British Titles and Orders of Precedence | Edwardian Promenade Subscribe to the newsletter and get Edwardian-themed news delivered straight to your inbox! British Titles and Orders of Precedence The British title and its order of precedence is the most baffling, yet simple concept on the planet. Children of nobility and those who wished to become a part of it had the following concepts drilled into their heads from birth. Since neither of us are lords or ladies, we generally have to muddle along in hope of getting it right. Below you’ll find the order of precedence directly from a book of heraldry published in 1910. Things have obviously changed since then, but this was the rule of thumb for harried hostesses throughout the 19th century. TITLES Duke: The highest rank and title in the British peerage, first introduced by Edward III in 1337 when he created the Black Prince the first English duke. A Duke is “Most Noble”; he is styled “My Lord Duke” and “Your Grace” and all his younger sons are “Lords” and all his daughters “Ladies” with the prefix “Right Honorable”.

The coronet of a duke is a circlet, heightened with eight conventional strawberry leaves, and encloses a velvet cap. Marquess/Marquis: The second order of the British peerage, in rank next to that of the Duke. Introduced in 1387 by Richard II. A Marquess is “Most Honorable”; he is styled “My Lord Marquess” all his younger sons are “Lords” and his daughters “Ladies”; his eldest sons bears his father’s “second title”. The coronet is a golden circlet heightened by four strawberry leaves and as many pearls, arranged alternately. Earl: In Latin, “Comes” in French “Comte” or “Count.” Before 1337, the highest, and now the third degree of rank and dignity in the British peerage.

An earl is “Right Honorable”; he is styled “My Lord”, the eldest son bears his father’s “second title,” generally that of Viscount; his other sons are “Honorable” but all his daughters are “Ladies.” The circlet of an Earl’s coronet has eight lofty rays of gold rising from the circlet, each of which supports a large pearl, while between each pair of these rays is a golden strawberry leaf. Viscount: The fourth degree of rank and dignity in the British peerage. Introduced by Henry VI in 1440. A Viscount is a “Right Honorable” and is styled “My Lord.” All his sons and daughters are “Honorable.” The coronet has a row of sixteen small pearls set on the circlet. Baron: The lowest rank in the British peerage. A Baron is “Right Honorable” and is styled “My Lord”. The coronet is a golden circlet topped by six large pearls. An Irish baron has no coronet.

All children of a Baron are “Honorable.” Baronet: A hereditary rank, lower than the peerage, instituted in 1612 by James I, who fixed the precedence of baronets before all Knights, those of the Order of the Garter alone excepted. ORDER OF PRECEDENCE The Younger sons of the Sovereign The Grandsons of the Sovereign The Brothers of the Sovereign The Uncles The Lord President of the Council The Lord Privy Seal The following Great Officers of the State precede all Peers of their own Degree–that is, if Dukes, they precede all other Dukes; if Earls, all other Earls, etcetera. The Lord Great Chamberlain The Lord Steward of the Royal Household The Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household The Master of the Horse The Peers of each Degree take Precedence in their own Degree, according to their Patents of Creation. Dukes (a) of England, (b) of Scotland, (c) of Great Britain, (d) of Ireland, (e) of the United Kingdom and, if created since the Union of Ireland.

Marquesses (vide Dukes) Bishops of (a) London, (b) Durham, and (c) Winchester Bishops, according to Seniority of Consecration Barons (vide Dukes) The Speaker of the House of Commons Commissioners of Great Seal The (a) Treasurer and the (b) Comptroller of the Royal Household Vice-Chamberlain of the Household The Secretaries of States, when not Peers Eldest sons of viscounts Knights of the Garter, Thistle and St. Patrick, not being Peers Privy Councillors The Chancellor of the Exchequer The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster The Lord Chief Justice The Master of the Rolls Lord Justices of Appeal and the President of Probate Court Judges of High Court Sons of Lords of Appeal in Ordinary (Life Peers) Baronets Knights of the Grand Cross of the Bath Knights Grand Commanders of the Star of India Knights Grand Cross of St. Michael and St.

George Knights Grand Commanders of Indian Empire Knights Grand Cross of Victorian Order Knights Commanders of the various Orders (in the same order of progression) Knights Bachelors Companions of the various Orders Members of Fourth Class of Victorian Order Companions of Distinguished Service Order Eldest sons of the Younger sons of Peers Eldest sons of Baronets Members of Fifth Class of Victorian Order Baronets’ Younger sons Knights Younger sons Esquires: Including the Eldest sons of the sons of Viscounts and Barons, the eldest sons of all the younger sons of Peers and their eldest sons in perpetual Succession, the younger sons of Baronets, the sons of knights, the eldest son of the eldest son of a Knight in perpetual succession, persons holding the King’s Commission, or who may be styled “Esquire” by the King in any Official Document Gentlemen The precedence of WOMEN is determined, before marriage, by the Rank and Dignity, but not by the Office, of their father. All the unmarried sisters in any family have the same degree, which is the degree that their eldest Brother holds (or would hold) amongst men.

