Titles and their hierarchy. Noble titles in France: description, history and hierarchy
Whenever we watch historical English films or read books about the life of the English, we constantly come across all sorts of sirs, lords, princes, dukes and other titles. It is quite difficult to understand the purpose of all these appeals to certain segments of the population from books or films. We will try to consider what titles there are in England, what their hierarchy is, how they are received and whether the title can be passed on by inheritance, etc.
Peerage in England
Peerage is a system of noble titles in England. Peers are all English people who hold a title. All other people who do not have any titles are considered commoners. The main difference between peers and other people is that the title of nobility in England gives certain privileges, and these privileges differ for peers of different ranks.
There are also differences in privileges between in different parts peerage systems:
The Peerage of England is all titled Englishmen whose title was created by the Queens and Kings of England before 1707 (the signing of the Act of Union).
The Peerage of Scotland is a title of nobility created by the monarchs of Scotland before 1707.
Peerage of Ireland - titles of the Kingdom of Ireland created before 1800 (the signing of the Act of Union) and some of them created later.
Peerage of Great Britain - all titles created in the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800.
Peerage of the United Kingdom - almost all titles created after 1800.
Older ranks are considered higher in the hierarchy. In addition, the determining factor in the hierarchy is the ownership of the title:
English,
Scottish,
Irish.
For example, an Irish earl with a title created before 1707 is lower in the hierarchy than an English earl with a title received at the same time. But the same Irish Earl will be higher in the hierarchy than the Earl of Great Britain with a title assigned after 1707.
Emergence of the peerage
The history of the creation of the English peerage system began with the conquest of England by the illegitimate son of the ruler of Normandy, William the Conqueror. He created a single Kingdom of England and divided the entire territory into manors. Those Englishmen who owned manors were called barons; Depending on the amount of land, “greater barons” and “lesser barons” were distinguished.
The king assembled the greater barons for royal councils, and the lesser ones were assembled by the sheriffs. Then they stopped convening lesser barons. It was the meetings of the great barons that were then transformed into the House of Lords, which still exists today. Most titles of nobility, like the Crown of England, are hereditary.
Times changed and various ranks began to form among the nobles, the privileges of which differed significantly.
Hierarchy of titles
At the top of the hierarchy is, naturally, the royal family, which has its own hierarchy. The British royal family includes the monarch himself and a group of his close relatives. Members of the royal family are: the monarch, the monarch's consort or the widowed spouse of the monarch, the children of the monarch, his grandchildren in the male line, the spouses or widowed spouses of the heirs of the monarch in the male line.
The next most important among the English are:
Duke and Duchess (began to assign this title in 1337). Duke (derived from the Latin for "chief") is the highest-ranking English title of nobility after the King and Queen. Usually dukes rule the Duchy. Dukes constitute the second rank of princes after the princes of the royal family.
Marquis and Marquise (first awarded in 1385). Marquess is an English title of nobility, located between a duke and an earl. It comes from the designation of the boundaries of certain territories (from the French "marque" or border territory). In addition to the marquises themselves, this title is awarded to the eldest son of the duke and the daughter of the duke.
Earl (earl) and countess (used from 800-1000). Earls are members of the English nobility who previously owned and administered their own lands - counties, tried cases in provincial courts on behalf of the King, and collected fines and taxes from the local population. Also awarded earldoms were: the eldest son of the marquis, the daughters of the marquis and younger son Duke
Viscount and Viscountess (the first such title was awarded in 1440). The word comes from the Latin "vice-count", "deputy of the count". During the father's lifetime, the eldest son of an earl or the younger sons of a marquess became viscounts as a courtesy title.
Baron and Baroness (first appeared in 1066). The word comes from the Old German "free master". Baron is the lowest rank of nobility in England. If the title is historically related to feudal baronies, then the baron holds that barony. In addition to the barons themselves, the following persons were endowed with this title in the form of a courtesy title: the eldest son of a viscount, the youngest son of an earl, the eldest son of a baron, then the younger sons of viscounts and the younger sons of barons followed in the hierarchy.
