Nobility of Spain Nobility of Spain of The Nobility of Spain The Spanish nobility are the persons who possess the legal status of nobility, and the system of titles and honours of Spain and of the former kingdoms that constitute it. Some nobles possess various titles that may be inherited, but the inheritance and creation of titles is entirely at the grace of the King of Spain. Other nobles have transmitted that status since time immemorial. Some aristocratic families use the nobiliary particle de before their family name. During the rule of General Francisco Franco, some new hereditary titles were conceded to individuals, and the titles granted by the Carlist pretenders were officially recognized. Upon the accession to Spain's throne in the person of Juan Carlos of Spain in 1975, the court of nobles holding offices attached to the royal household was not restored. Noble titleholders are subjected to taxation, whereas under Spain's ancien régime they were exempt. King Juan Carlos has also created new titles to recognize the merits of politicians and artists. Some of these have been hereditary.

For example, the daughter of longtime dictator Francisco Franco, Carmen Franco y Polo became Duchess of Franco, Adolfo Suárez became Duke of Suárez, the author Camilo José Cela became Marquis of Iria Flavia (the Roman name of his birth city) and the classical guitarist Andres Segovia became Marquis of Salobreña. Both Cela and Segovia's titles are now borne by their sons. He also exceptionally confirmed the title of Count of Barcelona, a title historically attached to the Crown, but used as a title of pretence by his father Juan de Borbón during the dynasty's Twentieth Century exile and the subsequent reign of his son. The Grandes de España Spanish nobles are classified either as Grandes de España (also called in English grandees), or as titled nobles. Formerly, grandees were divided into the first, second and third classes, but now, all grandees enjoy the same privileges. An individual may hold a grandeeship, whether in possession of a title of nobility or not. Normally, however, each grandeeship is attached to a title, though this was not always the case.

Furthermore, a grandeeship is always awarded along with every ducal title, just as most dukes in France gradually obtained a peerage under its ancien régime. A grandee of any rank outranks a non-grandee, even if that non-grandee's title is of a higher degree. Thus, a baron-grandee enjoys higher precedence than a marquis who is not a grandee. Except for dukes and some very ancient titles of marquesses and counts, most Spanish titles of nobility are not attached to grandeeships. Grandees are entitled to the style of Most Excellent Lord / Lady or His / Her Excellency. In the days of the old monarchy, Grandees had the privilege of keeping their hats on in the presence of the sovereign, and of addressing him as "cousin". Titled nobles who are of the rank of marquis or count use the style Most Illustrious Lord / Lady, while those of the rank of viscount, baron or lord use simply Lord / Lady. The Ranks of Spanish Nobility The titles of Prince of the Asturias, Prince of Gerona and Prince of Viana are held by the heir apparent of the Spanish crown.

The Spanish nobility is divided into six ranks (both the masculine and feminine forms, as well as some extant titles, are given). Some of the titles are the following: All the Dukedoms have attached the title of Grande de España Dukedom of Alba Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo, held by the British Duke of Wellington Duke of Hernani Duke of Moctezuma, held by the descendants of Aztec Emperor Moctezuma II in Spain. Duke of Montblanch Duke of Najera, est. 1482, currently held by Don Juan Traverso y Colon de Carvajal succeeded on 12.4.2000, his heir apparent is Ignacio Travesedo Julia, Conde de Trevino. Duke of Segovia Dukedom of Palma de Mallorca Duke of Vigo The Full List of Spanish Dukedoms Aguiar Marquess of Aguilar de Campoo Marquess of Albudeyte Marquess de la Cadena of Nueva Espana/Mexico (extinct). Marquess of Iria Flavia.

Marquess of Irujo y los Arcos Marquess of La Algaba Marquess of Isla de Arousa Marquess of Ría de Ribadeo Marquess of Villena Marquess of Santa Maria de Silvela Marquess of Salobreña The Full List of Spanish Marquistates Aguilar de Campóo County of Castella de Vigo County of Candia de Valencia County of Cervera The Full List of Spanish Countships Alcaudete Santa Cruz de los Manueles Santa Cruz de Mopox Viscounty of Quintanilla de Florez. Baron - Baroness - Barón - Baronesa Baron of Polop Title of Lord - Lady - Señor - Señora The title of Lord is out of the usual ranks of Spanish nobility, meaning that it has no place in the order of precedence and stays alone. Many of the spanish lordships are among the oldest nobility titles in Spain, and they usually granted the holder the political power over their lordship. Although some lordships were created by the kings of Spain, others existed before them, and haven't been created by any known king.

For example, the lord of Biscay would be the head of Biscay, holding a great degree of independence from the king of Castile, to whom he could pledge or not pledge suzerainty, but to whom he was not, at least at first, a vassal: each new lord of Biscay had to renew their oath to the king, although in the end the kings of Castile inherited the lordship. Lord of Balaguer: held by the King of Spain Lord of Biscay: since 1378 held by the King of Spain, thus acquiring the hitherto semi-independent lordship of Biscay Lord of Molina de Aragón Lord of Salas Other Titles of Nobility Infante: currently used by those royal princes who are not the heir apparent to the throne. Previously, it was also a high nobility title, being the most famous holders the Infantes de Carrión that appear in the Lay of the Cid. Prince: as said before, it is a title used by the heir apparent to the throne.

Three princedoms exist in Spain, one for each one of the three kingdoms that merged to form Spain: the Prince of Asturias, heir apparent to the throne of the kingdom of Castile and Leon. the Prince of Viana, heir apparent to the throne of the kingdom Navarre. the Prince of Girona, heir apparent to the throne of the kingdom of Aragon. Ricohombre (fem. Ricahembra): used during the Reconquista, it is a roughly equivalent to Baron. By the 17th century, it was a synonym of nobleman. Condestable: cognate with Constable, it is hereditary title used in the Kingdoms of Castile and Leon to refer to the second person in power in the kingdom, after the King. It was a hereditary title within the Velasco family, that gradually lost the powers once attributed to the Condestable of Castile.

Caballero: equivalent to Knight, it was very rare in the kingdom of Castile, but common in the kingdom of Aragon, where there were four types of caballeros: Golden-spur caballero: used by those infanzones (look below) who has been enknighted. They hold the greatest prestige among the knights' ranks. Royal-privilege caballero: it was a personal title not to be inherited by his descendents, granted by the king to the Doctors in Law (LL.D. holders). It was rarely used by their holders, since the doctoral rank had bigger privileges. Caballero Mesnadero: to refer to the non first-born sons of a Ricohombre. It disappeared during the 18th century, when the Burbon kings purged the ranks of the nobility. Caballero franco: to refer to those who had previously been hijosdalgo or infanzones, but were commoner-born. Potestad: only in the kingdom of Aragon, its equivalent is the Italian podestà, an administrative-related title. It disappeared with the Nueva Planta decrees in 1713.