Thus: Of the sons of an earl, the eldest alone has an honorary title of nobility and is styled “My Lord,” while all the Daughters of an Earl have a similar honorary Title and are styled “My Lady.” ORDER OF PRECEDENCE Other Daughters of the Sovereign, according to birth Wives of Sovereign’s Sons, according to seniority of their Husbands Granddaughters of the Sovereign Wives of Sovereign’s Grandsons, according to seniority of their Husbands Wives of the Sovereign’s Brothers Nieces of the Sovereign Wives of the Sovereign’s Nephews Wives of the Sovereign’s Uncles Other Princesses of the Blood Royal Duchesses Wives of eldest sons of Dukes Daughters of Dukes Wives of eldest sons of Marquises Daughters of Marquises Wives of younger sons of Dukes Viscountesses Wives of eldest sons of Earls Daughters of Earls Wives of younger sons of Marquises Baronesses Wives of oldest sons of Viscounts Daughters of Viscounts Wives of younger sons of Earls Wives of eldest sons of Barons Daughters of Ваrons Maids of Honour to the Queen Wives of younger

 sons of Viscounts Wives of younger sons of Barons Wives of Baronets Wives of Knights of the Garter Wives of Knights of the Thistle and St.

Patrick Wives of Knights Grand Crosses of the Bath, Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India, Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George, Grand Commanders of the Indian Empire, Commanders of the Bath, Commanders of the Star of India, Commanders of St. Michael and St. George, and Knights Commanders of the Indian Empire Ladies of the Crown of India Wives of Knights Bachelors Wives of Companions of the Bath Wives of Companions of the Star of India Wives of Companions of St. Michael and St. George Wives of Companions of the Indian Empire Wives of eldest sons of younger sons of Рееrs Daughters of younger sons of Peers Wives of eldest sons of Baronets Daughters of Baronets Wives of eldest sous of Knights of the Garter Daughters of Knights of the Garter Wives of eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Bath Daughters of Knights Grand Cross of the Bath Wives of eldest sons of Knights Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George Daughters of Knights Grand Cross of St. Michael and St.

George Wives of eldest sons of Knights Commanders of the Bath Daughters of Knights Commanders of the Bath Wives of eldest sons of Knights Commanders of St. Michael and St. George Wives of eldest sons of Knights Bachelor Daughters of Knights Bachelors Wives of younger sons of the younger son of Peers Wives of younger sons of Baronets Wives of Esquires of the Sovereign’s Body Wives of Gentlemen of Privy Chamber Wives of Esquires of Knight of the Bath Wives of Esquires by creation Wives of Esquires by office Wives of younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of the Bath Wives of younger sons of Knights Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George Wives of younger sons of Knights Commander of the Bath Wives of younger sons of Knights Commanders of St. Michael and St. George Wives of younger wins of Knights Bachelor Wives of Serjeants-at-Law and Queen’s Counsel Wives of Gentlemen entitled to bear arms By marriage, women share the dignities and precedence of their husbands, but the strictly official dignity of a husband is not imparted to a wife (except in India) in the case of the Archbishops and Bishops or holders of other offices.

The dignities which ladies have by birth or by right of inheritance, are not imparted by marriage to their husbands, nor does marriage with an inferior in dignity in any way affect the precedence that a lady may enjoy by birth, inheritance or creation–both her own precedence and that of her husband may remain as before their marriage, unless the husband be a peer. To whatever precedence she may be entitled by birth, the wife of a peer always takes her rank, and therefore takes her actual precedence from her husband. The widow of a peer, so long as she remains a widow, retains the rank she enjoyed whilst married, but should she contract a second marriage, her precedence then is determined either by the rank of her second husband, or by the rank that was her own by birth and which she enjoyed before her first marriage. The wife of the eldest son of any degree precedes all her husband’s sisters and also all other ladies having the same degree of rank with them. A peeress by marriage who is also a peerage in her own right signs first her husband’s title, adding her own afterwards: The Countess of Yarborough is Marcia Yarborough, Cauconberg and Conyers.

The daughter of a peer if married to another peer takes the precedence of her husband and relinquishes her own, but she retains it if she marries a commoner, and one of the anomalies of the English scale of precedence is to be found in the following circumstances: if the two elder daughters of a duke were to marry an Earl and a Baron respectively, whilst the youngest daughter were to run away with the footman, she would, nevertheless, rank as the daughter of a Duke above her sisters ranking as wives of an Earl and a Baron. Search EP Search for: Subscribe to Blog via Email Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Join 606 other subscribers Ranks of the peerage in England Baron Duke / Duchess Created in England in 1337 under Edward III who made his eldest son Edward the Black Prince the Duke of Cornwall. In England a Duke is the highest rank below a King or a Prince, while in other European countries the higher rank of Archduke or Grand Duke exists. The first non-royal Duke was Robert de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, who in 1386 was made Duke of Ireland.

The eldest son of the ruling monarch is made the Duke of Cornwall and the second eldest the Duke of York. Marquess / Marchioness Created in England in 1385 under Richard II when Robert de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, was made Marquess of Dublin. Earl / Countess Created in Anglo-Saxon times, it was before the Norman conquest the highest rank of nobility. In other parts of Europe the equivalent rank is a Count. Viscount / Viscountess Created in England in 1440 under Henry VI when John, Lord Beaumont was made into a Viscount, a rank placing him above all the Barons. Baron / Baroness Royal and noble ranks - NOBILE Nobile (Untitled Nobleman). Nobile or Uomo is an Italian title of nobility in general equivalence to a baron . Like the other titles of nobility, such as baron or count, nobile is also used immediately before the family name, usually in the abbreviated form: Nob. or NU. The crest coronet of a nobile is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by five pearls, supported by stems or set directly upon the rim.