Another title, although heritable, but not one of English titled aristocratic persons, is baronet (there is no female equivalent). Baronets do not sit in the House of Lords and do not enjoy the privileges of the nobility. The eldest children of the younger sons of peers of various ranks, the eldest and youngest sons of baronets, became baronets.
All other Englishmen are untitled persons.
Appeal to titled persons
The treatment of titled Englishmen is a rather complex issue. Everyone knows that addressing the King and Queen involves the combination “Your Majesty.”
For dukes, the address "Your Grace" is used, as for duchesses, or the address duke-duchess along with the use of a title (for example, Duke of Wellington). Dukes rarely use surnames, but duchesses never use them.
Marquises, viscounts, earls, barons and their wives are addressed as My Lord (My Lord) or Milady (My Lady), or simply Lord and Lady. You can also use the title directly in the form of rank and title (for example, Marquess of Queensbury).
TO ex-wives Peers of any rank are addressed as follows: woman's name, then rank and title, without using definite article"the" before rank (eg Diana, Princess of Wales).
Baronets and untitled persons are addressed using the words "sir" and "lady".
Receiving the title
The real title of Lord in England can be awarded by the Queen for special services to the country. But you can also get it in roundabout ways, for example, purchasing a medieval estate for a huge price along with a title, for example, baron. At the same time, they receive a certificate of belonging to a certain noble rank.
Title Features
Most often, the holder of any title is a man. Sometimes the title could belong to a woman if it was intended to be inherited. In other cases, the woman was awarded the title of courtesy as the wife of her husband. At the same time, the woman did not have the privileges that the husband had.
A woman's title was inherited in two cases:
If the woman was only the custodian of the title, in order to pass it on to a male heir in the future;
When a woman rightfully received a title, but could not sit in the House of Lords and hold certain positions.
Moreover, if a titled woman got married, her husband did not receive her title.
If a woman who received a title thanks to her husband turned out to be a widow, she kept it, and the word “dowager” could be added before addressing her. If a woman remarried, she acquired a new title corresponding to the title of her new husband, or even turned out to be an untitled person if the new husband did not belong to the nobility of England.
Another feature is that illegitimate sons did not receive titles under any circumstances. Therefore, titled persons often sought to marry pregnant women in order to ensure their son the right to inherit his title. Otherwise, only the youngest son had the right to receive nobility if he was already born in marriage, and in the absence of other sons, a distant relative.
Privileges of titled persons
Previously, the privileges of peers were very broad, but now titled Englishmen have very few rights left:
The right to sit in parliament,
Access to the Queen and King, although this right has not been used for a long time,
Right not to be subject to civil arrest (used only twice since 1945).
In addition, all peers have special crowns used at coronations, and distinctive robes for sitting in the House of Lords (if they are members of it) and coronations.
I made this extract from the encyclopedia.
KING(on behalf of Charlemagne), chapter monarchical state, kingdoms
TSAR(from Latin caesar - Caesar), in Russia in 1547-1721 the official title of the head of state. The first Tsar was Ivan IV the Terrible. Under Peter I, the title Emperor was replaced, but unofficially existed on a par with him.
ARCHDUKE(German: Erzherzog), title of the Austrian monarchs of the Habsburg dynasty.
The title appeared in 1453 and is based on the privilege received by the Austrian dukes in the 12th century from the Holy Roman Emperor, which made them equal to the electors. For some time, the Austrian dukes were also called Erzfuersts. When the Habsburgs themselves took possession of the imperial throne, they began to own two titles - Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and the Austrian Archduke directly. In 1806, Holy Roman Emperor Francis II of Habsburg was forced to resign as emperor. In return, he proclaimed himself Emperor Francis I of Austria, and the title of Archduke passed to his children. From then until 1918, the princes of the House of Habsburg were called archdukes.
PRINCE(German Prinz, from Latin princeps - first), the title of a non-reigning member of a royal or other ruling house.
THE HIGHEST PRINCE, in Russia 18-19 centuries. a noble title given for special personal merit (the first His Serene Highness Prince - A.D. Menshikov, from 1707).