Doctor: indeed, any holder of a PhD or any other doctoral rank was recognised privileges equal to those of higher nobility. For example, doctors were exempt of uncovering their heads in the presence of the King, a privilege shared only by the grandees. The Lower Nobility of Spain Lower nobility held titles such as hidalgo, infanzon (aragonese equivalent to hidalgo), escudero (esquire), but these do not correspond to baron, a title unknown to spanish nobility but in Catalonia. Hidalgo (plural:hijosdalgo) was the most common one, all the people of Biscay having been granted that noble title. All titled and untitled nobles are considered hidalgos. Contrary to the rest of noble titles, the one of hidalgo didn't have attached any fief, grant or land, and, therefore, many were as poor as commoners, although they were tax-exempted and could join the civil service or the army.

Hidalgo is usually regarded as a paradigm of Spanish racism: literally it means son of something, meaning that the hidalgo title holder was of pure christian blood, being able to trace his ancestors and prove he was not of Jewish or Moorish descendant; they were usually considered descendants of noblemen who did not inherit the throne.[citation needed]. Indeed, although during the Middle Ages it was a title granted by the King of Castile as a reward for any service done to the crown (or as a way of recognising rights, as in the case of Biscay), in the same way escudero was granted for military achievements, when the Reconquista ended, hidalgo, being the simplest way of proving one's pure blood, came to be the only lesser title to remain among the ranks of spanish nobility. Right of Succession The evidence supporting one's claim to a title may be reviewed by the Deputation of Grandees and Titled Nobles of the Kingdom (Diputación de Grandes y Títulos del Reino). The body includes eight grandees, eight nobles who are not grandees, and a president who must hold both a grandeeship and a hereditary title without grandeeship.

Succession to Spanish noble titles is hereditary, but not automatic. The original letters patent which created the title determines the course of succession. The title of King of Spain however currently follows male-preference cognatic primogeniture, as set in the medievalCastilian law Siete Partidas. While noble titles historically have followed the rule of male-preference primogeniture, a Spanish law came into effect on October 30, 2006, after approval by both houses of parliament, establishing the inheritance of hereditary noble titles by the firstborn regardless of sex. The law is retroactive to July 27, 2005. Following the death of a noble, the senior heir may petition the King through the Spanish Ministry of Justice for permission to use the title. If the senior heir does not make a petition within two years, then other heirs may themselves do so. Furthermore, there is an overall limit of forty years within which one may claim a title.

The petitioner must demonstrate that he or she is a child, grandchild or direct male line descendant of a noble (whether a grandee or not), or that he or she belongs to certain bodies or orders of chivalry deemed noble, or that the father's family is recognized as noble (if succeeding to a grandeeship, the mother's family also). Furthermore, a fee must be paid; the fees depend on whether the title is attached to a grandeeship or not, and on whether the heir is a direct descendant or collateralkinsman to the previous holder. The petition is normally granted, except if the petitioner is a criminal. Titles may also be ceded to heirs other than the senior heir during the lifetime of the main titleholder. Normally, the process is used to allow younger children to succeed to the titles, while the highest or principal title goes to the senior heir. Only subsidiary titles may be ceded; the principal title must be reserved for the senior heir. The cession of titles may only be done with the approval of the monarch. Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba, holds the Guinness Book of Records for number of titles with over 50 titles.

References ^ Atienza, Julio de. Nobiliario Español: Diccionario Heráldico de Apellidos Españoles y de Títulos Nobiliarios. Madrid: Aguilar, 1948. Figueroa y Melgar, Alfonso de. Estudio Histórico Sobre Algunas Familias Españolas. 6v. in 12 parts. Madrid: Editions Dawson & Fry, 1965. Noble Titles in Spain and Spanish Grandees Nobility & Grandee Titles in Spain (Ministry of Justice) Noblemen - definition of Noblemen by The Free Dictionary Noblemen - definition of Noblemen by The Free Dictionary Related to Noblemen: British nobleman no·ble·man A man of noble rank. nobleman a man of noble rank, title, or status; peer; aristocrat no•ble•man a man of noble birth or rank; noble; peer. [1520–30] no′ble•man•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: armiger - a nobleman entitled to bear heraldic arms baron - a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank burgrave - a nobleman ruling a German castle and surrounding grounds by hereditary right count - a nobleman (in various countries) having rank equal to a British earl duke - a nobleman (in various countries) of high rank grandee - a nobleman of highest rank in Spain or Portugal male aristocrat - a man who is an aristocrat margrave - a German nobleman ranking above a count (corresponding in rank to a British marquess) marquess , marquis - nobleman (in various countries) ranking above a count mesne lord - a feudal lord who was lord to his own tenants on land held from a superior lord milord - a term of address for an English lord palsgrave , palatine - (Middle Ages) the lord of a palatinate who exercised sovereign powers over his lands peer - a nobleman (duke or marquis or earl or viscount or baron) who is a member of the British peerage sire - a title of address formerly used for a man of rank and authority thane

 - a feudal lord or baron viscount - (in various countries) a son or younger brother or a count noblewoman , peeress , Lady - a woman of the peerage in Britain Translations [ˈnəʊblmən] N (noblemen (pl)) → noble m, aristócrata m (Spanish Hist) → hidalgo m nobleman [ˈnəʊbəlmən] n (= aristocrat) → noble m nobleman [ˈnəʊblmən] n (-men (pl)) → nobile m, nobiluomo noble (ˈnəubl) adjective 1.

honourable; unselfish. a noble mind; a noble deed. edel نَبيل الشُّعور благороден digno ušlechtilý, šlechetný edel ædel; fin ευγενικός , ανώτερος noble üllas متواضع؛ مودب jalo noble אציל कुलीन plemenit, sjajan nemes mulia göfuglyndur nobile 高潔な 고귀한 kilnus, garbingas cēls; cildens mulia edel edel , fin , nobel szlachetny متواضع او با ادبه digno nobil благородный, великодушный šľachetný plemenit plemenit ädel, nobel มิคุณธรรมสูง soylu , asil , yüce 高尚無私的 благородний محترم، بے لوث cao quý 高尚的 2. of high birth or rank. a noble family; of noble birth.

adel كَريم الأصْل، نَبيل знатен nobre urozený, vznešený adelig fornem; adelig αριστοκρατικός noble suursugune شريف aatelinen noble אצולה , מיוחס नीतिवान plemenit porijeklom nemesi származású luhur ættgöfugur nobile 高貴な 귀족의 kilmingas dižciltīgs berketurunan bangsawan adellijk adelig szlachecki شريف nobre nobil знатный urodzený plemenit plemićki adlig, förnäm ชั้นสูง asil , aristokrat 貴族的，顯貴的 шляхетний; знатний شريف، باعزت quý tộc 贵族的 noun a person of high birth. The nobles planned to murder the king.