BARON/BARONESS Barone, Baronessa. (Baron, Baroness). Baron is a title of nobility . The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin (liber) baro meaning "(free) man, (free) warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn Barons rank below viscounts , and form the lowest rank in the peerage. Normally one refers to or addresses Baron [X] as Lord [X] and his wife as Lady [X]. In the case of women who hold baronies in their own right, they can be referred to as Baroness [X] as well as Lady [X]. meaning "nobleman." The standard heraldic coronet of a baron is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by seven pearls COUNT/COUNTESS Conte, Contessa. (Count, Countess). A count is a nobleman in European countries; his wife is a countess. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes —in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor".

The British equivalent is an earl (whose wife is also a "countess", for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). Alternative names for the "Count" rank in the nobility structure are used in other countries, such as Hakushaku Japanese Imperial era . during the imperial era. The heraldic coronet of a count is a jewelled circlet of gold surmounted by nine visible pearls, supported by stems or set directly upon the rim. MARQUESS/MARCHIONESS Marchese, Marchesa. (Marquess, Marchioness). A marquess or marquis (from French "marquis") is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European monarchies and some of their colonies. In the British peerage it ranks below a duke and above an earl . A woman with the rank of marquess, or the wife of a marquess, is a marchioness (in British usage), or a marquise (in Europe). In Italy the equivalent modern rank (as opposed to margravio) is that of marchese, the wife of whom is a marchesa.

Although the vast majority of marquessates are named after places, and hence their holders are known as the "Marquess of X", a very few of them are named after surnames (even if not the bearer's own), and hence their holders are known as the "Marquess X". In either case, he is still informally known as "Lord X", regardless whether there is an of in his title, and it is always safe to style him so. The heraldic coronet of a marquess is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by three visible strawberry leaves, the central leaf flanked by two rows of three pearls each, supported by stems or set directly upon the rim. DUKE/DUCHESS Duca, Duchessa. (Duke, Duchess). A Duke is a member of the nobility , historically of highest rank below the monarch , and historically controlling a duchy . The title comes from the Latin Dux Bellorum , which had the sense of "military commander" and was employed by both the Germanic peoples Roman authors covering them to refer to their war leaders. themselves and by the In the Middle Ages the title signified first among the Germanic monarchies .

Dukes were the rulers of the provinces and the superiors of the counts in the cities and later, in the feudal monarchies , the highest-ranking peers of the king. A woman who holds in her own right the title to such duchy or dukedom, or is the wife of a duke, is normally styled Duchess. In Italy, Germany and Austria the title of "duke" ("duca" in Italian, and "Herzog" in German) was quite common. As the Holy Roman Empire courtesy title . was until its dissolution a feudal structure, most of its Dukes were actually reigning in their lands. As the titles from the HRE were taken over after its dissolution, or in Italy after their territories became independent of the Empire, both countries also had a share of fully sovereign dukes. The heraldic coronet of a duke is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by five visible strawberry leaves. Usually, the crimson tasseled cap is not rendered within the coronet. PRINCE/PRINCESS Principe, Principessa. (Prince, Princess).

Prince, from French "Prince" (itself from the Latin root princeps ), is a general term for a monarch , for a member of a monarchs' or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in some members of Europe's highest nobility . The feminine equivalent is a princess . Generically, prince refers to members of a family that ruled by hereditary right , the title being used to refer either to sovereigns or to cadets of a sovereign's family. The term may be broadly used of persons in various cultures, continents or eras. In Europe, it is the title legally borne by dynastic cadets in monarchies, and borne by courtesy by members of formerly reigning dynasties. In parts of the Holy Roman Empire in which primogeniture did not prevail (i.e. Germany), all legitimate agnates had an equal right to the family's hereditary titles. While this meant that offices, such as emperor , king , and elector could only be legally occupied by one dynast at a time, holders of such other titles as duke , margrave , landgrave , count palatine , and prince could only differentiate themselves by adding the name of their appanage to the family's original title.

PRINCE AS A REIGNING MONARCH A prince or princess who is the head of state of a territory that has a monarchy as a form of government is a reigning prince . NON-DYNASTIC PRINCES France and the Holy Roman Empire In several countries of the European continent , e.g. in France , prince can be an aristocratic title of someone having a high rank of nobility royal family , which makes comparing it with e.g. the British system of royal princes difficult. in chief of a geographical place, but no actual territory and without any necessary link to the The kings of France started to bestow the style of prince, as a title among the nobility, from the 16th century onwards. These titles were created by elevating a seigneurie to the nominal status of a principality—although prerogatives of sovereignty were never conceded in the letters patent. These titles held no official place in the hierarchy of the nobility, but were often treated as ranking just below dukedoms, since they were often inherited (or assumed) by ducal heirs. The heraldic coronet of a noble prince is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by four visible pearls between five visible strawberry leaves.

In most representations, the deep red tasseled cap is not rendered within the coronet. ARISTOCRACY IN ENGLAND, Nobility, Peers, Peeresses, and other People Nobility Terms: duchy, dukedom, ducal. The Latin dux was a military title that might roughly translate to "field marshal". The historical kernel of in the stories of King Arthur probably refers to a dux bellorum in charge of the forces holding off the barbarian onslaught in early post-Roman Britain. The English kings introduced the French ducal structure into the British system, and it was initially a mostly royal title (as all new creations during the 20th century). In France especially after 1600, however, as well as in Britain, it has evolved into a mostly non-royal title. A duchy (or grand duchy) is the territory ruled by a duke (or grand duke) or the lands (and/or incomes) specifically attached to the ducal title. A dukedom is the title itself.

