Royal and noble ranks

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Traditional ranks among European royalty, peers, and nobility are rooted in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Although they vary over time and between geographic regions (for example, one region's prince might be equal to another's grand duke), the following is a fairly comprehensive list that provides information on both general ranks and specific differences.

  • Sovereign:
    • Emperor, rules¹ an empire.
    • Tsar (or Czar) in Russian, and Kaiser in German, both mean Caesar, i.e. Emperor, and rule¹ an Empire, which in these cases may be referred to as "Zarempire" and "Kaiserreich" respectively. Tsar can also simply mean King, as in Serbia or Bulgaria.
    • Khan (Mongol, or Turkic) rules a khanate. (Mainly Asian, but also existed in Mongol/Turkic territory in Russia, Ukraine, and the Crimea.)
    • Sultan, rules¹ a Sultanate
    • King, rules¹ a kingdom (Sovereign kings are ranked above vassal kings).
    • Prince, Fürst in German, sometimes Emir in Arabic, ruling¹ a Principality
    • Grand Duke, ruling¹ a grand duchy
    • Archduke
  • Others:
    • Prince, Prinz in German; junior members of a sovereign or formerly sovereign family
    • Prince-elector, Kurfürst in German, electing the Holy Roman Emperor
    • Archduke, a unique rank used only by the Habsburgs in Austria for princes of the imperial family
    • Duke, who rules¹ a duchy²
    • Marquess, theoretically the ruler¹ of a marquessate, or march.
    • Count, theoretically the ruler of a county, known as an Earl in Britain.
    • Viscount (vice-count), theoretically the ruler of a viscounty
    • Baron, theoretically the ruler of a barony
    • Vidame, a minor French aristocrat
    • Seigneur or Knight of the Manor rules a smaller local fief
    • Knight is the basic rank of the aristocratic system
1) Loss of sovereignty or fief does not necessarily lead to loss of title. The position in the ranking table is however accordingly adjusted. The occurrence of fiefs has changed from time to time, and from country to country. For instance, dukes in England rarely had a duchy to rule.
2) Dukes who are not actually or formerly sovereign, such as all British, French, and Spanish dukes, or who are not sons of sovereigns, as titulary dukes in many other countries, should be considered nobles ranking above marquess.

In Germany, the actual rank of the holder of a title is, however, dependent on not only the title as such, but on for instance the degree of sovereignty and on the rank of the lord of the title-holder. But also such matters as the age of the princely dynasty play a role (Uradel, Briefadel, altfürstliche, neufürstliche, see: German nobility). Thus, any sovereign ruler would be higher than any formerly sovereign, i.e. mediatized, family of any rank (thus, the Fürst of Waldeck, sovereign until 1918, was higher than the Duke of Arenberg, mediatized). Members of a formerly sovereign house ranked higher than the regular nobility. Among the regular nobility, those whose titles derived from the Holy Roman Empire ranked higher than those whose titles were granted by one of the German princes after 1806, no matter what title was held.

In Austria, nobility titles may no longer be used since 1918. [1] (http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/taweb-cgi/taweb?x=d&o=d&v=bnd&d=BND&i=13944)

In Germany, the constitution of the Weimar Republic in 1919 abolished nobility and all nobility titles. They are now merely part of the family name, and there is no more right to the traditional forms of address (e.g., "Hoheit" or "Durchlaucht"). The last title was conferred on 12 November 1918 to Kurt von Klefeld.

In Switzerland, nobility titles are prohibited and are not recognized as part of the family name.

Below is a comparative table of corresponding royal and noble titles in various European countries. See Royal and noble styles to learn how to properly address holders of these titles.