adellike نَبيل، أحد النُّبَلاء благородник nobre šlechtic der/die Adelig adel ο ευγενής, αυτός που ανήκει στην αριστοκρατική τάξη noble aadlik آزاده ها aatelinen noble בֵּן אָצוּלָה कुलीन मनुष्य plemić nemes(ember) ningrat aðalsmaður nobile 貴族 귀족 didikas dižciltīgais; augstmanis bangsawan edele adelsmann/-kvinne szlachcic آزادى غوښتونكى nobre nobil дворянин šľachtic plemič plemstvo adelsman คนชั้นสูง soylu kimse, asilzade 貴族 знать امير زادہ người quý tộc 贵族 noˈbility (-ˈbi-) noun 1. the state of being noble.

the nobility of his mind/birth.

adellik نُبْل، نَبالَه، أصالَه، شَرَف الشُّعور благородство nobreza šlechetnost, ušlechtilost die Vornehmheit ædelhed; nobelhed ευγένεια , αρχοντιά nobleza õilsus اصالت خانوادگى ylevyys noblesse אֲצִילוּת कुलीन वर्ग, अभिजात वर्ग plemenitost nemesség kemuliaan aðall nobiltà 高潔さ 고귀함 kilnumas, kilmingumas aristokrātija; dižciltīgums kemuliaan adellijkheid, edelheid edelhet , nobelhet szlachetność ښه نسب لرل nobreza nobleţe благородство šľachetnosť plemenitost plemenitost ädelhet, adlig börd ความมีศีลธรรม soyluluk, asalet

 高尚無私，高貴 благородство, шляхетність شرافت، نجابت giới quý tộc 高贵 2.

nobles ie dukes, earls etc. The nobility supported the king during the revolution.

adellikes النُّبَلاء аристокрация nobreza šlechta der Adel adel ευγενείς , αριστοκρατία nobleza aadel طبقه نجبا aatelisto noblesse הַאֲצְוּלָה उच्च्ता, श्रेष्ठता plemstvo nemesség bangsawan aðalsmannastétt nobiltà 貴族 귀족 (계급) diduomenė aristokrātija kaum bangsawan adel adel szlachta د اشرافو كورنى nobreza nobi­lime дворянство šľachta plemstvo plemstvo adel ความสูงส่ง; ชนชั้นสูง soylular, asiller 貴族階層 вельможне панство, знать شرفاء tính cao thượng 贵族阶层 ˈnobly adverb He worked nobly for the cause of peace.

edel, edelmoedig بِصورَةٍ نَبيلَه благородно dignamente ušlechtile großmütig ædelt μεγαλόψυχα noblemente , con generosidad õilsalt شرافتمندانه jalosti noblement בַּאֲצִילוּת कुलीनता plemenito, velikodušno nagylelkűen penuh kemuliaan göfugmannlega, drengilega nobilmente 気高く 고귀하게 kilniai, garbingai pašaizliedzīgi dengan hati yang mulia op grootmoedige wijze edelt , nobelt szlachetnie په شرافت سره dignamente cu nobleţe благородно; самоотверженно ušľachtilo plemenito plemenito ädelt อย่างประเสริฐ şerefli bir şekilde, asil 高尚無私地 благородно شريفانہ cao thượng 高尚地 ˈnobleman – feminine ˈ

noblewoman – noun a noble.

The king was murdered by a nobleman at his court.

edelman رَجُل شَريف، نَبيل ، كَريم الأصْل، عَريق النَّسَب благородник nobre šlechtic der/die Adelige adelsmand ο ευγενής, αυτός που ανήκει στην αριστοκρατική τάξη noble aadlik نجيبزاده؛ نجيب زاده aatelinen noble אציל कुलीन जन plemkinja nemesember orang bangsawan aðalsmaður nobiluomo 貴族 고귀한 출생(신분)의 사람 didikas, didikë dižciltīgais wanita, lelaki bangsawan edelman adelsmann/-kvinne szlachcic, szlachcianka نجيب زاده،د لوى نسب خاوند nobre nobil дворянин šľachtic plemič plemić adelsman ขุนนาง soylu 貴族 дворянин امير،

 شريف người quý tộc 贵族 hidalgo | Spanish nobility | Britannica.com Spanish nobility baron Hidalgo, in Spain, a hereditary noble or, in the later Middle Ages and the modern era, a knight or member of the gentry.

The term appeared in the 12th century as fidalgus, or Castilian hidalgo, supposedly a contraction of hijo de algo, “son of something,” and it applied to all nobles, but especially to the lesser nobility as distinct from the magnates (ricos hombres) and commoner knights (caballeros villanos). The hidalgos enjoyed some exceptional privileges and were dependent on rents or offices. By the 15th century they were probably thought of as being of Christian descent and thus distinguished from former Muslims and from conversos, descended from Jews. The impoverished hidalgo is depicted in the anonymous picaresque novel Lazarillo de Tormes and in Cervantes’ Don Quixote . Learn More in these related articles: Don Quixote (novel by Cervantes) novel published in two parts (Part I, 1605; Part II, 1615) by Miguel de Cervantes, one of the most widely read classics of Western literature. Originally conceived as a comic satire against the chivalric romances then in literary vogue, it describes realistically what befalls an elderly knight who,...

in history of Europe: Political, economic, and social background ...was closing. Finally, the crown linked its destinies with the Habsburgs by a double marriage, thus projecting Spain into the heart of European politics. In the following decades, Castilian hidalgos (lower nobles), whose fathers had crusaded against the Moors in Spain, streamed across the Atlantic to make their fortunes out of the land and sweat of the American Indians, while others... in Spain: The nobility The traditions of the grandees and hidalgos, formed in the centuries of struggle against the Muslims, made them even more averse to economic activities than the rest of the European nobility. Many engaged in wholesale trade in wool and grain, and some profited from the American trade in Sevilla. But the majority invested their money in land—without, however, improving... 3 References found in Britannica Articles Assorted References Corrections? Updates? Help us improve this article! Contact our editors with your feedback. MEDIA FOR: You have successfully emailed this. Error when sending the email. Try again later. Edit Mode Submit Tips For Editing We welcome suggested improvements to any of our articles.

