男	Grazmach Grazmach
Knight	Eques / Miles	Chevalier	Cavaliers	Caballero	Knight / lady , baronet / baronetess	Ridder	Ιππότης, Ντάμα	Ridder	Rytíř	Lovag	Рыцарь (Ryzar ')	Khan, Agha (in the sense of a landowner)	Fâris, pl. Firsân	骑士
Noble , noble	(Vir) Nobilis	Equité / écuyer	Nobiluomo, Nobildonna;	Noble	Nobleman			Jonkheer, Jonkvrouw	Zeman, Zemanka
Sir , Junker , Madam, Miss	Dominus	Sieur, Seigneur	Signor, Signora	Don, Doña	Lord, lady	Lord, Frue	Κύριος, Κυρία	Jonkheer, Jonkvrouw	Pán, Paní	Úr		Agha, Sayyed, Seyed, Seyyd	Sayyid, pl.Sâdat

Contrary to a common mistake, viceroy was not a title of nobility, but in some monarchies the official title of governor in colonies or territories with special prestige.

German	Latin	French	Italian	Spanish	English	Danish	Greek	Dutch	Czech	Hungarian	Arabic	Russian	Chinese	Japanese	Amharic
Viceroy , viceroy		Viceroi, Vicereine	Vicerè, Viceregina	Virrey, Virreina	Viceroy, Vicereine	Vicekonge, Vicedronning	Αντιβασιλεύς Αντιβασίλισσα	Onderkoning, Onderkoningin	Vicekrál (místokrál), Vicekrálovna (místokrálovna)		Nâ'ib al-Malik, pl. Nuwab al-Malik	Вице-король (Wize-korol '), Вице-королева (Wize-koroleva)	总督 (zǒngdū)

International differences

Nobility titles and systems of different countries can be compared with one another, but not equated:

In Poland any title under that of a prince was inadmissible (see szlachta ). The italic titles are translations of Western titles into Polish that were given by foreign monarchs to some Polish nobles, especially after the partitions of Poland . One did not use the title nobleman / noblewoman (Szlachcic / szlachcianka) with the surname, but said, for example, herbu Wczele ("from the Wczele coat of arms").
Before the 18th century, only the titles Knjas ( Russian князь ) and Bojar ( Russian бояр ) were used for the domestic Russian nobility . Later the titles Graf and Baron were added.
The English and French languages do not know any difference between “Grand Duke” and “Grand Duke”.
In contrast to the Germanic languages, the Romance languages did not differentiate between the ruling prince (prince) and the subsequent members of princely houses (princes). In France in particular, the title “prince” is extremely rare (for example in the Bourbon branch, the prince of Condé), otherwise the title of prince is mostly reserved for foreign dignitaries. This fundamentally distinguishes the French (and English) nobility from the German. In France there are “princes” only in connection with the royal family (princes du sang), otherwise this title is not provided in France and Great Britain. Neither is there a “princess” in these countries outside of the royal family. In contrast to Germany, neither the daughter of a country gentleman nor the daughter of a duke is entitled to use the title of her parents or father. That means: the daughter of the Duc de Grammont is Mademoiselle de Grammont. In Germany she would be the "Princess of Grammont", with distinction.

literature

Karl Friedrich Dumoulin: The nobility designation in German and foreign law. Peter Lang, 1997, ISBN 3-631-32447-2 .
Sebastian-Johannes von Spoenla-Metternich: Name acquisition, name change and name change taking into account name components . Peter Lang, European Science Publishing House, Frankfurt am Main 1997, ISBN 3-631-31779-4 .

Web links

Commons : Title of nobility - collection of images, videos and audio files

Addressing the nobility (rough overview)
Titulatures, addresses, department and rank relationships royal. prussia. State authorities, civil servants, knights of the order… . 5th edition. Hayn, Berlin 1825 ( digitized version ).

