"Ladder" of titles
At the very top is the royal family (with its own hierarchy).
Princes - Your Highness, Your Serene Highness
Dukes - Your Grace, Duke/Duchess
Marquises - My Lord/Milady, Marquis/Marquise (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)
Eldest sons of dukes
Dukes' Daughters
Earls - My Lord/Milady, Your Lordship (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)
Eldest sons of the marquises
Daughters of the Marquises
Younger sons of dukes
Viscounts - My Lord/Milady, Your Grace (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)
Earls' eldest sons
Younger sons of the marquises
Barons - My Lord/Milady, Your Grace (mention in conversation - Lord/Lady)
Eldest sons of viscounts
Younger sons of counts
Eldest sons of the barons
Younger sons of viscounts
Younger sons of the barons
Baronets - Sir
Eldest sons of younger sons of peers
Eldest sons of baronets
Younger sons of baronets
Sons
The eldest son of the title holder is his direct heir.
The eldest son of a duke, marquis or earl receives a "courtesy title" - the eldest of the list of titles belonging to the father (usually the road to the title passed through several lower titles, which then "remained in the family"). This is usually the next most senior title (for example, a duke's heir is a marquess), but not necessarily. In the general hierarchy, the place of the sons of the title holder was determined by the title of their father, and not by their "courtesy title."
The eldest son of a duke, marquess, earl or viscount comes immediately after the holder of the title next in seniority to that of his father. (see "Ladder of titles")
Thus, the heir of a duke always stands immediately behind the marquis, even if his “courtesy title” is only that of count.
The younger sons of dukes and marquises are lords.
Women
In the vast majority of cases, the title holder was a man. In exceptional cases, a title could belong to a woman if the title allowed transmission through the female line. This was the exception to the rule. Mostly women's titles - all these countesses, marquises, etc. - are “courtesy titles” and do not entitle the holder to the privileges accorded to the holder of the title. A woman became a countess by marrying a count; marquise, marrying a marquis; etc.
In the general hierarchy, the wife occupies a place determined by the title of her husband. You can say that she is standing on the same step of the stairs as her husband, right behind him.
Note: You should pay attention to the following nuance: For example, there are marquises, wives of marquises and marquises, wives of the eldest sons of dukes (who have the “courtesy title” of marquis, see section Sons). So, the former always occupy a higher position than the latter (again, the position of the wife is determined by the position of the husband, and the marquis, the son of a duke, always ranks below the marquis as such).
Women are title holders “by right.”
In some cases, the title could be inherited through the female line. There could be two options here.
1. The woman became, as it were, the custodian of the title, then passing it on to her eldest son. If there was no son, the title, under the same conditions, passed to the next female heir for transfer then to her son... At the birth of a male heir, the title passed to him.
2. A woman received the title “in her own right”. In this case, she became the owner of the title. However, unlike male title holders, a woman did not receive, along with this title, the right to sit in the House of Lords or hold positions associated with this title.
If a woman got married, then her husband did not receive the title (both in the first and second cases).
Note: Who occupies a higher position, the Baroness "in her own right" or the Baron's wife? After all, the title of the first belongs directly to her, and the second enjoys the “title of courtesy.”
According to Debrett, a woman's position is entirely determined by that of her father or husband, unless the woman has the title "in her own right." In this case, her position is determined by the title itself. Thus, of the two baronesses, the one whose barony is older is higher in position. (two title holders are compared).
Widows
In the literature, in relation to the widows of titled aristocrats, you can often find a kind of prefix to the title - Dowager, i.e. Dowager. Can every widow be called a "Widower"? No.
Example. The widow of the fifth Earl of Chatham may be called the Dowager Countess of Chatham if the following conditions are simultaneously met:
1. The next Earl of Chatham became the direct heir of her late husband (i.e. his son, grandson, etc.)
2. If there is no other Dowager Countess of Chatham alive (for example, the widow of the fourth Earl, the father of her late husband).
In all other cases, she is Mary, Countess of Chatham, i.e. name + title of her late husband. For example, if she is the widow of a count, but the widow of her husband's father is still alive. Or if after the death of her husband his nephew became the count.
If the current holder of the title is not yet married, then the widow of the previous holder of the title continues to be called Countess of Chatham (for example), and becomes "Dowager" (if eligible) after the current holder of the title marries and a new Countess of Chatham is created.
How is the position of a widow in society determined? - By the title of her late husband. Thus, the widow of the 4th Earl of Chatham is higher in position than the wife of the 5th Earl of Chatham. Moreover, the age of women does not play any role here.
If a widow remarries, her position is determined by that of her new husband.
Daughters
Daughters of dukes, marquises and counts occupy the next step in the hierarchy after the eldest son in the family (if there is one) and his wife (if there is one). They stand above all other sons in the family.
The daughter of a Duke, Marquis or Earl receives the courtesy title "Lady". She retains this title even if she marries an untitled person. But when she marries a titled man, she receives the title of her husband.