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Close Date Published: July 20, 1998 URL: Access Date: December 31, 2016 Share Definition of Nobility - - Robert Burton Nobility can be many things including a social and historical concept. This is different from social status or class which is more related to income. Nobility in ancient Roman society was not established simply by birth. It could be maintained and acquired by service in public offices and promotion to senior positions, which were called honores. Nobility has been seen as a sign of biological or racial superiority; as a desired political arrangement; or as compensation for services given. Nobility was once demonstrated by the showing of an aristocratic pedigree and wealth. Chivalry focused the demonstration of nobility on action and strived to show that true nobility comes from the heart. Nobility titles are found today in quite a few countries, mostly though it is usually often with former or present monarchies. The word "noble," or ariya, is used by the Buddha to designate a particular type of person, the type of person which it is the aim of his teaching to create. In the discourses the Buddha classifies human beings into two broad categories.

On one side there are the puthujjanas, the worldlings, those belonging to the multitude, whose eyes are still covered with the dust of defilements and delusion. On the other side there are the ariyans, the noble ones, and the spiritual elite, who obtain this status not from birth, social station or ecclesiastical authority but from their inward nobility of character. (“The Nobility of the Truths” by Bhikkhu Bodhi). Nobility comes from the soul: one’s actions make a person noble. This means we must not confuse nobility with titles, which are the “crown” of previous nobility. Great importance has always been given to demonstrating having an illustrious surname or belonging to a noble family. Nobility is a government-privileged title which may be either hereditary or for a lifetime. Hereditary titles, in a general sense, are titles, positions or styles that are hereditary and thus tend or are bound to remain in particular families.

Some hereditary titles are inherited only by the eldest son (see primogeniture ) ; others may pass to the eldest child of either gender, or to all children of a family equally (although this is rare), or can be shared and thus multiplied in the case of a title and/or divided in the case of a 'real' object. In some traditions adoption is a common way around biological kinship, as in the Hindu tradition to assure there is a male heir of the same caste. Titles of nobility exist today in many countries, although it is usually associated with present or former monarchies. The term originally referred to those who were "known" or "notable" and was applied to the highest social class in pre-modern societies . In the feudal system (in Europe and elsewhere), the nobility were generally those who held a fief , often land or office, under vassalage , i.e., in exchange for allegiance and various, mainly military, services to the Monarch and at lower levels to another nobleman. It rapidly came to be seen as a hereditary caste, sometimes associated with a right to bear a hereditary title and, for example in pre-revolutionary France, enjoying fiscal and other privileges.

Today, in most Western countries, "noble status" is a purely honorary dignity that confers no legal privileges; an important exception is the United Kingdom, where certain titles - titles of the peerage , until recently, guaranteed a seat in the Upper House of the UK Parliament ; hence its name, House of Lords - still confer some residual privileges. Nobility is a historical, social and often legal notion, which should not be confused with socio-economic sta tus which is mainly statistical based on income and possessions. Being wealthy or influential does not automatically make one a noble, nor are all nobles wealthy and influential (aristocratic families have lost their fortunes in various ways, and the concept of the 'poor nobleman' is almost as old as nobility itself). Countries without a feudal tradition do not have a nobility as such. Various republics, including the United States, Mexico, and Italy have expressly abolished titles of nobility. Although many such societies have a privileged 'upper class' with great wealth and power, this does not entail a separate legal status, or different forms of address .

In Italy before 1861 various noble sources existed, each one with its own criteria and principles relative to the numerous different states that made up our country. There were around 8,000 families and people who were recognized as nobles by the Heraldic Consulta of the Kingdom. A further 170/200 were recognized and ennobled by His Majesty Umberto II, between 1948 and 1983, when he died. Likewise, we consider there are a further 2,000 families who hold false titles or who are convinced they are nobles. False nobles of either nature are those who misinterpret a real and not acclaimed state of nobility, parading coats of arms and crowns obtained over the years or, today, from “princes” with imaginative pretensions. The nobilities of the various modern states of Europe came into existence when feudalism, a social system based on land tenure, succeeded the imperial government of Rome after the Germanic invasions. During the unsettled social and economic conditions that followed the fall of the Roman Empire in the 5th and 6th centuries, some men acquired land, usually by conquest.

These men then granted parts of their holdings to others, over whom they thereafter exercised certain rights, including taxation and the administration of justice, and from whom they were entitled to various services. Those who granted the land were known as lords and those who accepted it were known as vassals. The lords of a nation formed its nobility, their rank depending on the extent of their possessions. The preposition de in the names of French nobles and von in the names of German nobles (both meaning “of” or “from”) express the idea of land ownership that is fundamental to the feudal concept of nobility. Since the French Revolution (1789-1799), the tendency in European countries has been strongly toward the abolition of hereditary titles. In France the nobility was first deprived of its special rights and privileges, and then, in 1790, all hereditary titles were abolished by decree. Napoleon I , however, created a new nobility, granting titles and estates to those who had served him well, especially in military affairs. After Napoleon's downfall Louis XVIII , king of France, restored to the prerevolutionary nobility many of its former privileges, rights, and honors.

The Second Republic (1848-1852) once more abolished nobility in France, but Napoleon III restored the aristocratic class. Under the Third Republic (1871-1945) the nobility was once more abolished. In contemporary France, persons who have inherited titles may use them as part of their family name, but they possess none of the special rights or honors of the former nobility. In Germany, titles of nobility existed from early medieval times until they were abolished when the region became a republic in 1918. After 1918, members of the former nobility were permitted to use titles only as part of a name. In Russia, titles of nobility similar to those of the nations of Western Europe were instituted by Emperor Peter I . All such titles were abolished by the Revolution of 1917. In Spain, titles of nobility still exist. Members of the higher nobility bear the title of grandee; the lesser nobles are known as los titulados de Castilla. In the United Kingdom the sovereign still grants titles of nobility. The British nobility is divided into an upper nobility and a lower nobility.

The upper consists of all those who hold a hereditary rank above that of a baronet; it includes those with titles of duke, marquis, earl, viscount, and baron. Among the lower nobility are those holding the rank of baronet, knight, and esquire. The upper nobility makes up the British peerage, and its members have the right to hereditary seats in the House of Lords. Life peers can also be created. They hold the rank for their own lives only; the title does not descend to their children. The Appellate Jurisdiction Act of 1876 gave the Crown the right to give judges the rank of lord of appeal and grant them life peerages. The Life Peerages Act of 1958 gave the Crown the right to create other life peers besides judges, and about ten are now created each year. All life peers are appointed to the House of Lords, where members review legislation passed by the House of Commons and serve as Britain's highest court of appeals. NOBILITY IN ITALY An entirely different state of affairs exists in Italy.