In the UK, there are properly only two duchies, those of Lancaster and Cornwall; these are essentially corporations holding properties that provide income for the Queen (who is "Duke" of Lancaster), and the Prince of Wales (who is also the Duke of Cornwall); as only these two dukedoms carry such special "attachments" with the title, duchies are thus a royal preserve. "Duke" is normally a very exalted title; however, when equating the dignity of some dukes, some insight is needed. For example, Ferdinand of the Two Sicilies created dukes in Naples almost by the gross, and these titles cannot be considered equal to dukes in the British or other continental systems. Terms: marquessate, margravate. This title glosses to "march lord", i.e. a noble in charge of the marches (the border regions) of a realm in distinction to other lords in more-settled lands. These were essentially warlords with broad powers and in this context, may be thought of as a "palatine" title. In earlier times, it was a rare title; it was later revived as a grade between count and duke.

As a senior title (about two-thirds of British dukes are also marquesses), it is not that common the United Kingdom, at least when compared to other countries (especially France where "petit marquis" was a term of derision). Terms: earldom, comital, countly. "Earl" is related to Old Norse "jarl", and is equivalent to "count", which itself comes from the Latin comes. This in turn is related to the English word "county", which pretty much explains what a count was: the principal figure of the county. William I of England regarded the Anglo-Saxon "earl" as a synonym for "count", and while this was not correct, it was a practical equivalency. Old English lacked a feminine and thus the French term was adopted for an earl's wife as well as for women who hold earldoms in their own right. Some will maintain that a British earl outranks any continental count. Compared to some other systems, especially those that incorporated the results of the often slapdash practices of older systems (e.g., Italy), there are proportionally fewer British earls than counts. Terms: viscountcy or viscounty.

This title is mostly confined to the United Kingdom and France, though it appears rarely in Italy and elsewhere. This is the leftover title, what the king bestowed on someone who was not important enough to merit being made a count. It's a rather late innovation. It originated in France, as the count's deputy, i.e, the "vice-count". Terms: barony, baronial, baronage. Barons were originally (in Britain) those who held their lands directly from the king. Not all British nobles have baronies and many viscounts, for example, do not. (--Louis Epstein) The majority of the nobility in Britain are just plain barons. In the UK, life peers are always barons or baronesses. Once, a baron was an important noble, especially before the Renaissance. It was the barons who brought King John to heel at Runnymede, and "robber-baron" has entered English as the term for one of the lords who collected "tolls" from Rhine river-traffic.

In olden times, when there was little differentiation in degree or rank between neighboring nobles, "baron" could signify any noble, large or small, a meaning with some currency today on the continent, roughly equivalent in meaning to "peer" or "lord" in the UK. The status of barons varies. It can be a very high title or something of little consequence. It is definitely a noble title, however, and needs to be clearly distinguished from "baronet". Terms: baronetcy, baronetage. This may be thought of as a hereditary knighthood. For convenience, it may also be thought of as a noble title, though there are those who would disagree, at least as used in the British system. A baronet is certainly not a peer; in the United Kingdom, baronets are not entitled to a seat in the House of Lords (unless, of course, they additionally hold a peerage). Since we have been using the British system to classify titles, these are placed here at the end, somewhere between-and-after the British sense of Baronet-as-a-knight and Baronet-as-petty-noble.

What is the difference between a duke, an earl, a lord, a marquis, a baron and a count? - Quora Quora Written Mar 14, 2013 As the comment by Quora User notes, these are titles of nobility that rank differently in seniority. The following table sets out the tables of precedence for most of Europe for most of its history during feudal times (and up until today, in some jurisdictions): Emperor (also, Czar, Tsar - from the Latin Caesar). Unlike a regular king, an emperor rules over more than one peoples. King. Grand Duke - usually, the son or very close male relation to the emperor, but can be sovereign in his own right, as in Luxembourg. Prince - usually, the son or very close relation to an emperor or a king, but can be sovereign ruler in his own right, as in Monaco. In the order of seniority, they are Imperial Highness, Royal Highness, Highness, and Serene Highness. Duke - the head of a duchy; in the UK, dukes are the most senior nobles. Marquess Earl.

Outside of the English-speaking world, the title is referred to as "Count". Viscount Baron - the most junior of noble titles. These titles are passed as inheritance, usually through the male line, though some exceptions exist when the grant of a title (in the United Kingdom, this is done through a legal document known as "Letters Pattent" and is in all circumstances issued by the sovereign) may allow for passing through the female line, esp. when there is no male issue. In the United Kingdom and most western European jurisdictions, the title is further only passed on the principle of primogeniture (that is, to the firstborn male only), whereas in other jurisdictions in central Europe (such as Poland) or eastern Europe (such as Russia or the Ukraine), the title passes to all male descendants (hence the relative proliferation of Russian princes). Lord is a title that can be applied differently in the circumstances, but in all respects it is one common to the United Kingdom, but not the Continent. As a general rule, any nobleman below the rank of a duke (e.g. from marquess downwards) can be referred to as Lord Whatnot; the Earl of Beaconsfield may be - and was - referred to as Lord Beaconsfield.

"Lord [name and surname]" is the honorific for the younger sons of dukes and marquesses (firstborn sons commonly use a "courtesy title", one of their fathers' more junior titles; the children of earls and peers below that rank use the honorific "The Honourable"). Lord [surname] of [locality] denotes life peerage, i.e. one that is not heritable and is given to an individual for certain merits. It will be noted that only life peers (and not hereditary ones) were created in the UK since 1957. Lord of the Manor of [locality] is not a title of nobility, but denotes a type of right to an immovable property. Baronets (a peculiarly English title of hereditary knight) and knights, as noted before me, are not noblemen, even though by English convention, the former are lumped together with the peers by editions like Debrett's or Burke's. Advice must be sought separately as to how to address (style, refer to) each holder of such a title, but that is enough for a separate post.