Ruler titles
Inherited:
Prince
Tsar heir Tsarevich (not always)
King heir Dauphin, Prince or Infant
Emperor
Maharajah
Elected:
Caliph of the Kharijites
Noble titles:
Boyarin
Chevalier
Kazoku - Japanese title system
Monarchs
Emperor(Latin imperator - ruler) - the title of the monarch, head of state (empire). Since the time of the Roman emperor Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD) and his successors, the title of emperor acquired a monarchical character. Since the time of Emperor Diocletian (284-305), the Roman Empire has almost always been led by two emperors with the titles of Augustus (their co-rulers bore the title of Caesars).
It is also used to designate the rulers of a number of eastern monarchies (China, Korea, Mongolia, Ethiopia, Japan, pre-Columbian states of America), despite the fact that the name of the title in the official languages of these countries does not come from the Latin imperator.
Today, only the Emperor of Japan has this title in the world.
King(Latin rex, French roi, English king, German Konig) - the title of a monarch, usually hereditary, but sometimes elective, head of the kingdom.
A queen is the female ruler of a kingdom or the consort of a king.
Tsar(from tssar, ts?sar, lat. caesar, Greek k????? - one of the Slavic titles of the monarch, usually associated with the highest dignity of the emperor. In an allegorical speech to denote primacy, dominance: “lion is the king of beasts.”
The queen is the reigning person or the wife of the king.
Tsarevich - the son of a king or queen (in pre-Petrine times). In addition, the title of prince was given to some descendants of independent Tatar khans, for example, the descendants of Kuchum Khan of Siberia had the title of prince of Siberia.
Tsesarevich is a male heir, the full title Heir Tsesarevich, informally shortened in Russia to Heir (with a capital letter) and rarely to Tsesarevich.
Tsesarevna is the wife of the Tsarevich.
A princess is the daughter of a king or queen.
Titled nobility:
Prince(German Prinz, English and French prince, Spanish principe, from Latin princeps - first) - one of the highest titles of representatives of the aristocracy. The Russian word “prince” means direct descendants of monarchs, as well as, by special decree, other members royal family
Duke (Duc) - Duchess (Duchess)
The Duke (German Herzog, French duc, English duke, Italian duca) among the ancient Germans was a military leader elected by the tribal nobility; V Western Europe, in the early Middle Ages, was a tribal prince, and in the period feudal fragmentation- a major territorial ruler, occupying first place after the king in the military hierarchy.
Marquis (Marquess) - Marchioness
Marquis - (French marquis, Novolat. marchisus or marchio, from German Markgraf, in Italy marchese) - a Western European noble title, standing in the middle between count and duke; in England, besides M. in the proper sense, this title (Marquess) is given to the eldest sons of dukes.
Earl - Countess
Count (from German Graf; Latin comes (lit.: “companion”), French comte, English earl or count) - a royal official in the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe. The title originated in the 4th century in the Roman Empire and was originally assigned to high dignitaries (for example, comes sacrarum largitionum - chief treasurer). In the Frankish state, from the second half of the 6th century, the count in his district-county had judicial, administrative and military power. By decree of Charles II the Bald (Capitulary of Quersea, 877), the count's position and possessions became hereditary.
The English earl (OE eorl) originally denoted a senior official, but since the time of the Norman kings it has become an honorary title.
During the period of feudal fragmentation - the feudal ruler of the county, then (with the elimination of feudal fragmentation) the title of the highest nobility (woman - countess). It continues to be formally retained as a title in most European countries with a monarchical form of government.
Viscount - Viscountess
Viscount - (French Vicornte, English Viscount, Italian Visconte, Spanish Vicecomte) - this was the name in the Middle Ages for the governor of some possession of a count (from vice comes). Subsequently, individual V. became so strong that they became independent and owned well-known destinies (Beaumont, Poitiers, etc.) and began to be associated with the title of V. Currently, this title in France and England occupies a middle place between count and baron. The eldest son of a count usually bears the title V.
Baron - Baroness
Baron (from Late Lat. baro - a word of Germanic origin with the original meaning - person, man), in Western Europe a direct vassal of the king, later a noble title (woman - baroness). The title of B. in England (where it remains to this day) is lower than the title of Viscount, occupying the last place in the hierarchy of titles of the highest nobility (in a broader sense, all the English high nobility, hereditary members of the House of Lords, belong to B.); in France and Germany this title was lower than the count's. In the Russian Empire, the title B. was introduced by Peter I for the German nobility of the Baltic states.
Baronet - (no female version of the title) - although this is a hereditary title, baronets do not actually belong to the peerage (titled aristocracy) and do not have seats in the House of Lords.
Note: All others fall under the definition of "commoner", i.e. untitled (including Knight, Esquire, Gentleman)
Comment: In the vast majority of cases, the title belongs to the man. In rare cases, a woman may hold the title herself. Thus, Duchess, Marchioness, Countess, Viscountess, Baroness - in the vast majority of cases these are "courtesy titles"
Within a title there is a hierarchy based on when the title was created and whether the title is English, Scottish or Irish.