The abolition of the Papal States, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the Grand Duchy of Tuscany, the Duchies of Parma and Modena, and the incorporation of the Austrian dependencies in Northern Italy into a united Italian Kingdom, led to the establishment of a new national nobility, with an attempt (not wholly successful) to impose a uniform nobiliary law. Italian nobiliary practices cannot be compared directly to those of other countries, such as Scotland or Russia. Even within Italy, regional differences must be considered because until circa 1870 the nation did not exist as a politically unified state. Until the 19th century, the peninsula we now call Italy was made up of many city-states. These independent nations exist under successions of various invading empires of the French, Turks, Germans, Austrians and Spanish. The individual states, although sharing a small geographical space, were each culturally unique. They spoke separate dialects, worshiped in different churches and had unique attitudes. The cultural movement of the 16th and 17th centuries created a sense of nationalism within the future Italy for the first time.

The Nobility of Italy reflects the fact that medieval "Italy" was a set of separate states until 1870 and had many royal bloodlines. The Italian royal families were often related through marriage to each other and to other European royal families. We must realize than less that 150 years ago Italy was comprised of about 10 separate small countries, and as result, great-great grandfather was not “Italian”, but either Piemontese, Toscano, Veneziano, Modenese, Parmigiano, a subject of the Pope, or Napoletano – Siciliano, etc. Prior to Italian Unification , the existence of the Kingdom of Sardinia , the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies (which before 1816 was split in Kingdom of Naples and Kingdom of Sicily ), the Grand Duchy of Tuscany , the Duchy of Parma the Duchy of Modena , the Duchy of Savoy , the Duchy of Milan , the Papal States , various republics and the Austrian dependencies in Northern Italy led to parallel nobilities with different traditions and rules.

In 1796, Napoleon, the Emperor of France, began his invasion of Italy and eventually liberated the city-states from the various foreign rulers. He politically unified them into the Kingdom of Italy, over which he proclaimed himself king. It is interesting to note that Napoleon was born Napoleone Buonaparte and later changed his name to the French Bonaparte, so he was actually Italian, not French. During his rule, Napoleon created Italy’s first centralized administrative, judicial and civil code. The feudalism that characterized prior centuries was virtually eliminated. The civil vital records for most regions began in 1809, during the Napoleonic era so we have Napoleon to thank for the many records we are able to discover today. After Napoleon’s fall, Italy reverted to its reunification city-states and the European monarchs redrew their old boundaries. The north was ruled by the Austrian empire, the central region consisted of the Papal States and the south was ruled by Spain. Secret underground societies developed to encourage a free Italy. In the mid-1800s a movement called il Risorgimento (the resurrection) inspired a new Italy.

During this political active decade between 1860 and 1870, il Risorgimento incited Victor Emmanuel II to unite the individual kingdoms into a single empire. By 1870, Italy as we know it was born. Under the united Kingdom of Italy a new national nobility, with an attempt (not wholly successful) to impose a uniform nobiliary law, was created, including male succession (although it was possible for ancient titles to be transferred to an heir in the female line by royal authority), and some acknowledgment by the King of Italy of titles conferred by Francis II of the Two Sicilies in exile by making new grants in the same name. The Lateran Treaty of 1929 acknowledged all Papal titles created before that date and undertook to give automatic recognition to titles conferred by the Holy See on Italian citizens in the future. (It is extremely doubtful whether the Italian Republic's non-recognition of noble titles could legally include Papal awards, under the terms of this Treaty. The recent revisions of the Lateran accord between the Vatican and Italian Republic make no mention of noble titles.

In 1947 the Constitution of the Italian Republic abolished the use of nobiliary titles, in the sense that they are placed outside the legal system of the Republic). (Above picture: Francis II (Italian: Francesco II, christened Francesco d'Assisi Maria Leopoldo, January 16 , 1836 – December 27 , 1894 ), was King of the Two Sicilies from 1859 to 1861 ). The last Italian monarch, King Umberto II (1904-1983), was deposed by popular referendum in 1946. Though its results have been disputed, at least in certain quarters (particularly by fervent monarchists and by several Italian regional courts), this referendum (remarkably, the first occasion for Italian women to vote) was held under American auspices during the Allied occupation and established the Italian Republic as a legitimate state recognized internationally and, eventually, by all of the former ruling dynasties, the Vatican, the Republic of San Marino and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.

Article 139 of the Constitution of the Italian Republic codifies the exile of the King of Italy and his male heirs, a provision being abrogated only fifty years later. It also abolishes the Consulta Araldica and official recognition of predicati (territorial designations or "seats") if recognized during the Fascist era (i.e. after 28 October 1922). Subsequently, these designations could be suffixed to surnames as a result of particular petitions to provincial courts having jurisdiction in such matters. Eventually, Italian high courts would issue still more rulings to attenuate the status even of those titles recognized until 1922, but local courts would uphold the rights to identity of titled aristocrats in cases where impostors claimed the titles and territorial designations of living persons whose immediate forebears had been recognized by the Consulta Araldica before 1922. It is important to observe that the use of aristocratic titles in Italy is in no way outlawed, and historical titles are often used socially, with the titles of Cavaliere (Knight) and Dama (Dame) recognized in some cases.

While there exist no means to petition for "official" recognition of Italian noble titles or coats of arms, some private organizations, such as those associated with the former ruling dynasties, continue to recognize these. The Italian Republic's recognition (for cultural purposes) of royal dynasties other than the House of Savoy served to bolster a return of adherence to nobiliary laws as these had existed before 1860. The dynasties of the Two Sicilies and Tuscany naturally recognize their own heraldic norms, rather than those of the House of Savoy. The two orders of knighthood (Order of Malta and Constantinian Order of St. George of the Two Sicilies) that recognize ancestral nobility for certain knights employ their own nobiliary standards, at least in theory, and in a few respects these differ from those employed in the Savoy dominions in recent centuries. King Umberto's only son and successor, H.R.H. Crown Prince Vittorio Emanuele, while the King had never abdicated his rights, his son inherited the claim after the abolition of the Monarchy.

The right to award the Royal Orders has been actively maintained and, when the former Papal Secretary of State, Cardinal Casaroli, publicly accepted the Collar of the Supreme Order of the Annunziata in 1988, the Holy See was categorically acknowledging that the purported abolition of this Order by the Italian Republic was illegal and ineffective and the right of the Crown Prince to award his dynastic Orders of Saints Maurice and Lazarus, which now has members across Europe and in the United States and is engaged in an active charitable mission, and has established the Order of Civil Merit of Savoy in a reform of the Civil Order of Savoy. "The historical evidence of an ancestor's nobiliary title is usually obvious and can be confirmed through juridical investigation because of documents creating or recognizing the rank. It is necessary to establish (genealogically) one's descent from a titled nobleman claimed as an ancestor-whether a father or great-great-grandfather-if a claim is to be based upon demonstrable fact rather than whimsical fancy or familial "tradition." ( Luigi Mendola is one of the world's foremost experts on Italian heraldry and feudal history).