Individual evidence

↑ Edict on the nobility in the Kingdom of Bavaria on verfassungen.de, accessed on December 11, 2015.
↑ ECJ: Austria may ban titles of nobility. The press of December 22, 2010.
↑ s: Constitution of the German Empire (1919)
^ Sebastian-Johannes von Spoenla-Metternich: Acquiring a name, using a name and changing a name, taking into account parts of the name . Peter Lang, European Science Publishing House, Frankfurt am Main 1997, ISBN 978-3-631-31779-2 , p. 137 .
^ Right to name: Aristocratic subtlety . In: Der Spiegel . No. 19 , 1999 ( online May 10, 1999).
↑ BayObLG : Decision of October 2, 2002, 1Z BR 98/02
^ Text of the Weimar Constitution
↑ The title "Grand Prince" was used in France for the princes of the Grand Duchy of Moscow and for the heirs to the throne of the Russian Empire. Translation of German nobility titles into French. In: frog-leap.de. Retrieved April 15, 2013 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d Prince / principe can also be a ruler title, Prinz in German, Prins in Swedish. In the English system, the title Prince is reserved for members of the royal family only. The term Prince of Wales for the English heir to the throne (who as heir to the Scottish crown also bears the title of Duke of Rothesay ) is traditionally translated as prince . "Prince Charles the Prince of Wales" becomes "Prince Charles the Prince of Wales". Charles is therefore Prince (as the Queen's son) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and at the same time ruling prince of a part of the country. It is similar with the Príncipe de Asturias as the Spanish heir to the throne. In contrast to Germanic languages, Romance languages do not differentiate between a prince (1st general designation of sovereign ruler as opposed to clergy, members of the lower nobility or the bourgeoisie, 2nd nobility level between duke and count for the head of the house) and a prince (not ruling Members of a noble house), only the context indicates what rank it is.
↑ In the German system roughly equal to the Landgraf and Pfalzgraf .
↑ German titles of nobility (without the lettre patente of the French court) were French / Gallicized, that is, the ending “-graf” was translated as “-grave”; For example, the title of the Margravine of Bayreuth was translated as "la Margrave de Bayreuth" Frogleap: translation of German nobility titles into French
↑ The term Earl is used in Great Britain only for the local nobility; on the other hand, Count refers to the nobility outside the United Kingdom .
↑ Not to be confused with Baronet .
↑ The baronet is a hereditary title, the knight a non-hereditary title, both are not regarded as high aristocracy in the British system, which means they do not bear any peer dignity .
↑ Actually: squire from Latin scutum

[1] Edict on the nobility in the Kingdom of Bavaria on verfassungen.de, accessed on December 11, 2015.

[2] ECJ: Austria may ban titles of nobility. The press of December 22, 2010.

[reichsverfassung-3] s: Constitution of the German Empire (1919)

[4] Sebastian-Johannes von Spoenla-Metternich: Acquiring a name, using a name and changing a name, taking into account parts of the name . Peter Lang, European Science Publishing House, Frankfurt am Main 1997, ISBN 978-3-631-31779-2 , p. 137 .

[5] Right to name: Aristocratic subtlety . In: Der Spiegel . No. 19 , 1999 ( online May 10, 1999).

[6] BayObLG : Decision of October 2, 2002, 1Z BR 98/02

[7] Text of the Weimar Constitution

[8] The title "Grand Prince" was used in France for the princes of the Grand Duchy of Moscow and for the heirs to the throne of the Russian Empire. Translation of German nobility titles into French. In: frog-leap.de. Retrieved April 15, 2013 .

[fürst-9] Prince / principe can also be a ruler title, Prinz in German, Prins in Swedish. In the English system, the title Prince is reserved for members of the royal family only. The term Prince of Wales for the English heir to the throne (who as heir to the Scottish crown also bears the title of Duke of Rothesay ) is traditionally translated as prince . "Prince Charles the Prince of Wales" becomes "Prince Charles the Prince of Wales". Charles is therefore Prince (as the Queen's son) of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and at the same time ruling prince of a part of the country. It is similar with the Príncipe de Asturias as the Spanish heir to the throne. In contrast to Germanic languages, Romance languages do not differentiate between a prince (1st general designation of sovereign ruler as opposed to clergy, members of the lower nobility or the bourgeoisie, 2nd nobility level between duke and count for the head of the house) and a prince (not ruling Members of a noble house), only the context indicates what rank it is.

[10] In the German system roughly equal to the Landgraf and Pfalzgraf .

[11] German titles of nobility (without the lettre patente of the French court) were French / Gallicized, that is, the ending “-graf” was translated as “-grave”; For example, the title of the Margravine of Bayreuth was translated as "la Margrave de Bayreuth" Frogleap: translation of German nobility titles into French

[12] The term Earl is used in Great Britain only for the local nobility; on the other hand, Count refers to the nobility outside the United Kingdom .

[13] Not to be confused with Baronet .

[14] The baronet is a hereditary title, the knight a non-hereditary title, both are not regarded as high aristocracy in the British system, which means they do not bear any peer dignity .

[15] Actually: squire from Latin scutum