English titles are higher than Scottish ones, and Scottish ones, in turn, are higher than Irish ones. With all this, the “older” titles are at a higher level.
Comment: about English, Scottish and Irish titles.
At different times in England the following titles were created:
before 1707 - peers of England, Scotland and Ireland
1701-1801 - Peers of Great Britain and Ireland
after 1801 - peers of the United Kingdom (and Ireland).
Thus, an Irish earl with a title created before 1707 is lower in the hierarchy than an English earl with a title of the same time; but higher than Earl of Great Britain with a title created after 1707
Lord(English Lord - lord, master, ruler) - a title of nobility in Great Britain.
Initially, this title was used to designate everyone belonging to the class of feudal landowners. In this sense, the lord (French seigneur (“senior”)) opposed the peasants who lived on his lands and owed him allegiance and feudal obligations. Later, a narrower meaning appeared - the holder of lands directly from the king, in contrast to knights (gentry in England, lairds in Scotland), who held lands belonging to other nobles. Thus, the title of lord became a collective title for the five ranks of the peerage (duke, marquis, earl, viscount and baron).
With the emergence of parliaments in England and Scotland in the 13th century, lords received the right to directly participate in parliament, and in England a separate, upper house of lords of parliament was formed. Nobles with the title of lord sat in the House of Lords by birthright, while other feudal lords had to elect their representatives to the House of Commons by county.
In a narrower sense, the title of lord was usually used as equivalent to the title of baron, the lowest in the peerage system. This is especially true in Scotland, where the title of baron is not widespread. The granting of the title of lord by the Scottish kings to the nobles gave them the opportunity to directly participate in the country's parliament, and was often not associated with the appearance of land holdings in such persons by right of holding from the king. Thus the title of Lords of Parliament arose in Scotland.
Only the king had the right to assign the title of lord to a nobleman. This title was inherited through the male line and in accordance with the principle of primogeniture. However, the title of lord also began to be used by the children of nobles of the highest ranks (dukes, marquises, viscounts). In this sense, the wearing of this title did not require special sanction from the monarch.
Lord, this is not a title - it is an address to the nobility, e.g. Lord Stone.
Lord (lord, in the original meaning - owner, head of a house, family, from Anglo-Saxon hlaford, literally - keeper, protector of bread), 1) originally in medieval England in general meaning- a feudal landowner (lord of the manor, landlord) and lord of his vassals, in a more special meaning - a large feudal lord, the direct holder of the king - a baron. Gradually, the title of L. became the collective title of the English high nobility (dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, barons), which was received (since the 14th century) by the peers of the kingdom, constituting the upper house of the British parliament - the House of Lords. The title of L. is transmitted through the male line and seniority, but can also be granted by the crown (on the recommendation of the Prime Minister). Since the 19th century complains (“for special merits”) not only to large landowners, as was previously customary, but also to representatives of big capital, as well as some scientists, cultural figures, etc. Until 1958, seats in the House of Lithuania were filled only by inheritance of this title. Since 1958, the appointment by the monarch of some of the members of the House of Lithuania has been introduced, and those appointed by Lithuania sit in the House for life; their title is not inherited. In 1963, hereditary L. received the right to resign their title. 2) An integral part of the official title of some senior and local officials of Great Britain, for example, Lord Chancellor, Lord Mayor and others. Lord Chancellor, Supreme Law of Great Britain, is one of the oldest government positions (established in the 11th century); in modern Great Britain, the Chancellor is a member of the government and a representative of the House of Lords. Mainly performs the functions of the Minister of Justice: appoints judges in the counties, heads the Supreme Court, is the custodian of the great state seal. Lord Mayor is a title preserved from the Middle Ages for the head of local government in London (in the City area) and a number of other large cities (Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and others). 3) In the 15th-17th centuries component the title of L.-protector, which was assigned to some high-ranking statesmen of England, for example, regents under a minor king. In 1653–58, the title of L. Protector was also borne by O. Cromwell.
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Emperor
Kaiser | King | Konung | King | Basileus
Grand Duke | Grand Duke | Duke | Elector | Archduke | Prince
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Titled nobility
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Infant | Prince | Jarl/Earl | Palatine Count
Marquis | Margrave | Count | Landgraf| Despot | Ban
Viscount | Burggraf | Views
Baron | Baronet
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Untitled nobility.
Some hundred years ago, any child in Rus' knew who was “Your Excellency” and who was “Your Grace.” And now there are few such experts left. But many people know that it is quite possible to go from rags to riches, albeit in an allegorical sense.
One thing is known for certain, both count and prince are high titles. And it’s fashionable to be any of them today. This increased interest in the nobility appeared about 20 years ago. And it didn’t matter whether the ancestors of the newly-minted princes and counts were of noble blood. And no special services are required to the fatherland. And goldfish too. There is desire, connections, money - and the title is yours.