PRINCE,
1) leader of a tribe, ruler of a state or public education. In medieval Germany, a prince (German Furst) was a representative of the highest imperial aristocracy who had special privileges. In the countries of Romance languages, the title of prince is denoted by the word prince (from the Latin princeps - first, see Art. Prince). In Rus', the eldest of the princes was called the Grand Duke, the rest - appanage princes.
2) Honorary hereditary noble title; from the 18th century complained to the king for special merits.
GRAPH(German Graf), in the early Middle Ages in the West. In Europe, an official who represented the king's authority in the county. During feudal fragmentation the counts turned into independent large feudal lords. In the future, count is a noble title (in Russia from the time of Peter I until 1917
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, except M. in in its own sense, this title (Marquess) is given to the eldest sons of dukes.
DUKE(German: Herzog), among the ancient Germans, the military leader of the tribe; in the Middle Ages in the West. In Europe, a major feudal ruler, since the end of the Middle Ages - one of the highest noble titles.
BARON(from the Middle Ages. Lat. baro, gen. p. baronis), in Western. In Europe in the Middle Ages, a direct vassal of the king, later a title of nobility (in Russia introduced by Peter I for the highest Baltic nobility of German origin).
BARONET(English baronet), hereditary title of nobility in England.
VISCOUNT(French vicomte), title of nobility in Western countries. Europe.
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 Great Britain (for example, Lord Chancellor is the chairman of the House of Lords, Lord Mayor is the head of local authorities authorities in London and other major cities).
SIR(English sir),
1) in Great Britain, a title preceding the name of a baronet (originally a knight).
2) In countries in English respectful address to a man.
ESQ(squire) (English esquire, from Latin scutarius - shield-bearer), in early Middle Ages England, a knight's squire, then a fief holder who did not have knightly dignity. In the late Middle Ages and in modern times - an honorary title of nobility. In everyday life, the term is often used as equivalent to the word “gentleman”.
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It is not clear how titles were distributed at a time when they ceased to have a specific meaning. For what reason was Porthos given a baron and not a marquis? Which one is cooler? Why did the son of Athos become a viscount and not a count, who called him that?
| I. Royal House |
| II. Peers The highest titled English nobility. Divided into five degrees (listed in descending order of nobility)
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| III. Knights Lower titled English nobility
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| IV. Baronets The title of baronet originally arose as one of the degrees of knighthood (knight baronet). It was established by James I in 1611 to raise money for the defense of Ulster through the sale of patents. Subsequently, the title ceased to be knightly. A baronet is also not a peer, as a result of which he does not have a seat in the House of Lords in the English Parliament, but this title (unlike knighthood) is inherited. |
V. Untitled nobility:
|
In England there are the following orders of knighthood:
1. The Most Noble Order of the Garter - founded by Edward III around 1348. It is considered the main and most popular among the knightly orders of Great Britain.
2. Order of the Thistle (The Most Ancient and Most Noble Order of the Thistle) - founded in 1687.
3. Order of St. Patrick (The Most Illustrious Order of St Patrick) - founded in 1788.
4. The Most Honorable Order of the Bath - founded in 1399, restored in 1715.
5. The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India) - founded in 1861. Historically, the order was awarded until 1947.
6. Order of St. Michael and St. George (The Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George) - founded in 1818.
7. Order of the Indian Empire (The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire) - founded in 1877. Historically, the order was awarded until 1947.
8. The Royal Victorian Order - founded in 1896.
9. Order of the British Empire (The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire) - founded in 1917.
Rules and procedure for inheriting noble titles:
- In Great Britain, only the head of a family has a noble title. The eldest son and the eldest son's son, as well as younger sons, may by right of courtesy bear the title, but below the title of the head by one or more points.
- For example, the eldest son of a duke would have the title of marquess, the eldest son of a marquis would have the title of earl, the eldest son of an earl would have the title of viscount, and the younger sons of dukes, marquesses and earls would simply have the titles of lords. When a father dies, his eldest son inherits his title. Upon the death of the eldest son, if he has no heir left, the next oldest son. If there are no living sons, the title passes to the eldest son of the eldest daughter, and so on. If they have no daughters or descendants, the title passes to the closest relatives.