In practice, should you happen to meet one such holder, you will say something like "How d'you do, duke" - only his household staff refer to him as Your Grace. But, again, if you are writing to Prince Albert of Monaco, do start with Your Serene Highness, as he is head of state. In all circumstances, use the title only once when first meeting the person; thereafter, Sir will suffice. All of these ranks have the right to bear arms, that is, to have a coat of arms, though different rules exist in different jurisdictions. In most jurisdictions, the arms are differenced by various heraldic charges (marks of cadency) denoting the different family lines. Rank is also reflected on the type of coronet on the arms (e.g. a prince's one will have 12 pearls and a cross) or helmet (noblemen usually have golden bars on theirs) and sovereign (or formerly sovereign) status entitles the bearer to use a mantle. A more detailed discussion on this topic will require a separate post on heraldry.

It must be noted that the seniority applies in the UK more than elsewhere in the sense that, in other jurisdictions, an enterprising baron may well surpass a duke in wealth and influence. Were this to happen in the UK, such a man would have been elevated to a more senior rank; this is often not the case in other jurisdictions. Written Aug 20, 2015 Earl was an Anglo-Saxon term, from before the Norman's (descendents of Vikings who'd settled in France) invaded in 1066. The Normans came in and called them Counts; often giving the old Earl title to a loyal follower (so the locals would know who he was) and a new and slightly different title of Count to the same guy (so the Normans would know who he was). William the Conquerer was a Count in the French system, which gave him a place in the feudal pecking order in France. So he became a King (with Counts that reported to him) while still being a Count (who reported to a different King). The title of Countess does not have an Anglo-Saxon equivalent for Earl. The "ess" suffix indicates a woman in French.

So if the Anglo-Saxons had something like that, it wouldn't have been "Earless" anyway (no pun intended). The Normans didn't have to create a French name for "Earless" because the common people in England weren't expecting such a thing. Earl was more of a military term than Count was. They both were primarily. But and Earl was much more responsible for raising the local levy of commoner troops for an invasion, while for a Count they'd be happy if you showed up with your allottment of knights and retinue: again, just because it's coming from a slightly different system. When an Earl was killed, sometimes the logical successor on the ground was his wife, and she would be known as an Earl too, although that was more of a brevet promotion than a permanent thing. My understanding is also that Counts also were more heavily involved in the actual collection of taxes (in money or in kind), while an Earl was more about bodies in the line of battle. Both Anglo-Saxons and Normans were evolving towards feudalism at the time of the invasion. But the Normans, coming from France, were a little further along.

Earls in England were more powerful than Counts in France (England had nothing like a Duke or Marquis at the time). When the Normans took over, they chased out the top layers of the nobility. So, they pushed out an Anglo-Saxon Earl, and replaced him with a Norman who got the title of Earl, but who acted more like the somewhat weaker French Count. The Marquis was like an upgraded Earl. Later they created Dukes as titles for people who were not just from noble families, but who were from the royal family (or descendents of important royal lines). My answers aren't speculative, but I wouldn't call them factual either. They're just from a lifetime of piecing together those meanings from a deep interest in the period. Updated May 11, 2015 You can keep the ranking straight with this mnemonic: "Do men ever visit Boston?" Thus: duke, marquis, earl, viscount, baron. Duke is the highest, most powerful rank. There are but a handful of dukes. William the Conqueror was a duke. Marquis (pronounced markwiss in England) is next, but we'll come back to it.

Counts and Earls are equivalent ranks, so equivalent that the wives of earls have always been called countesses. (I assume that William the Conqueror brought/made counts, and the native English equivalent rank was Earl. But if that's true, then how can it be true that the wives of earls have always been countesses?) What is a count? He is the ruler of a county. And now we can go back to consider the marquises. Marquis: Some counties are border counties. A border county is where the action is. This is where the enemy starts their invasions. This is the jumping off point for your invasion of the enemy kingdom. If a border count doesn't wind up dead, it's probably because he's rich enough to keep an unusually large military force. So, the border count is rich and well armed. Plus, he's a war hero, right? Surviving all those battles? Plus he captures all that loot? So a border count tends to be more prominent, powerful, and respected than other counts.

And a border (and by extension, a border county) is called a "mark" or a "march." It's not called that because that's where the armies march; that's just coincidence, though often enough you have to send out for new peasants since the armies of both sides marched thru there enough times to dispose of or drive out the old peasants. So, eventually, border count became a rank above regular count. Thus: marquis. Viscount is below count, the same as the vice president is below the president. And then baron is the bottom of the totem pole. But these are all barons, to hear some people tell it. When the king is at odds with his barons, and they're making him sign the Magna Carta, you can bet that the dukes, marqueses, earls, counts, and viscounts are standing with the barons, not with the king. But, to hear some tell it, a baron is anybody who holds directly from the king. So the dukes and such are literally barons. They just don't call themselves that because they have more impressive titles.