And it happens that their owners do not even know how they differ from each other. Can the count count on a princely title? Who are the count and prince?
Some historians believe that this title goes back to the retinue of the Roman Emperor, while others believe that it goes back to the “people's princes” of ancient Germany.
Since the early Middle Ages, Western Europe has known counts who were officials and represented the interests of the king in their counties. Later the name "Count" became a title in European countries and even outside Europe. 
Military, administrative and judicial power in the district was concentrated in the hands of a count from the Frankish kingdom of the second half of the 6th century. His appointment and replacement were at the mercy of the king. By his decision, he could grant lands from the royal estates. They served as a reward, just like the due portion of court fines.
There was a time when the counts became too independent and even rebelled against the king with arms. This position is inheritable. And it was possible to lose it only by decision of a court from the counts. And finally, this title was called noble.
Prince
This was the name given to the leader of the tribe, the person who headed the feudal state or a separate appanage principality. The prince of medieval Germany was perceived as the highest imperial aristocracy, enjoying special privileges. He acquired the status of the highest noble title, which is almost like a prince or duke.
Noble titles in Rus'
At first, the title of prince was held by the elder of the clan, who is also the leader of the tribe. AND for a long time so no one else but him could become a prince.
Only sovereigns and descendants of appanage and sovereign princes held the title before Peter the Great. It was he who first began to reward him for special services. Many people know the name Menshikova A.D.., one of the most famous and first princes not by blood, an associate of Emperor Peter I. And after him, for almost a hundred years, this title was not granted to anyone else
There were only three noble titles in Rus': prince, count and baron. By the way, history also knows a time when being called a prince turned out to be not at all authoritative, even shameful.
"Grand Duke"
Of the princely titles, he was revered as the highest. Only members of the imperial family had the right to wear it.
There were enough of them on Russian soil - the great princes of Yaroslavl, Ryazan, Tver, Smolensk principalities. And as soon as they came under the rule of Moscow, only the “great Moscow” princes remained.
As soon as Grand Duke Ivan IV accepted the royal title, his sons became “crown princes” and “grand dukes,” and his daughters also became “princesses” and “grand duchesses” (later, with the appearance of the emperor in Russia, “crown princesses”).
With the reign of Paul I, only princely titles were left for his children, of course, along with “imperial highness.”
Title Count
This title of nobility appeared in Russia at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries. Its meaning was not immediately clear. But its bearers were noble nobles and dignitaries, people close to the sovereign. That is why the title of count became quite revered.
There were more than three hundred count families in Russia already by end of the 19th century century. And almost until the revolution there were much fewer bearers of this title than princes. This is not surprising, because the title of count was awarded only to holders of the highest award in the empire, the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called.
About titled women
As a rule, men held titles. But history also knows women, princesses and countesses. A woman could also become the title holder, and this was rare.
A woman, becoming the wife of a titled man, acquired a title herself. In the hierarchical ladder, her husband's title determined her place. You could even say that they are on the same step of the stairs, she is right behind him. But more often a woman’s title can be called a “courtesy title,” because she does not receive any of the privileges due to its owner.
It happened, of course, that the title was inherited through the female line. And there are only two such options:
- The woman's role was limited to maintaining the title for the eldest son. In the absence of one, under the same conditions, the title passed to the next heir and she had to pass it on to her son... as soon as a male heir appeared, he became the owner of the title.
- A woman’s title belongs “by right,” but she does not have the right to occupy positions associated with it.
The husband of such a woman did not acquire rights to the title in any case. If you choose from two princesses or countesses, the one who has the title by right has the higher position than the one who enjoys the “title of courtesy” as the wife of a prince or count.
The difference between a count and a prince
The prince is higher in status than the count. Prince in Russia is the oldest title, and it appeared much earlier than count. Before Peter's time it was hereditary. Then they began to grant him the title of count. At all times there were much more Russian princes than counts.
The title of prince was not always prestigious for its bearer. There were times when he was a symbol of dishonor. Simply calling a person that way could insult him. While the title of count has always been held in high esteem.
System Russian titles, like many other innovations, took shape under Peter I. The title “prince” - chief, ruler, ruler of a region or principality - was once the only one in Russia. E.P. Karnovich in his book “Patrimonial nicknames and titles in Russia” “Karnovich E.P. Family nicknames and titles in Russia and the merger of foreigners with Russians. - St. Petersburg, 1886." considers this word to be purely Slavic in origin, although its Scandinavian origin is usually assumed: “prince” is derived from the Swedish “konung”. The same is said in the “Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language” by V.I. Dahl, but the Finnish scholar M. Ryasanan believes that the title “prince” is of Chinese origin, as is the title of his closest assistant, tiun (the Chinese equivalent is tudun). The borrowing of this title seems somewhat incomprehensible, because in China tudun was the “keeper of water,” and in Rus', as is known, there was no irrigated agriculture in the 10th-12th centuries.