- Sons and daughters of baronets do not bear the title. The father's title is inherited by the eldest son after his death. The wives of baronets are not considered baronesses, but they bear the title "lady". Only women who received this title on their own, and not due to the title of their husband, are called baronesses.
- All knighthood titles are personal and are not inherited.
- The woman became, as it were, the keeper 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 for transfer then to her son... At the birth of a male heir, the title passed to him.
- 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.
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.
Correct address to representatives of the nobility using the title. Use of title in ceremony
Courtesy titles
There are, however, so-called courtesy titles that do not have a legal basis, among which is also the title of lord.
In this traditional system, as stated above, the eldest son of a duke bears the title "Marquis"; the eldest son of the marquis - the title "count"; The eldest son of an earl has the title "Viscount". The younger sons of dukes and marquises bear the title of "Lord", but in this case the title "Lord" precedes the personal name and surname, and not the name of the title itself. For example: "Lord Peter Wimsey". All daughters of dukes, marquises and earls bear the title "lady", which strictly precedes the name. For example, "Lady Jane" or "Lady Jane Seymour". However, if a woman receives the title "lady" through her husband, then it can only precede the surname. For example: According to etiquette, Joan Plowright should be called “Lady Olivier”, but not “Lady Joan”.
The sons and daughters of viscounts and barons, as well as the younger sons of earls, bear the title "the Honourable". There is also the title "Right Honourable", which serves as a kind of free addition to the titles of earl, viscount and baron, and also comes before the title of lord for the younger sons of dukes and marquesses. The title of Marquis is preceded in ceremonial order by the title "Most Honourable".
Titles of married women
If a woman who had a title by birthright got married, her husband did not receive her title.
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).
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.
Example: Mr. Parker, a very talented young man, thanks to the support of his uncle in the government, receives a diplomatic post in Vienna, under the command of the English ambassador, the Duke of White. The Duke has a young and lovely, but very purposeful daughter - Lady Martha Smythe (Smythe is the Duke's surname), who falls in love with Mr. Parker.
The Duke, seeing that Mr. Parker intends to succeed in life (and trusting his daughter's instincts), agrees to the marriage. Now the young couple becomes Mr. Parker and Lady Martha Parker. She retains her position in the hierarchy, determined by the position of her father (i.e. remains the "daughter of the duke") even after marriage to a person from non-aristocratic circles.
Mr. Parker helps avoid a major diplomatic scandal, thereby proving that he deserves the Duke's trust. As a result, he is knighted. The couple now becomes Sir David Parker and Lady Martha Parker. She is not called Lady Parker, as it should be in the case of a knight's wife. Since the knight is still a "commoner", she continues to occupy the position determined by her father's title.
After further adventures in the diplomatic field (and certain matters about which it is better to remain silent), Sir David receives a barony. Now our couple is Lord Parker and Lady Parker. The Baron is a peer, so now the wife ranks like her husband.
Whenever we watch historical English films or read books about, we constantly come across all sorts of sirs, lords, princes, dukes and other titles. It is quite difficult to understand the purpose of all these appeals to certain segments of the population from books or films. We will try to consider what titles there are in England, what their hierarchy is, how they are received and whether the title can be passed on by inheritance, etc.
Peerage in England
Peerage is a system of noble titles in England. Peers are all English people who hold a title. All other people who do not have any titles are considered commoners. The main difference between peers and other people is that the title of nobility in England gives certain privileges, and these privileges differ for peers of different ranks.
There are also differences in privileges between different parts of the peerage system:
The Peerage of England is all titled Englishmen whose title was created before 1707 (the signing of the Act of Union).
The Peerage of Scotland is a title of nobility created by the monarchs of Scotland before 1707.
Peerage of Ireland - titles of the Kingdom of Ireland created before 1800 (the signing of the Act of Union) and some of them created later.
Peerage of Great Britain - all titles created in the Kingdom of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800.
Peerage of the United Kingdom - almost all titles created after 1800.
Older ranks are considered higher in the hierarchy. In addition, the determining factor in the hierarchy is the ownership of the title:
English,
Scottish,
Irish.
For example, an Irish earl with a title created before 1707 is lower in the hierarchy than an English earl with a title received at the same time. But the same Irish Earl will be higher in the hierarchy than the Earl of Great Britain with a title assigned after 1707.