Nobiliary Titles of the Two Sicilies Although titles of nobility (like other heraldic rights) have not been recognized officially by the Italian state since 1948, their social use is legal, and such titles continue to be recognized by the royal families (House of the Two Sicilies, House of Savoy), the Vatican City state, and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The principal titles and ranks include: Noble Prince (Principe) and Noble Princess (Principessa), Duke (Duca) and Duchess (Duchessa), Marquess (Marchese) and Marchioness (Marchesa), Count (Conte) and Countess (Contessa), Viscount (Visconte) and Viscountess (Viscontessa), Baron (Barone) and Baroness (Baronessa), Patrician (Patrizio), Nobleman (Nobile), Hereditary Knight (Cavaliere Ereditario).

Honors Bestowed by the House of the Two Sicilies The Constantinian Order is recognized by the Italian Republic (with circulars issued by the Foreign Ministry and the Ministry of Defense on 20 July 1963 and 16 May 1996), and by the other entities mentioned at "Nobiliary Titles" (above). Consequently, Italian ambassadors and military officers may wear its decorations while in service. A knight may be addressed by the Italian title "Cavaliere," abbreviated Cav., preceding his full name or his surname alone; a knight commander may be addressed "Commendatore" in the same manner. A dame may be addressed "Dama" preceding her given name alone or her full name. The consort of a knight may be addressed formally "Donna" (Lady) in like manner. After 1946, usually as the result of circumstantial exigencies unique to each case, some nobiliary creations and matriculations of the late King of Italy, Umberto II, were made at variance to particular prescriptions of Italian statute as established by King Vittorio Emanuele III.

Furthermore, certain historically independent entities based in Italy that make determinations regarding the recognition of ancestral nobility rule according to their own traditional norms, which in some instances may differ somewhat from those promulgated by the King of Italy in this and other decrees: The Sovereign Military Order of Malta bases its nobiliary rulings on criteria which date from the days of medieval feudal law, without recourse to any outside authority, while the Royal House of the Two Sicilies recognizes exclusively the body of heraldic law enforced in that realm until 1860 which, for example, ascribed considerable importance to the rights of female succession, a practice all but abolished in the Kingdom of Italy. The following decree should be viewed in the context of the Lateran Treaties ratified a few years afterward (1929), terms of which resolved a longstanding dispute between the Kingdom of Italy and the Roman Catholic Church which had resulted in Catholic marriages not being recognized as legal by the Italian state, thereby necessitating civil marriages to ensure legitimacy of issue.

The Consulta Araldica was abolished by the Constitution of the Italian Republic in 1948; all royal decrees pertinent to heraldry and nobility, as well as numerous other laws decreed between 1922 and 1946, eventually were abrogated ex post facto, this abolitive legislation being supported by subsequent decisions rendered by Italian high courts in the early 1960s. Were Italy still a monarchical state today, additional heraldic legislation might well be required to address such matters as widespread divorce, marital annulment and subsequent remarriage among the nobility, as well as the emergence of more egalitarian attitudes towards the rights of adopted children, conditions unforeseen in 1946. Its publication here marks the first appearance of this remarkable document in the English language.

Statute Governing Succession to Nobiliary Titles and Styles Vittorio Emanuele III By the Grace of God and the Will of the Nation King of Italy Having seen Article 79 of the Fundamental Statute of the Kingdom; Having heard the advice of the Council of Ministers; Acting on the advice of the Prime Minister; We have and do by these presents decree that: Article 1 In view of the ancient dispositions based upon various laws in each region of Italy, the order of succession regarding titles and nobiliary attributes [i.e. ranks, territorial designations, etc.] created by the Sovereigns of the ancient States prior to political unification shall be abrogated in favor of the following set forth herein. Article 2 The succession to nobiliary titles and territorial designations shall favor the lineal male descendants in the agnate line of the last individual invested, according to primogeniture, without limitation as to degree of kinship or consanguinity but nevertheless in favor of the direct line of descent. The lineage of those qualified to succeed to such ranks must ascend patrilineally to the first individual invested with the title.

Titles of nobility shall not be transmitted to females, nor through a female line, except under the conditions set forth in the first section of article 4. Article 3 Natural children, even if they be recognised, as well as those children legitimised by Royal Decree, shall not qualify to succeed to titles of nobility or familial territorial designations. An adopted child shall not qualify to succeed to the right to a title of nobility or familial territorial designation of his adoptive parent except in the event of the exercise of the Sovereign Prerogative for titles of new creation in conformity to Article 79 of the Fundamental Statute of the Kingdom. Article 4 Titles created by any prescription whatsoever, and with special reference to those legally recognised in the persons of male heirs general, are succeeded to from the day of birth of the heir. Those titles created with the provision of succession by, in addition to male heirs general, female heirs general as well, shall be borne by the ladies only until marriage, and do not entail rights to succession.

No modification is made to the rights of both sexes relative to the use of the qualification "Nobile" as set forth in Article 42 of the Regolamento [Regulation] approved by Royal Decree number 314 of 5 July 1896. Article 5 At the time that the present decree becomes law, titles which have been inherited by females shall be transmitted to their male heirs, and shall in the future devolve to the heirs of the same in conformity to the terms established with Article 2. In the event of extinction of heirs in the male lines, in which case a female has come to inherit a title, said title, with the attached territorial designation, shall, by authority of Letters Patent of Royal Assent, be granted to the senior male descendant of the agnate line of the family to which it appertained on the day of promulgation of the laws abolishing feudalism, in compliance to the terms established with Article 2.

Article 6 A title which, except under the provisions of the first section of Article 4, is at the time of ratification of the present law borne by a nubile female shall, on the day of her marriage or, in the absence of marriage, on the day of her death, devolve to the senior male in the agnate line of the family to which the lady appertains [i.e. into which she was born], in conformity to Article 2, except under the conditions described in Article 9. If a title is vested in the person of a lady in the state of marriage when the present statute is ratified, her title shall upon her death devolve to the senior male in the agnate line of the family to which the she appertains, any prior Letters Patent of Royal Assent recognising rights of succession in her favor and in favor of her heirs according to any other prescription being null and void.

In the event of more than one title being vested in the person of a lady in the state of marriage when the present statute is ratified, there may be issued, upon the request of the the titled lady, a Decree of Royal Assent establishing that upon her death one of these titles, and the associated territorial designation, shall devolve to the firstborn son of her marriage, provided that this does not coincidentally include the territorial designation attached to the name of the family into which the titled lady was born. Article 7 The husband of a titled lady, even if he be a widow, may under terms of the present statutes legally may bear by courtesy the masculine title analogous to the title of nobility of his spouse. However, his use of said title shall not include the territorial designation, and shall cease upon his remarriage. Article 8 The rights of those invested with one or more title shall be hereby preserved, in consideration of the legally prescribed means of transmission of same. Subsequent succession to the title shall conform to the conditions described in Article 2.