E.P. Karnovich claims that the title "prince" has long existed among Slavic tribes who had no relations with the Normans and Varangians. But if in other countries it lost its meaning, in Rus' it remained longer, and for many centuries it was worn by Russian rulers - appanage princes and great (senior) princes. There were many Grand Dukes in Rus' - Ryazan, Smolensk, Tver and Yaroslavl, but with the subordination of these principalities to Moscow, only the “Grand Dukes of Moscow” remained. However, they also subsequently added a new title to their already seemingly modest title - the title of “tsar” (sovereign, monarch, supreme ruler of a people, land or state), retaining for themselves the title of “Grand Duke”.
An interesting version is put forward by Candidate of Philological Sciences E.I. Kucherenko about the Middle Eastern origin of this title. The Assyrians and Babylonians called their rulers “kings,” only they pronounced this word as “sharr” or “sar.” Sometimes this title was included in the king’s own name. Thus, the Akkadian ruler Sargon I, who seized power, and did not receive it according to the law of succession, called himself “Sharrukin” (true king). The word “sar”, as a component, is also present in the names of such kings as Nabopolassar, Salpanassar and Tiglath-pileser.
After Grand Duke Ivan IV accepted the royal title, the royal sons began to bear the titles of “princes” and “grand dukes,” and the daughters began to bear the titles of “princesses” and “grand duchesses.” “Tsar” in Russia was supplemented by the title “autocrat,” which historically meant the independence of the tsarist power from the Golden Horde.
The family of Romanov boyars, from which the new Russian Tsar came, was not princely, but it had long been close to the Rurik family and was even akin to it. Andrei Ivanovich, the first ancestor of the Romanovs, left for Russia from Prussia back in early XIV century under Ivan Kalita and immediately became close to the Grand Duke. His son Fyodor and grandson Ivan (under the name Koshkins) are already considered the main advisers of Grand Duke Vasily I. From Zakhar, the son of Ivan, this family began to bear the surname Zakharyins, and from Yuri (son of Zakhar) - the Zakharyins-Yuryevs. And finally, Yuri’s son, Roman, became the founder of the Romanov family. It was from this family that Ivan the Terrible chose his wife Avdotya Romanovna, the daughter of Roman Yuryevich.
In 1721, Peter I took the title of "emperor". In Western Europe, this title usually belonged to the ruler of a powerful monarchy, and its receipt was sanctioned by the authority of the Pope. TO early XVIII century, the emperor was the head of the Holy Roman Empire of the German nation. With the introduction of the title of emperor in Russia, the title “prince” remained with the tsar’s sons, and daughters began to be called not “princesses”, but “crown princesses”. Subsequently, Emperor Paul I abolished these titles, and granted the titles of “Grand Dukes” and “Grand Duchesses” along with “Imperial Highness” to all his descendants up to the fifth generation.
A special class category included noble titles - the most serene princes, princes, and count and baronial dignities introduced by Peter I. Historically, each title signified a degree of feudal independence. Only the monarch could bestow a family title, and it was passed on to descendants only through the male line. When a woman got married, she joined her husband’s family name and became a princess, baroness or countess. When their daughter got married, she lost her title, since it could not be passed on to her husband.
Before the October Revolution, there were only three noble titles in Russia: prince, count and baron. Although in Ancient Rus' There were no awards of honorary titles; there were many princes. They belonged to the descendants of the Grand Duke Rurik (“Cornet Obolensky” belonged to the Rurikovichs), the descendants of the Grand Duke of Lithuania Gediminas (the “Lieutenant Golitsyn” belonged to the Gediminovichs) and foreigners, mainly Mordovians and Tatars.
The importance of many princely families fell due to the fragmentation or general decline of their ancestral domains. Even Ivan III strengthened his power over the possessions of the princes, weakened their personal authority as advisers to the sovereign, and limited the right of the princes to dispose of their estates. However, even all this was not enough to destroy the appanage orders, and then Ivan III resorted to a decisive means - he deprived many princes of their hereditary possessions.
But despite the suppression of many appanage princely families by 1700, the princely clans descended from them numbered 47. So, for example, the Gagarin clan had 27 representatives at that time, and the Volkonsky clan had 30. In the descendants of Gediminas, by 1700 in Russia there were four princely families: Kurakins, Golitsyns, Trubetskoys and Khovanskys. Princely families of Tatar, Mordovian and Georgian origin were a total of 10 times more numerous than princely families of Russian origin. This happened because in the 16th-17th centuries, in order to spread Christianity among the Tatars and Mordovians, the Russian tsars ordered the Tatar Murzas and Mordovian “punks” to write with a princely name if they accepted the Christian faith. Subsequently, the Tatar princely families (Igoberdyevs, Shaisupovs, etc.) acquired great wealth and nobility. Among them were the princes Urusov (descendants of the Nogai prince Edigei - one of the leaders of Tamerlane), Cherkasy (considered the descendants of the Egyptian Sultan Inal and the rulers of Kabarda) and Yusupov (they were of the same family as the Urusovs, and owed their rise to the favor of the powerful Biron).