Emergence of the peerage
The history of the creation of the English peerage system began with the conquest of England by the illegitimate son of the ruler of Normandy, William the Conqueror. He created a single Kingdom of England and divided the entire territory into manors. Those Englishmen who owned manors were called barons; Depending on the amount of land, “greater barons” and “lesser barons” were distinguished.
The king assembled the greater barons for royal councils, and the lesser ones were assembled by the sheriffs. Then they stopped convening lesser barons. It was the meetings of the great barons that were then transformed into the House of Lords, which still exists today. Most noble titles, like those, are inheritable.
Times changed and various ranks began to form among the nobles, the privileges of which differed significantly.
Hierarchy of titles
At the top of the hierarchy is, naturally, the royal family, which has its own hierarchy. The British royal family includes the monarch himself and a group of his close relatives. Members of the royal family are: the monarch, the monarch's consort or the widowed spouse of the monarch, the children of the monarch, his grandchildren in the male line, the spouses or widowed spouses of the heirs of the monarch in the male line.
The next most important among the English are:
Duke and Duchess (began to assign this title in 1337). Duke (derived from the Latin for "chief") is the highest-ranking English title of nobility after the King and Queen. Usually dukes rule the Duchy. Dukes constitute the second rank of princes after the princes of the royal family.
Marquis and Marquise (first awarded in 1385). Marquess is an English title of nobility, located between a duke and an earl. It comes from the designation of the boundaries of certain territories (from the French "marque" or border territory). In addition to the marquises themselves, this title is awarded to the eldest son of the duke and the daughter of the duke.
Earl (earl) and countess (used from 800-1000). Earls are members of the English nobility who previously owned and administered their own lands - counties, tried cases in provincial courts on behalf of the King, and collected fines and taxes from the local population. Also awarded earldoms were the eldest son of the marquis, the daughters of the marquis and the youngest son of the duke.
Viscount and Viscountess (the first such title was awarded in 1440). The word comes from the Latin "vice-count", "deputy of the count". During the father's lifetime, the eldest son of an earl or the younger sons of a marquess became viscounts as a courtesy title.
Baron and Baroness (first appeared in 1066). The word comes from the Old German "free master". Baron is the lowest rank of nobility in England. If the title is historically related to feudal baronies, then the baron holds that barony. In addition to the barons themselves, the following persons were endowed with this title in the form of a courtesy title: the eldest son of a viscount, the youngest son of an earl, the eldest son of a baron, then the younger sons of viscounts and the younger sons of barons followed in the hierarchy.
Another title, although heritable, but not one of English titled aristocratic persons, is baronet (there is no female equivalent). Baronets do not sit in the House of Lords and do not enjoy the privileges of the nobility. The eldest children of the younger sons of peers of various ranks, the eldest and youngest sons of baronets, became baronets.
All other Englishmen are untitled persons.
Appeal to titled persons
The treatment of titled Englishmen is a rather complex issue. Everyone knows that addressing the King and Queen involves the combination “Your Majesty.”
For dukes, the address "Your Grace" is used, as for duchesses, or the address duke-duchess along with the use of a title (for example, Duke of Wellington). Dukes rarely use surnames, but duchesses never use them.
Marquises, viscounts, earls, barons and their wives are addressed as My Lord (My Lord) or Milady (My Lady), or simply Lord and Lady. You can also use the title directly in the form of rank and title (for example, Marquess of Queensbury).
Former wives of peers of any rank are addressed as follows: the woman's name, then rank and title, without using the definite article "the" before the rank (for example, Diana, Princess of Wales).
Baronets and untitled persons are addressed using the words "sir" and "lady".
Receiving the title
The real title of Lord in England can be awarded by the Queen for special services to the country. But you can also get it in roundabout ways, for example, purchasing a medieval estate for a huge price along with a title, for example, baron. At the same time, they receive a certificate of belonging to a certain noble rank.
Title Features
Most often, the holder of any title is a man. Sometimes the title could belong to a woman if it was intended to be inherited. In other cases, the woman was awarded the title of courtesy as the wife of her husband. At the same time, the woman did not have the privileges that the husband had.