Article 9 If , before or after the ratification of the present law, the male agnate line of a family that, in conformity to the first or second sections of Article 5, had the right to titular succession, becomes extinct, the title may, with an act of the Sovereign, devolve to the firstborn female issue of its last bearer, from whence to her firstborn male issue. In that event, the lady's male issue may legally be permitted to assume the surname of their mother. Article 10 In exceptional cases, acting upon the request of the bearer of more than one nobiliary title, there may be issued a Decree of Royal Assent according to which his firstborn daughter or, in default of which, his nearest sister, may, in the absence of male heirs, succeed to one of his titles and the attached territorial designation, insofar as the latter is not attached to the surname as used by other members of the family in the male agnate line. Upon the death of the said lady who succeeds to the aforementioned title, it shall devolve to her respective male issue. This condition shall be applicable only in compliance with ancient concessions that were made regarding Neapolitan, Sicilian and Sardinian transmission.

Article 11 Upon the request of the bearer of more than one nobiliary title, a Ministerial Decree issued on the advice of the Consulta Araldica may be made permitting the firstborn male issue, or in default of which the next heir in the line of succession, to use during the entire course of his life one of the aforementioned [secondary] titles. Article 12 Pre-existing laws and practices relative to the succession to titles of nobility which are contrary to the conditions set forth herein are hereby abrogated. Article 13 The terms of the present decree shall be applicable to matriculations and creations made following political unification, as well as to decisions regarding future matriculations and creations, which in particular cases have not been rendered, or have not explicitly been recognised, or which are governed by special conditions relative to the successors. Article 14 The present decree shall take effect from the date of its publication in the Gazzetta Ufficiale of the Kingdom. We order that the present decree, bearing the seal of the State, be placed in the official registry of laws and decrees of the Kingdom of Italy, to be made available to whomever shall seek to view it.

Given at Racconigi this 16th day of August 1926. [signed] VITTORIO EMANUELE Seen by the Keeper of the Seals, Rocco Deposited with the Corte dei Conti 4 September 1926, in the Registry of Government Acts, volume 252, page 23. The nobility of Italy, like those of the rest of Europe, were the war leaders of their tribes and the closest relatives to them. At first this was not hereditary, but by the 5th or 6th century, the European tribes were beginning to recognize descent as the primary claim to any important position (although in England until the Norman Invasion, kings were chosen by the witan, a sort of parliament of nobles, from several contenders). Things were establishing by the 9th century, and many of the titles we have now were being used by the early middle ages, as in most of Western Europe. Most Italian nobility took their surnames from their ancestral seats. In the case of Italy, you got names like di Monteverde (=from Monteverde), which indicate a noble origin.

Peasants got names that indicated their job (Ferraro=smith) or their appearance (Barba=beard) or their fathers (di Giulio). Then there were the titles, which indicated the hierarchy of nobility, such as Re (king), Principe (prince) Duca (duke) Conte (count) but in Italy, there was rarely a cut off point where a noble title could no longer be used. So if you were the great-grandson of the youngest son of a count, you were still a count. In England, you lose your title after 2 generations if you are not in direct line. Some of the bearers of very old titles today are holding them by this right, not because they have any claims to the ancestral lands. Nobles and Nobility. Romans recognized three orders: patricians, equestrians and plebeians, and earlier, before the foundation of the republic, a fourth: royalty.

Added to this, there was the concept of nobilis; to be noble meant you were descended from someone who had been Consul; being a patrician was necessary to become Consul (though you could buy your way in), but to be noble was ineffably grander, at least to the Roman way of thinking. This has been turned around a bit in Italy; in Italian cities today, a "patriciate" exists which is considered to be above "mere" nobility. These notions of the Romans apply to present-day parlance. In the British system, one can discriminate between royalty, nobility, knights, gentry and commons: five grades. The Germans tend to regard certain of what the British regard as gentry as noble, and at the highest levels, what the British define as noble resembles what the Germans regard as "princely" and in general, continental systems as a whole tend to have a broader definition of "noble". In essence, the nobility were the landowners.

To be a landowner you had to be prepared to defend your right to own that land, and with the progressive disorders that lead to the fall of the Western Roman Empire and the development of the feudal system in Europe, nobility became synonymous with the military caste -- an essentially self-appointed caste. In the West, it is nearly impossible to trace any noble lineage back much before AD anything before 1100 is remarkable. The organized system of titles we have today is a rather late development, but "count", and "prince" go back to the Roman Empire. Only when it was recognized that one might have "betters" did the nobles start paying attention to titles, styles, and pedigrees. A distinction needs to be made between "nobility" and "peerage". In the British system, a peer is the holder of the title, while a noble is a member of a family headed by a peer. In the UK, such family members, while "noble", are still technically common, which is not necessarily the case elsewhere. More narrowly, a peer also sits in parliament, as with the British House of Lords or the former French House of Peers.

There are some titles in the United Kingdom which do not permit one to sit in the House of Lords; thus, in Scotland, the distinction of a "Lord of Parliament". While the British system is tidily exclusive, this is not the case in other systems. Some systems have long tolerated "courtesy titles", a putative title of nobility that has no basis in fact. In other cases, all the descendants of a noble have a title, the title holder, as in Italy. François Velde writes about the French situation: Nowadays, anyone descended from a count uses the style of count (although "le comte Pierre de X" is distinguished from "Pierre, comte de X" who is the real title-holder). That makes it seem like many counts. Since there are only about 1000 authentic titles, the share of titles/peerages to population is similar to England. In Germany, since the Weimar Republic, all titles are considered part of one's last name. Thus, a real title holder can "adopt" an adult, and the otherwise unrelated person then can become "Joe Schmuck Duke of Saxony.

Then there is the matter of how the nobility of a previous state was incorporated into that of a successor state or regime. This particularly applies to Germany as well as Italy, but also applies to the case of the United Kingdom and in France, how titles granted after the ancient regime are handled. The High Nobility of the Holy Roman Empire In the Middle Ages, there was no clear stratification of nobility in the Holy Roman Empire. One side effect of the Imperial Reform, which began in 1495, was the establishment of three noble groups: the High Nobility, the Imperial Knighthood, and the Territorial Nobility. The Imperial constitution defined the context that made the High Noble families distinct from other groups: they possessed both the Imperial immediacy and the Status of the Imperial Estate. All sovereign houses, which ruled in various German lands in the 19th and 20th centuries, descended from the High Nobility of the Holy Roman Empire. (Picture above right: Maximillian (by Durer, 1519), Holy Roman Emperor . The Holy Roman Empire was the superpower of Europe along with France, they were each much larger and wealthy than England.