Before Peter I, the granting of princely or any other honorary titles did not occur, with the exception of only the title of an “eminent” person. It was granted by Ivan the Terrible to one of the Stroganovs, who was engaged in healing. Subsequently, Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich granted the title “eminent people” to the entire Stroganov family, but this was not a noble title and did not introduce noble dignity. True, in the Siberian chronicles there is a story that Ermak Timofeevich, the first conqueror of Siberia, was allegedly granted the title of Siberian prince by Ivan the Terrible, but this raises doubts among historians.
The title of His Serene Highness Prince was very rare: A.D. was the first to receive it in Russia. Menshikov in 1707, the last - A.M. Gorchakov in 1871.
After Peter I, the Russian tsars for 90 years did not grant the princely title to anyone, because by that time the Rurik family had already become so impoverished that no one was flattered to receive this title. Even less did anyone want to become like the many Tatar and Georgian princes. In order to raise princely dignity in Russia, it was necessary to show the brilliance of the power and nobility of this title, which happened during the reign of Catherine II.
Under her, the princes appeared in such a situation that later Emperor Paul I could with good reason consider the award of the princely rank an extraordinary reward, especially with the title of “lordship.” Under Paul I, the first such award was granted on April 5, 1797 to Vice-Chancellor Count A.A. Bezborodko, then the emperor granted princes to Prosecutor General P.V. Lopukhin and Field Marshal Count A.V. Suvorov (with the title of Prince of Italy). The highest degree of a princely title was the title " Grand Duke", which belonged only to members of the imperial family.
At the turn of the 17th-18th centuries, a new noble title appeared in Russia - count. At first, the meaning of this title was not very clear to the Russian people, and the persons receiving it did not even know how to write correctly in their signatures; they replaced the letter “fert” with the letter “fita”. However, this title soon became very honorable, as prominent nobles, noble dignitaries and people close to the sovereign began to wear it.
Since the time of Peter I, count titles appeared in Russia, different in their grant: counts of the Russian Empire and counts of the Holy Roman Empire, and then foreigners began to appear who entered into Russian citizenship with such a title or received it later from various influential persons. Field Marshal F.A. became the first count in Russia. Golovin is an admiral general, boyar and president of the Ambassadorial Prikaz. After him, this title was awarded to A.D. Menshikov and G.I. Golovkin, but all of them were not “Russian” counts, since these titles were granted to them by emperors of other states. The first actual Russian count was Field Marshal B.P. Sheremetev, who received this title from Peter I in 1706 for pacifying the Streltsy revolt in Astrakhan.
In 1709, Peter I granted this title to Chancellor G.I. Golovkin, who had it since 1706 from Emperor Joseph I. In 1710, the tsar was especially generous in distributing count titles. He granted them to boyar I.A. Musin-Pushkin, Admiral General V.M. Apraksin and boyar P.M. Apraksin, as well as his former teacher Nikita Zotov - with the extension of this title to his descendants.
Catherine II granted relatively few titles of counts of the Russian Empire. However, during her long reign, several Russian subjects, of low rank or without any rank at all, received the dignity of count from foreign sovereigns. Emperor Paul I, unlike his mother, was unusually generous in distributing the title of count. 6 days after his accession, he granted it to Major General A.G. Bobrinsky, and on the day of his coronation he granted three Vorontsovs, A.A., “counts of the Russian Empire”. Bezborodko, State Councilor I.V. Zavadovsky and some others, who were already counts of the Holy Roman Empire.
Quite a few noble families in Russia had several family titles. For example, A.V. After the defeat of the Turks at Focsani and Rymnik in 1789, Suvorov received the title of Count of Rymnik, and from the Austrian Emperor - the title of Count of the Holy Roman Empire. Ten years later, after several victories over the French army, Emperor Paul I granted A.V. Suvorov received the title of Prince of Italy and ordered the erection of a monument to him in St. Petersburg. Field Marshal General I.F. Paskevich, one of four full holders of the Order of St. George, received first the title of Count of Erivan, and then Prince of Warsaw.
The most honorable medieval Europe there was the title of baron, where “baron” meant not only the highest government officials, but generally all feudal rulers, even if they had other titles (ducal, princely, margrave, etc.). During crusades this title was brought to the East and there also acquired great honor, since it preserved the memory of the leaders of the crusaders who took Jerusalem from the Muslims. Over time, in Western Europe, the baronial title gradually began not only to lose its former meaning, but even to come into disdain.
There were especially many barons by title only, and not by land holdings, when the former German rulers arrogated to themselves the right to distribute this title.