Expect all of this to be wrong: Things can switch up on you every time you cross into a new country or a new century. Written Aug 14, 2012 A Duke is senior to a Marquis (or marquess), who is senior to an Earl, who is senior to a Baron. They have different robes and coronets. A Count is a foreign word for an Earl, and both their wives are Countesses. They are all Lords, and informally addressed as such: "Hello, Lord Bloggs, how are you?!". Their wives are all Ladies (and Duchesses, Marchionesses, Countesses, Baronesses). Most new creations are Life Barons. Baronets are not Lords, although like peers (lords) their titles are hereditary. Knights have the same form of address but are not hereditary " Oh, Sir Jasper do not..." Some great answers. I'll just add my ten cents. 1. Titles and honourifics different immensely from country to country. The British have their uses, the Slavs from Ukraine, Russia, others, the Germanic yet different ones. The French and the Roman Germanic Empire set standards but are not hallmarks. 2.

Modernly, younger sons or even daughters of titled noblemen have taken to use a courtesy title, never granted by the fons honoris, which consists in their first name and surname being preceeded by the title below that to which their father is entitled. So a second or third sons of a Count of whatnot, will style themselves, Viscount Edouard, of Whatnot, and Regis, viscount of whatnot. 3. Seignour/Senhor/Señor are titles of nobility. They were used by men who could raise and Fred such an host that it took a a banner to keep them together and with a point of reference. Feminine form being Lady. They were formally addressed as Very high and mighty Lady Christian name of Whatnot. 4. Chevalier, or knight, in my view is also a title of nobility. It designates, as a title of courtesy, the son of any titled man - before the use of courtesy titles became rife - and a low order of ennobled men without means to raise a hord of liegemen. 5. In republics, many titles that were given for one or two lives, perpetuate themselves.

Lucky noblemen who would be titleless if not for the Revolutionary grace. 6. Bottom line, about titles and honours, rests on two points: (i) how old is the title, honour, and how was it granted and used since; and (ii) is the current incumbent someone who by his talents, bravery, selflessness, and social and monetary position, has shown an unfaltering devotion to king and country and the stature to fill his rank? One may not assume that Francis, the 27th Senhor of Penha Alta, who traces his origins to the Visigoth Kings, and which ancestors fought with the father of the first king in the war of independence in the XIth century, at a time where the wannabe king was a count and his liegemen senhores (lords) of pennon and cauldron, meaning they had a troop, or mere knights, one may not assume that Mr Francis is a lesser nobleman than my great great grandfather' who was offered an earldom for his political sponsorship and 60 million, and paid 30 million to be a viscount with the option of becoming an earl if he paid the second instalment of 30 million.

In Portugal a further differential trait lies on the behaviour during the monarchist wars. We have some 9000 alleged noblemen. But grandpa was one of only 300 officers who were captured by the republicans... Right there, I see 8000 families in dereliction of use. The first and second wars were even more shameful. A Princess came driving a van loaded with carbines from Czechoslovakia to Northwest Spain. However, less than 100 noblemen were there. All in all, I count zero dukes or their sons, less than five marquess, perhaps up to ten earls... and a bunch of kids whose twentieth grandfathers had fought the Moors and the Castilian during the first dinasty. My kids and I often meet our cousins. Ennobled in the XIXth century, because an industrious and clever man made a fortune, with pride ourselves on him, on the fine artist his son was, and mostly on how bravely our men fought the republic and foreign foes. Listen to them, they even changed name, you'd think their forefathers went to the crusades. And us the elder branch...

How the Peerage is Ranked How the Peerage is Ranked There are five grades of the Peerage: Duke The highest rank in the Peerage was introduced into England in 1337 when King Edward III created his eldest son Duke of Comwall. The first non-royal dukedom was created in 1448. In Scotland, the first two dukedoms were created in 1398. Marquess The second rank in the Peerage is derived from the Gernlan Markgraf, signifying the guardian of a March, or border territory. King Richard introduced it into England in 1385, and it was introduced into Scotland by King James VI in 1599. Earl The third rank in the Peerage, but the oldest. Its origins are traced back to Saxon times, when an Ealdornlan administered a shire or province for the king. The present title of Earl, derived from the Scandinavian Jarl, dates from the reign of Canute (1016-35). Viscount The fourth rank in the Peerage is derived from the hereditary office of Vice-Comes, that is, the deputy of a Count.

King Henry VI introduced it into England in 1440. Baron The Normans introduced the fifth and lowest rank of the Peerage into England. A Baron was tenant-in-chief of the king, holding his land directly from him. In Scotland, the equivalent title is Lord of Parliament, as the word 'Baron' relates to Feudal Barons. ORDER OF PRECEDENCE Taken from Burke's Peerage and Gentry 106th edition. The order of Precedence begins with the Sovereign. The Peers, of which there are five grades are detailed in the order of precedence below, beginning with the highest rank of Duke - 54-Marquesses in the peerage of England. 55-Marquesses in the peerage of Scotland. 56-Marquesses in the peerage of Great Britain. 57-Marquesses in the peerage of Ireland created before the Union of 1801. 58-Marquesses in the peerages of the United Kingdom or Ireland created since the Union. 59-Dukes' eldest sons according to the same order as dukes themselves. 60-Earls in the peerage of England. 61-Earls in the peerage of Scotland.