A woman's title was inherited in two cases:
If the woman was only the custodian of the title, in order to pass it on to a male heir in the future;
When a woman rightfully received a title, but could not sit in the House of Lords and hold certain positions.
Moreover, if a titled woman got married, her husband did not receive her title.
If a woman who received a title thanks to her husband turned out to be a widow, she kept it, and the word “dowager” could be added before addressing her. If a woman remarried, she acquired a new title corresponding to the title of her new husband, or even turned out to be an untitled person if the new husband did not belong to the nobility of England.
Another feature is that illegitimate sons did not receive titles under any circumstances. Therefore, titled persons often sought to marry pregnant women in order to ensure their son the right to inherit his title. Otherwise, only the youngest son had the right to receive nobility if he was already born in marriage, and in the absence of other sons, a distant relative.
Privileges of titled persons
Previously, the privileges of peers were very broad, but now titled Englishmen have very few rights left:
The right to sit in parliament,
Access to the Queen and King, although this right has not been used for a long time,
Right not to be subject to civil arrest (used only twice since 1945).
In addition, all peers have special crowns used at coronations, and distinctive robes for sitting in the House of Lords (if they are members of it) and coronations.
Hierarchy of the nobility
I'm in Lately I keep getting lost in the online strategy game Goodgame Empire, where you can get a title for military merit (I’m already Margrave x), and this hierarchy is attached there, I decided to find out more.
From the bottom to the top:
1) Knight - a political hereditary class of untitled or lower nobility. A free person, but, due to lack of property, unable to perform equestrian service, could, as a vassal, receive benefices or a plot of quitrent land. The allocation of quitrent land served economic purposes, while the distribution of benefits served military purposes. One way or another, the owner of the lands, the feuds, had the right to nominate himself for knighthood, giving an oath of allegiance to the more noble.
The dedication most often took place on the holidays of Christmas, Easter, Ascension, Pentecost - the solemn consecration of the sword, golden spurs and “blow”.
The knight must be "m. i. l. e. s.”, that is, magnanimus (generous), ingenuus (freeborn), largifluus (generous), egregius (valiant), strenuus (warlike). The knightly oath (votum professionis) requires listening to mass every day, protecting churches and clergy from robbers, protecting widows and orphans, avoiding an unfair environment and unclean earnings, going to duel to save the innocent, attending tournaments only for the sake of military exercises, respectfully serving the emperor in worldly affairs. , not to alienate the imperial fiefs, to live impeccably before the Lord and people.
Otherwise, there was also a procedure for depriving the knighthood, usually ending with the transfer of the former knight into the hands of the executioner x) The ceremony took place on the scaffold on which he was hanged reverse side a knight's shield (necessarily with a personal coat of arms depicted on it), and was accompanied by the singing of funeral prayers by a choir of a dozen priests. During the ceremony, after each psalm sung, a knight in full regalia was removed from a knight's vestment (not only armor, but also, for example, spurs, which were an attribute of knightly dignity). After complete exposure and another funeral psalm, the knight’s personal coat of arms (along with the shield on which he is depicted) was broken into three parts. After which they sang the 109th Psalm of King David, consisting of a set of curses, under the last words of which the herald (and sometimes the king himself) poured out on the former knight cold water, symbolizing purification.
Then the former knight was lowered from the scaffold using a gallows, the loop of which was passed under the armpits. The former knight, under the hooting of the crowd, was led to the church, where a real funeral service was held for him, at the end of which he was handed over to the hands of the executioner, unless he was sentenced to another punishment that did not require the services of an executioner (if the knight was relatively lucky, then anything could limited to deprivation of knighthood). After the execution of the sentence, the heralds publicly declared the children (or other heirs) “vile, deprived of rank, not having the right to bear arms and appear and participate in games and tournaments, at court and at royal meetings, on pain of being stripped naked and flogged with rods, like the Villans and those born of an ignoble father.” If the knight was impeccable and successful in battle, he could be endowed with new possessions and titles.
2) Chevalier - not much better than a knight, practically a synonym - a French name, except that he is 100% a nobleman.