In Russia, the word “baron” was translated as “free master,” but before the reign of Peter I there were no “Russian” barons at all. In 1710, this title was first granted to the sub-chancellor P.P. Shafirov, 11 years later - Privy Councilor A.I. Osterman for concluding the Peace of Nystadt, and in 1722 the three Stroganov brothers, who until that time had held the title of “eminent people,” were granted baronship. In many cases, the grant of barony also meant the grant of nobility.
Along with aristocratic titles, Peter I borrowed from Europe and external signs noble dignity - coats of arms and diplomas for nobility. In 1722, he established the position of master of arms, who ordered him to issue diplomas of nobility and coats of arms to all nobles who rose to the rank of chief officer. Interest in heraldry in Russia began to grow so quickly that many willfully invented coats of arms for themselves, and some even appropriated the coats of arms of crowned sovereigns and noble families.
According to the “Table of Ranks”, when addressing persons who had certain ranks, persons of equal rank or inferior had to use the following titles: “Your Excellency” (to persons in the ranks of classes I and II), “Your Excellency” (to ranks of the III and IV classes), etc. In addition, in Russia there were titles used when addressing members of the imperial family and persons of noble origin:
"Yours Imperial Majesty» - to the Emperor, Empress and Empress Dowager;
"Your Imperial Highness"- to the great princes (children and grandchildren of the emperor), and in 1797-1886 to the great-grandsons and great-great-grandchildren of the emperor;
"Your Highness"- to the princes of imperial blood;
"Your Mightiness"- to the youngest children of the great-grandsons of the emperor and their male descendants, as well as to the most serene princes by grant;
"Your Excellency"- when addressing princes, counts, dukes and barons.
When addressing clergy in Russia, the following titles were used:
"Your Eminence"- to metropolitans and archbishops;
"Your Eminence"- to the bishops;
"Your Reverence"- to archimandrites and abbots of monasteries, archpriests and priests;
"Your Reverence"- to protodeacons and deacons.
But after February Revolution By order of the Petrograd Council of Workers' and Soldiers' Deputies, the mandatory salutation outside of duty, standing "at the front" and addressing officers using the titles "Your Honor", "Your Excellency", etc. were abolished. Instead, the addresses "Mr. General", "Mr. Lieutenant" were introduced "etc.
In November 1917 the Council People's Commissars approved the decree on the destruction of estates and civil ranks. Within a month, the Senate and State Council were abolished, and with them the titles of senators and members of the State Council. The decree of December 16 “On the equalization of rights of all military personnel” abolished all ranks, all imperial and royal orders, prohibited the use of private titles with the address “master” and destroyed all other class differences between citizens of Russia.
The emergence of class nobility The social structure of medieval society was clearly regulated. Each person from birth occupied a certain level in it, and the transition from one class to another was practically impossible. At the same time, in the Middle Ages, a social hierarchy emerged that regulated the way of life and relations within the classes. The nobility appeared in Europe during the formation of feudalism, when there was a need to streamline the relations between overlords and their vassals. The duties of the latter included protecting the interests and life of the feudal lord, from whom they received possession of the flax. Thus, a medieval nobleman is a warrior who is ready to join his army at the call of his overlord. Changed over time economic relations in society, and with them the role of the noble class. For example, count is a title that in the early Middle Ages designated a major feudal ruler who had complete power in his county. However, after the formation of centralized states, possession of it indicated only belonging to the highest nobility - the aristocracy. Titled nobles of medieval Europe As already noted, each class had a strict hierarchical structure. Thus, the nobility was divided into granted and patrimonial, as well as titled and untitled. The last group was the largest in all countries. The social affiliation of the clan nobles was determined by the very fact of birth in a noble family, while the grantees became part of the privileged class due to personal merit or impeccable public service.
Titled nobles were at the very top of the hierarchical pyramid, second only to monarchs and members of the royal family in terms of birth. Princes, dukes, counts, marquises, barons, and viscounts made up the feudal aristocracy in medieval Western Europe. But prince is a title that was mainly used by the noble class in the Slavic states. In importance he corresponded to a Western European prince or duke. The origin of noble titles Over the years, it is impossible today to say with certainty when and how the honorary titles of nobles appeared. Let's say count is a title that researchers associate with the Latin word comes. This is how the highest state dignitaries were called in the late Roman Empire. Today in Romance languages the title is written as conte (Italian), conde (Spanish) and comte (French). During the early Middle Ages, the Frankish tribes called the leaders of the rural community counts. Several centuries later, under King Charles the Bald, their possessions and title, along with the right to manage, began to be inherited.