62-Earls in the peerage of Great Britain. 63-Earls in the peerage of Ireland created before the Union of 1801. 64-Earls in the peerages of the United Kingdom and of Ireland created since the Union. 65-Younger sons of Dukes of the Blood Royal. 66-Marquesses' eldest sons. Peerage Basics Peerage Basics For a quick intro, see John Hopfner's brief primer on titles . A peer of the realm is one who holds one (or more of five possible) title(s) of nobility and the estate(s) bestowed upon him or his direct ancestor by the monarch. Although other members of his family might be addressed by "Lord This" and "Lady That," none of them are peers; their titles are all courtesy titles , including his wife's (although she is usually called a "peeress") (1) . A duke or duchess is addressed as "Your Grace" by social inferiors, and as "Duke" or "Duchess" by social equals (1a) (unfortunately I have not been able to discover what exactly "social equal" means).

All other peers and peeresses are called by "Lord" or "Lady" prefixed to the title, for example, Lord Spencer or Lady Thatcher. The five titles, in descending order of precedence, or rank, are: Marquess (or, in the French and Scottish spelling, Marquis) Earl Baronets and Knights are not peers. As you'd expect from the ranking, dukes have always been the rarest British noble title. There have never been more than 40 non-royal dukedoms in being at any one time, and ordinarily there have been fewer than that. Today there are about 25 of them. (3) Barons, being the lowest rank of nobility, have usually been the most numerous of the five degrees. The next most numerous dignity has usually been that of Earl; Marquesses and Viscounts have always been comparatively less numerous, though not so rare as the dukes. In 1818, however, there were more earls than barons. There were 25 non-royal dukes, 31 marquesses, 212 earls, 69 viscounts, and 193 barons.

These numbers include 21 peeresses in their own right : six countesses and 15 baronesses, but they do not include subsidiary titles (i.e., only the highest-ranking title held by the peer is counted). (4) Only a peer may be said to hold a title "in his/her own right." All other titles are courtesy titles (6) . There are five types of peerages in Great Britain: peers of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom (7) . This makes a great difference in precedence , and in some cases, privilege . The higher the rank, the more likely it is that the peer holds several peerages , which may be distributed throughout the five peerages, depending upon their dates of creation. Historically, retired prime ministers have been granted a peerage, traditionally an earldom, and then serve in the House of Lords (8) . (Some of them had peerages before they became prime minister, so they would have been elevated.) Churchill was offered, and turned down, the Dukedom of Dover (9) . Anthony Eden was created Earl of Avon, (10) but he had no heirs.

(11) Harold MacMillan was offered an earldom, but declined; (12) but later, on his 90th birthday, he was created Earl of Stockton. (13) Margaret Thatcher was granted a life peerage as a baroness. (14) Women were not allowed a seat in the House of Lords, even if they held a peerage in their own right , until the 1963 Peerage Act granted them that right. (15) Nonetheless, before then they held all of the other privileges which attended their specific peerage, although often if the peerage carried with it some special office, the office would be fulfilled by the peeress's husband. (16) In addition, wives of peers enjoyed many of the privileges of peers, including a trial in the House of Lords rather than by jury. (17) The Most Stingy Monarch award goes to Elizabeth I, who created only eight peerages in the 54 years of her reign.

(18) James I invented the baronetcy , a hereditary knighthood (a "Sir" rather than a Lord, and not a peer), which he sold blatantly to fund his Irish wars; (19) Victoria used the baronetcy to reward persons (often those engaged in Trade) who deserved recognition but should not be cluttering up the House of Lords; in the Georgian era, Irish peerages were most often granted to Englishmen with no connection to Ireland, for much the same reason. (20) In our century, creation of titles has had less to do with the monarch and more to do with the prime minister. Some blatantly sold titles; others passed them out as a reward for serving the Party rather than the country. (21) More than half -- 125 -- of the hereditary baronies existent today were created during this century, most between the end of World War II and 1964, after which the government apparently abandoned hereditary peerages almost altogether in favor of the life peerages which may be created under the 1958 Act. A baronetcy is a dignity that passes down from generation to generation within a family, like a peerage.

But a baronet is not a peer; he does not sit in the House of Lords or enjoy the privileges of peers . (22) In the Table of Precedence , a baronet is below barons and above knights. (23) A baronet's style would be, for example, Sir Adolphus Ware of Rufford, Bart. This is distinct from a peer, who would be styled "Adolphus, Lord Sale" (if a baron, viscount, earl, or marquess) or "His Grace, the Duke of Sale." (24) (It is similar to the style of a knight, but unlike a knighthood can be inherited. I need a source on the knighthood.) Baronets and knights are not lords and are never addressed as "my lord"; however, their wives are called "Lady" prefixed to their surnames only, and can be called "my lady." (24a) There is always a distinction between the name of the peerage and the surname.

For almost all peerages above viscounts, they are different, but of course it's very easy to get them confused, especially since there are several exceptions: Peerage type Royal and Noble Ranks - NOBILE Nobile (Untitled Nobleman). Nobile or Uomo is an Italian title of nobility in general equivalence to a baron . Like the other titles of nobility, such as baron or count, nobile is also used immediately before the family name, usually in the abbreviated form: Nob. or NU. The crest coronet of a nobile is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by five pearls, supported by stems or set directly upon the rim. BARON/BARONESS Barone, Baronessa. (Baron, Baroness). Baron is a title of nobility . The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin (liber) baro meaning "(free) man, (free) warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn Barons rank below viscounts , and form the lowest rank in the peerage. Normally one refers to or addresses Baron [X] as Lord [X] and his wife as Lady [X].