English French Italian Spanish German Dutch Norwegian Swedish Finnish Polish¹ Russian Danish Greek Portuguese Latin8
Emperor,
Empress 		Empereur,
Imperatrice 		Imperatore,
Imperatrice 		Emperador,
Emperatriz 		Kaiser,
Kaiserin 		Keizer,
Keizerin 		Keiser,
Keiserinne 		Kejsare,
Kejsarinna 		Keisari,
Keisarinna 		Cesarz,
Cesarzowa 		Imperator,
Imperatritsa 		Kejser,
Kejserinde 		Aftokrator,
Aftokratira 		Imperador,
Imperatriz 		Imperator/Caesar,
Imperatrix/Caesarina
King,
Queen 		Roi,
Reine 		Re,
Regina 		Rey,
Reina 		König,
Königin 		Koning,
Koningin 		Kong,
Dronning 		Kung,
Drottning 		Kuningas,
Kuningatar4 		Król,
Królowa 		Tsar/Koról,
Tsaritsa/Koroléva 		Konge
Dronning 		Vasilefs,
Vasilissa 		Rei,
Rainha 		Rex,
Regina
Grand Duke/Grand Prince,
Grand Duchess/Grand Princess 		Grand Duc,
Grande Duchesse 		Granduca,
Granduchessa 		  Großherzog,
Großherzogin 		Groothertog,
Groothertogin 		Storhertug,
Storhertuginne 		  Suuriruhtinas,
Suuriruhtinatar4 		Wielki Książę,
Wielka Księżna 		Velikiy Knyaz,
Velikaya Kniagina 		Storhertug,
Storhertuginde 		Megas Doux Grão-Duque,
Grã-Duquesa 		 
Archduke,
Archduchess 		Archiduc, Archiduchesse     Erzherzog,
Erzherzogin 		Aartshertog,
Aartshertogin  		    Arkkiherttua,
Arkkiherttuatar 		Arcyksiążę
Arcyksiężna 		  Ærke Hertug,
Ærke Hertuginde 		  Arqui-duque,
Arqui-duquesa; 		 
Prince²,
Princess 		Prince²,
Princesse 		Principe²,
Principessa 		Príncipe²,
Princesa 		Fürst,
Fürstin 		Prins,
Prinses 		Prins/fyrste,
Prinsesse/fyrstinne 		Furste,
Furstinna4 		Ruhtinas,
Ruhtinatar4 		Książę,
Księżna 		Kniaz/Gertsog,
Kniagina/Gertsoginya5 		Fyrste
Fyrstinde 		Pringkips
Pringkipissa 		Príncipe,
Princesa 		Princeps
Duke,
Duchess 		Duc,
Duchesse 		Duca,
Duchessa 		Duque,
Duquesa 		Herzog,
Herzogin 		Hertog,
Hertogin 		Hertug, Hertuginne Hertig Herttua,
Herttuatar4 		Hertug
Hertuginde 		Doukas
Doux 		Duque,
Duquesa 		Dux
Marquess,
Marchioness 		Marquis,
Marquise 		Marchese,
Marchesa 		Marqués,
Marquesa 		Markgraf³,
Markgräfin 		Markies/Markgraaf,
Markiezin/Markgravin 		Marki Markis4 Markiisi4 Markiz,
Markiza 		Markiz,
Markiza,
Boyar,
Boyarina5 		Markis,
Markise 		Markissios,
Markissia 		Marquês,
Marquesa 		 
Earl / Count,
Countess 		Comte,
Comtesse 		Conte,
Contessa 		Conde,
Condesa 		Graf,
Gräfin 		Graaf,
Gravin 		Jarl / Greve,
Grevinne 		Greve,
Grevinna 		Kreivi,
Kreivitär4 		Hrabia,
Hrabina 		Graf,
Grafinya5 		Greve
Grevinde 		Komis,
Komissa 		Conde,
Condessa 		Comes
Viscount,
Viscountess 		Vicomte,
Vicomtesse 		Visconte,
Viscontessa 		Vizconde,
Vizcondesa 		Vizegraf,
Vizegräfin 		Burggraaf,
Burggravin 		Vikomte,
Visegrevinne 		  Varakreivi,
Varakreivitär4 		Wicehrabia,
Wicehrabina 		Viskont,
Viskontsha 		Vicegreve
Vicegrevinde 		  Visconde,
Viscondessa 		Vicecomes
Baron,
Baroness 		Baron,
Baronne 		Barone,
Baronessa 		Barón,
Baronesa 		Freiherr/ Baron,
Freifrau/ Baronin 		Baron,
Barones(se) 		Baron,
Baronesse 		Friherre,
Friherrinna 		Vapaaherra,
Vapaaherratar4 		Baron,
Baronowa 		Baron,
Baronessa 		Baron,
Baronesse 		Varonos,
Varonessa 		Barão,
Baronesa 		 
Baronet6,
Baronetess 		Baronnet Baronetto                 Baronet,
Baronetesse 		  Baronete,
Baronetesa; 		 
Knight9 Chevalier Cavaliere Caballero Ritter Ridder Ridder Riddare4 Ritari4 Kawaler Rycer Ridder Hippotis Cavaleiro Equites
Notes:
1) Due to the prinicple of nobles' equality, any aristocratic titles below that of prince were not allowed in Poland (with few exceptions). The titles in italics are simply Polish translations of western titles which were granted to some Polish nobles by foreign monarchs, especially after the partitions. Instead of heraditory titles, Polish nobility developed and used a set of titles based on one's office. See szlachta for more info on Polish nobility.
2) Prince/principe can also be a title of the junior members of royal houses (Prinz in German, Prins in Swedish). In the British system, Prince is not a rank of nobility but a title held exclusively by members of the Royal Family.
3) In the German system by rank approximately equal to Landgraf and Pfalzgraf.
4) No titles were granted after 1906 when unicameral assembly (Eduskunta) was established.
5) For domestic Russian nobility only the two titles Kniaz and Boyar were used before the 18th century when Graf was added.
6) Not counted as nobility in the British system.
7) Portuguese titles in italic are not used in Portugal.
8) Latin titles are for etymological comparisons. They do not accurately reflect their medieval counterparts.
9) Non-hereditary. Not counted as nobility in the British system. See also squire and esquire.

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See also

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External links

de:Adelstitel pl:Tytuły szlacheckie pt:Título nobiliárquico sl:Plemiški nazivi zh:贵族等级

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