Slavic princes were originally heads of tribes, and only over the course of centuries did this honorary title become associated with the clans that ruled a certain territory, which had the right to reign, transmitted by inheritance. Thus, one can notice something in common in the titles “prince” and “count”. The difference was initially rather geographical. In Western Europe the word count was used, and in Eastern and Central Europe - prince. Only over time did these titles acquire a different meaning. Petrovskaya Table of Ranks The Russian nobility was formed in the 12th century on the basis of courtyard people who were in the service of the boyars or appanage princes. They performed various judicial and administrative functions along with the obligation to perform military service in the princely army. Peter I, as part of the fight against the patrimonial boyar aristocracy, introduced new titles of nobility, borrowed from Western European countries. Thus, in the 18th century, counts and barons appeared in Russia along with princes. These and other innovations were recorded in the Table of Ranks - a list of civil, court and military ranks.
Some time passed until the subjects of the Russian autocrat understood the new hierarchical structure and were able to understand who was higher - the count or the prince. The latter title existed in Rus' for a long time, and by the time of the reign of Peter I there were 47 princely families in Russia. Granting titles Petrine reforms put an end to the aristocratic hierarchy, which was based on birth. From that time on, not only the descendants of the Rurikovichs and Gediminovichs could become princes. Elevation to princely or counthood now depended on the will of the emperor. The first in Russia, even before the adoption of the Table of Ranks, was given the title of count to Boris Sheremetev, a field marshal and associate of Peter the Great. However, not all the successors of the reformer king generously bestowed new titles. Catherine II elevated mainly her favorites to the dignity of counts.
The new title was accompanied by a specific address: Your Excellency, Your Highness. It is noteworthy that the princes in the 18th century. have not yet enjoyed such a privilege. For this reason, to the question: “Who is higher – the count or the prince?” a Russian nobleman at that time would most likely answer: “Count.” In the next century, this title was received mainly by ministers or those who had previously been awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called. What is the difference between a prince and a count? In the 19th century, emperors no longer skimped on new awards. Therefore, by the end of the century in Russia there were 310 count families and 250 princely families. In exceptional cases, one nobleman was allowed to have several titles. For example, Suvorov A.V. was elevated to both count and princely dignity for his invaluable services to the Fatherland. So, who is higher - the count or the prince? In short, the holders of the last title stood one step higher on the hierarchical ladder. Only someone who had previously been elevated to the rank of count could become a prince. This state of affairs was characteristic not only of the Russian nobility. As mentioned above, in Western Europe the title of prince corresponded to the title of duke or prince, who occupied the highest rung on the aristocratic ladder. The prince is, first of all, the head of state. The Count is, first of all, an official of the state.
We all know that it is quite possible to go from rags to riches, and some even sometimes succeed. But seriously, is it possible, for example, from being a count to becoming a prince? And what is the difference between these high titles? Let's try to figure it out.
Who are the count and prince
Graph- originally, in the early Middle Ages, an official under the king in Western Europe, and later a title in Europe and some non-European countries.
Prince– head feudal state or political education among the Slavs, later - the highest noble title, in Europe equivalent to duke or prince.
Comparison of count and prince
What is the difference between a count and a prince?
For several centuries, the meaning of the words “prince” and “count” in different countries has undergone significant changes. Let us dwell on the situation with these titles in our country. In Rus', the prince was a tribal leader, the elder of the clan. Later, the prince headed the state: his responsibilities included military, judicial and religious functions. For a long time, a high-profile title was the only one in our country; it was worn by both great and appanage princes. Initially, the princes were chosen, then the title began to be inherited. This order existed in Russia until the 18th century, and then the tsar began to complain about the title for special merits to the highest dignitaries (the first prince not by blood was A.D. Menshikov, an associate of Peter I).
Under Peter, as is known, there were many reforms and innovations: it was his merit that, in addition to the princely title, the titles of count and baron appeared in the state. These three noble titles, by the way, existed in our country until the October Revolution. There were always quite a lot of princes, but the importance of many previously influential families gradually fell, their possessions fell into decay. For example, the Vyazemsky princes at one time worked in the service of middle-class landowners. After Peter the Great, the previously enviable title was not granted to anyone for almost a hundred years: being considered a prince was extremely unprestigious, and besides, numerous Georgian and Tatar princes received such a title, whom no one wanted to be like (by the way, perhaps this is where it originated and the proverb mentioned above).
In Russia by the end of the 19th century there were 310 count families. Moreover, until the revolution there were much fewer counts than princes. The title of count was awarded in the 19th century only to those who had the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (until 1917, the highest award of the Russian Empire).
The princes (depending on whether they received the title by inheritance or not) were addressed as “Your Grace” or “Your Excellency”; the counts were addressed only as “Your Excellency”.
TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between a count and a prince is as follows:
The title of prince is higher on the hierarchical ladder than the title of count.
The title of prince appeared in Russia earlier than the title of count. Moreover, for a long time (until Peter I) it was passed down only by inheritance. Then the title of prince, like the title of count, began to be granted.
There have always been more princes in Russia than counts.
The title of prince was not always considered prestigious: there was a time when in the Russian Empire calling a person a prince (and even more so a prince) meant insulting him and accusing him of dishonor. The title of count has always been extremely honorable.