Maximillian was succeeded by Charles V in 1819). Catholic hierarchy : the nobiliary element in the Catholic Church by Jan-Olov von Wowern It seems to me that some of the oldest still surviving hierarchies are those of the nobility, the Church and the military. What is perhaps not commonly known is how they correspond with each other. Below is an outline of the correspondence between the catholic hierarchy of the Holy Roman Catholic Church and that of the nobility. Let me first say that all noblemen are dependent on a Prince or Monarch for their noble rank. Catholic priests have since time immemorial held rank equivalent to that of an (untitled) nobleman, nobile. It is from a nobiliary standpoint interesting to reflect upon the Lateran Pacts of 1929 between the Holy See and Italy. The Vatican City State is recognized as a sovereign country and the Supreme Pontiff as its Sovereign, in this capacity equal to the King of Italy. Article 21 of the "Conciliation Treaty" states that "All Cardinals shall enjoy, in Italy, the honours due to Princes of the Blood". (For the text, see ~mikesch/treaty.htm ).

(Picture above left: Pietro Gasparri (May 5, 1852 – November 18, 1934) was a Roman Catholic archbishop , diplomat and politician in the Roman Curia and signatory of the Lateran Pacts ). (Picture left: Francesco Pacelli was the right hand man for Pietro Gasparri during the Lateran Treaty negotiations) Bishop / Aux. Bishop Count/Baron Monsignore/Priest Noble Of course a number of details may be argued. It should however be noted that other codification exists as well. In the Almanach de Gota, all Cardinals are listed as having the rank of Prince ( / ). In his book "The Holy See and the International Order", that most distinguished diplomat of the Holy See H.E. Archbishop Hyginus Eugene Cardinale has devoted part of a chapter to "Armorial bearings, attire and titles of Catholic priests", and the entire book is highly recommended. It should further be noted that the nobiliary hierarchy is usually regarded as logarithmic. The step between noble and Baron is often regarded as greater than that between Baron and Count, etc.

I am not competent to judge if this is also the case with the catholic hierarchy of the Church, but it will be evident that for a number of reasons it is only possibly to make approximations when trying to bring the rank systems above in harmony with each other. Popes have granted a number of nobiliary titles to deserving subjects during the course of the centuries. According to the Lateran Pacts of 1929, in the Concordat Art 42, "Italy shall admit the recognition of titles of nobility conferred by the Supreme Pontiff, even after 1870, and of those that shall be conferred in the future". In 1947 the Constitution of the Italian Republic abolished the use of nobiliary titles, in the sense that they are placed outside the legal system of the Republic (see the excellent article by the Italian lawyer Gherardo Guelfi Camaiani at (Cardinal Gasparri and Benito Mussolini (seated) after exchanging treaty ratifications in the Hall of Congregations, the Vatican, June 7th, 1929).

Although the Italian Republic has abolished all noble titles, only permitting the use of predicati (the territorial designation added to a name) created before the institution of Fascism in 1922, it is compelled by the terms of the Lateran Treaty not to intervene in the conferment of titles created by the Papacy. The successors to Pope Pius XII have generally avoided creating titles and Paul VI abolished all the rights and privileges of the Roman nobility at the Papal Court. The Vatican has continued to intervene periodically, however, in determining the destination of titles extinct in the male line but historically able to pass by female succession, or deciding between co-heiresses, and the present Pontiff, very discreetly, has granted a handful of noble titles to Italians. The title of Count Palatine was conferred, recently, by the Cardinal Vicar of Rome and confirmed in a letter from the Papal Secretariat of State. Information on the Papal nobility today has been provided to this author by the Most Rev Monsignor Karel Kasteel, of the office of the Cardinal Camerlengo (conversation, 1993).

If you found this article about the catholic hierarchy interesting, you may wish to have a look at the book "Find Your Noble Ancestors!" Let me first say that the rules of noble succession, as they apply to a specific noble family, can normally not be changed. They are determined either by: 1) the rules of succession laid down in the letter patent which was given to the family member who was first ennobled (for patent nobility) or 2) the rules of succession in use at the time and the place where the family was first recognised as noble (for original nobility) It follows that in the case of patent nobility the rules of succession could only be changed by the conferring authority, the reigning Monarch or his or hers successors (if the constitution would allow for such changes). In the case of the original nobility in my opinion the rules of succession cannot ever be changed, not even by a successor of the reigning Monarch who once recognised the family as noble, because the rules of succession were in most cases not at the Monarch's disposition to change.

Hence, for all practical purposes and certainly for the study of genealogy, we may assume that noble families are bound by certain rules of succession that must be adhered to. (Picture right: Luis XVIII, King of France (1755-1824) When we discuss succession, we should define whether we mean the succession to the nobility (that is, which family members in the next generation will inherit the name, the arms and the quality of continuing the family line), and the succession to the headship of a noble family. As implied by the title, in this article I will mainly discuss the succession of nobility in the general and collective sense. Noble succession is either agnatic or cognatic. In my genealogy book "Find Your Noble Ancestors!" , I have defined those terms as follows: "Agnatic succession: succession to the nobility ... continues only on the spear (male) side, from father to son." "Cognatic succession: in many countries this was the original form of succession among the ancient nobility, meaning the nobility ... continued on both the spear (male) and distaff (female) side in parallel lines".

The vast majority of all noble families have agnatic succession, meaning both sons and daughters of a noble father are noble, but only the grandchildren of the sons (and not of the daughters) are noble. Certainly in most families created noble by means of a letter patent issued by a Monarch, this is by far the most common rule of succession. Cognatic succession is, for practical genealogical purposes, only relevant in a few cases where it can be shown that this was indeed the original form of noble succession of the family, and there is an unbroken chain of succession from these (ancient) times down till today. If we were to discuss the succession to the headship of a family, it would be necessary to distinguish between the two variants of cognatic succession, true and false. True cognatic succession means the firstborn child, whether a son or a daughter, has the best claims. False cognatic succession would mean any son would inherit before a daughter regardless if he was younger, but in the absence of sons the oldest daughter would have the best claims.

The kingdom of Sweden today has, according to its constitution, true cognatic succession, that is the firstborn child of the Monarch has the best claims to the succession to the Throne. Some other Monarchies also have this system. If, for genealogical purposes, you want to find out if a certain noble family as agnatic or cognatic succession, you need to either look at the letter patent by which the family was created noble, or, in the case of the original nobility, establish the terms and conditions for noble succession in use at the time and place where the family was first recognised as noble. In most cases, the family members living today will be able to tell you which form of succession they have. (Picture above: Jan-Olov von Wowern lives in Stockholm, Sweden, and is the head of the Swedish branch of the von Wowern family, dating back to its founder who was born around 1090 and made a Marquis in 1141. He is active in European charitable and nobiliary work). Author Links

Question: What is a Spanish nobleman of the highest rank called?
Answer: Grandee