3) Baron is an honorary title of nobility, it is a major ruling nobleman and feudal lord, a direct vassal of the king with the right of limited criminal and civil judicial jurisdiction in his fiefs, and at his own discretion he appointed judges, prosecutors and judicial officials. This title was assigned to members of such knightly families who, without having any proprietary rights, used fiefs directly from the king.
4) Count - a title of the highest nobility, a royal official with judicial, administrative and military power. The West Germanic word was used to translate the Latin comes “companion,” which in the Middle Ages received the meaning “companion of the king.”
5) Margrave - aka Marquis. An official subordinate to the king, endowed with broad administrative, military and judicial powers in the march - a district located in the border region and containing various kinds properties that are both state and private. Provided protection from foreign invaders.
6) Count Palatine or Count Palatine - in the Early Middle Ages, the count manager of the palatinate (palace) during the absence of a ruling monarch, also a royal official who headed the royal court, and a representative-deputy of the king. The palatines, who replaced the emperor in their district, had power in their domains that exceeded the power of ordinary counts.
7) Landgrave - the title of a count who enjoyed the highest jurisdiction in his possessions and was not subordinate to the duke or prince. Originally, a landgrave was a royal or imperial official who had possessions granted to fief directly by the emperor. At the same time, the Landgraves did not submit to either dukes, counts, or bishops. This was done in order to weaken the power of the powerful dukes.
8) Duke - among the ancient Germans - a military leader elected by the tribal nobility; V Western Europe, during early Middle Ages, - a tribal prince, and during the period of feudal fragmentation - a major territorial ruler, occupying first place after the king in the military-fief hierarchy. The German dukes were turned into officials the king to whom the rulers obeyed individual areas- graphs. In France, with the elimination of feudal disunity and the establishment of absolutism of royal power, the word “duke” began to designate the highest noble title, often members of the royal family and related families. In late European history, the title of duke was usually reserved for members of royal families. In addition to ducal titles of sovereign monarchs and titles of allodial (feudal) origin, there are noble titles of dukes, granted by monarchs to their subjects by royal prerogative.
9) Prince - the head of a separate political entity (appanage prince). the highest noble title, depending on its importance, equivalent to a prince or duke in Western and Southern Europe, in Central Europe (the former Holy Roman Empire), this title is called Fürst, and in Northern Europe - konung. The term "prince" is used to convey Western European titles going back to princeps and Fürst, also sometimes dux (usually duke). Initially, the prince was a tribal leader who headed the bodies of military democracy.
10) Elector “prince-elector”, from Kur - “choice, election” and Fürst - “prince”; tracing paper lat. principes electores imperii) - in the Holy Roman Empire - an imperial prince, to whom the right to elect an emperor was assigned since the 13th century.
The emergence of the institution of electors was associated, first of all, with the peculiarities of the political development of feudal Germany, with the formation of territorial principalities there, the long-term consolidation of political fragmentation and the weakening of central power.
11) Grand Duke - title of the head independent state. Approximately corresponds to the European title "prince of the blood".
12) Grand Duke - the title of independent sovereigns, standing, according to international law, between kings and dukes; they were given the title "Royal Highness".
13)Archduke is a title used exclusively by members of the Austrian royal house of Habsburg. In the hierarchy of titles in Germany during the Middle Ages and modern times, the Archduke stands above the Duke, but below the Elector and the King. The title of Archduke was first recognized by Emperor Frederick III of the House of Habsburg. Around 1458 he bestowed this title on his younger brother Albrecht VI, and in 1477 Sigismund of Tyrol. After 1482, the title of Archduke began to be used by the son and heir of Frederick III, Maximilian I, the future emperor. At some point similar to the use of the titles prince or duke in other royal houses of Europe.
14) King - König - the title of a monarch, usually hereditary, but sometimes elective, the head of the kingdom. In Europe, until 1533, the title of king was granted by the Pope, which was de facto recognized by Orthodox monarchs. The only representatives of the East Slavic statehood who officially bore the title of king were Daniil of Galicia and his descendants - who received the right to the royal title from Pope Innocent IV.
Based on Wikipedia))