In the case of women who hold baronies in their own right, they can be referred to as Baroness [X] as well as Lady [X]. meaning "nobleman." The standard heraldic coronet of a baron is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by seven pearls COUNT/COUNTESS Conte, Contessa. (Count, Countess). A count is a nobleman in European countries; his wife is a countess. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes —in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The British equivalent is an earl (whose wife is also a "countess", for lack of an Anglo-Saxon term). Alternative names for the "Count" rank in the nobility structure are used in other countries, such as Hakushaku Japanese Imperial era . during the imperial era. The heraldic coronet of a count is a jewelled circlet of gold surmounted by nine visible pearls, supported by stems or set directly upon the rim. MARQUESS/MARCHIONESS Marchese, Marchesa. (Marquess, Marchioness).

A marquess or marquis (from French "marquis") is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European monarchies and some of their colonies. In the British peerage it ranks below a duke and above an earl . A woman with the rank of marquess, or the wife of a marquess, is a marchioness (in British usage), or a marquise (in Europe). In Italy the equivalent modern rank (as opposed to margravio) is that of marchese, the wife of whom is a marchesa. Although the vast majority of marquessates are named after places, and hence their holders are known as the "Marquess of X", a very few of them are named after surnames (even if not the bearer's own), and hence their holders are known as the "Marquess X". In either case, he is still informally known as "Lord X", regardless whether there is an of in his title, and it is always safe to style him so.

The heraldic coronet of a marquess is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by three visible strawberry leaves, the central leaf flanked by two rows of three pearls each, supported by stems or set directly upon the rim. DUKE/DUCHESS Duca, Duchessa. (Duke, Duchess). A Duke is a member of the nobility , historically of highest rank below the monarch , and historically controlling a duchy . The title comes from the Latin Dux Bellorum , which had the sense of "military commander" and was employed by both the Germanic peoples Roman authors covering them to refer to their war leaders. themselves and by the In the Middle Ages the title signified first among the Germanic monarchies . Dukes were the rulers of the provinces and the superiors of the counts in the cities and later, in the feudal monarchies , the highest-ranking peers of the king. A woman who holds in her own right the title to such duchy or dukedom, or is the wife of a duke, is normally styled Duchess. In Italy, Germany and Austria the title of "duke" ("duca" in Italian, and "Herzog" in German) was quite common.

As the Holy Roman Empire courtesy title . was until its dissolution a feudal structure, most of its Dukes were actually reigning in their lands. As the titles from the HRE were taken over after its dissolution, or in Italy after their territories became independent of the Empire, both countries also had a share of fully sovereign dukes. The heraldic coronet of a duke is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by five visible strawberry leaves. Usually, the crimson tasseled cap is not rendered within the coronet. PRINCE/PRINCESS Principe, Principessa. (Prince, Princess). Prince, from French "Prince" (itself from the Latin root princeps ), is a general term for a monarch , for a member of a monarchs' or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in some members of Europe's highest nobility . The feminine equivalent is a princess . Generically, prince refers to members of a family that ruled by hereditary right , the title being used to refer either to sovereigns or to cadets of a sovereign's family. The term may be broadly used of persons in various cultures, continents or eras.

In Europe, it is the title legally borne by dynastic cadets in monarchies, and borne by courtesy by members of formerly reigning dynasties. In parts of the Holy Roman Empire in which primogeniture did not prevail (i.e. Germany), all legitimate agnates had an equal right to the family's hereditary titles. While this meant that offices, such as emperor , king , and elector could only be legally occupied by one dynast at a time, holders of such other titles as duke , margrave , landgrave , count palatine , and prince could only differentiate themselves by adding the name of their appanage to the family's original title. PRINCE AS A REIGNING MONARCH A prince or princess who is the head of state of a territory that has a monarchy as a form of government is a reigning prince . NON-DYNASTIC PRINCES France and the Holy Roman Empire In several countries of the European continent , e.g. in France , prince can be an aristocratic title of someone having a high rank of nobility royal family , which makes comparing it with e.g. the British system of royal princes difficult.

in chief of a geographical place, but no actual territory and without any necessary link to the The kings of France started to bestow the style of prince, as a title among the nobility, from the 16th century onwards. These titles were created by elevating a seigneurie to the nominal status of a principality—although prerogatives of sovereignty were never conceded in the letters patent. These titles held no official place in the hierarchy of the nobility, but were often treated as ranking just below dukedoms, since they were often inherited (or assumed) by ducal heirs. The heraldic coronet of a noble prince is a jeweled circlet of gold surmounted by four visible pearls between five visible strawberry leaves. In most representations, the deep red tasseled cap is not rendered within the coronet. Created 1337. Highest rank of peerage. Marquis (also Marques), Marchioness Created 1385. Rank above Earl, below a Duke. Earl (Count), Countess Created c.800. Chief royal representative in the shires, replacing the AngloSaxon equivalent, "ealdorman".

Viscount, Viscountess Created 1440. Rank in peerage below Earl, above Baron. Originally, a viscount was a sheriff of a shire (county) and was the Earl's deputy. Baron, Baroness Created c.1066. Lowest rank of the peerage, usually applied to tenants-in-chief, the holders of land granted to them directly by the monarch. Baronet Created 1611. A special hereditary rank, above Knight and below Baron, introduced by James I for the purpose of raising money for the supression of the rebellion in Ulster. Baronets were required to pay �1,080 for the privilege of their rank. Lord Not a title, per se, but a form of address for a marquis, an earl, a viscount, a baron, a younger son of a duke or marquis, or a bishop. For a discussion of another class of title, manorial lordship, visit Manorial Titles . Other History Resources available on Britannia:

Question: Which rank of the peerage is directly below a duke?
Answer: Marquis