Wiki about 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.

Ranks and titles

Sovereign:

  • specific to one or a few realms
    • Pope ( also "Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church and Vicar of Christ"); the Pope is also the absolute ruler of the sovereign state The Vatican City
    • Tsar (or Czar - Царь) in Serbian, Bulgarian, Russian, and Croatian, derives from Caesar, i.e. Emperor; although in its origins the title was meant to claim the imperial dignity, in its Russian and Bulgarian usages, at least, it has in more recent times been seen as only equivalent to King
    • Maharajah, in India, Nepal, (etc.) "Maha" a prefix meaning highest, and "Rajah" meaning king, hence "highest king", Emperor.
    • Shahanshah, Shah of Shahs, hence Emperor.
    • Khakhan, Khan of Khans, hence Emperor.
    • Caliph, ruling a caliphate is an Islamic title indicating the successor to Muhammad, who is both a religious and a secular leader
    • Rajah, In India, Nepal,(et cetera), title used for denoting the ruler of a kingdom.
    • Shah, in Iran (Persia), king, though often actually referring to the Shahanshah (Emperor).
    • Khan (Mongol, or Turkic) rules a khanate (mainly Asian, but also existed in Mongol/Turkic territory in Russia, Ukraine, and the Crimea)
    • Archduke, before 1806 the title of the ruler of the archduchy of Austria
    • Grand Duke, ruling a grand duchy
    • Grand Prince, a title primarily used in the medieval Russian principalities as the title for the highest level (Великий Князь).
    • High King, used in Gaelic and Hellenic culture to designate one who ruled over lesser kings

Noble and cadet:

    • Archduke, ruling an archduchy; was generally only a sovereign rank when used by the rulers of Austria; was also used by the Habsburgs of the Holy Roman Empire for members of the imperial family
    • Duke, rules a duchy, also for junior members of ducal and some grand ducal families
    • Prince, Prinz in German; Князь in Russian, junior members of a royal, ducal or princely family (the title of Fürst for heads of princely families and sometimes all members, e.g. Wrede)
    • Marquess, Margrave, or Marquis was the ruler of a marquessate, margraviate, or march
    • Count, theoretically the ruler of a county; known as an Earl in modern Britain
    • Viscount (vice-count), theoretically the ruler of a viscounty or viscountcy
    • Baron, theoretically the ruler of a barony – some barons in some countries may have been "free barons" (liber baro) and as such, regarded (themselves) as higher barons


Aristocratic:

    • Baronet is a hereditary title ranking below Baron but above Knight
    • Dominus (title) Dominus was the Latin title of the feudal, superior and mesne, lords, and also an ecclesiastical and academical title (Equivalent of Lord)
    • Vidame, a minor French aristocrat
    • Fidalgo Hidalgo, a minor Portuguese and Spanish aristocrat (from filho d'algo = filho d'alguém = son of someone [important])
    • Seigneur or Knight of the Manor rules a smaller local fief
    • Knight is the basic rank of the aristocratic system
    • Jonkheer a title for prestigious Dutch families that never received a title, instead a new title was invented. Though these titles have no claim to a territory, city, or province in the Netherlands, they are basically claiming a good family name. A woman who holds this title is called a Jonkvrouw, though the wife of a Jonkheer is a Mevrouw or sometimes Freule, which could also be used by daughters of the same.
    • Esquire is a rank of gentry originally derived from Squire and indicating the status of an attendant to a knight or an apprentice knight; it ranked below Knight but above Gentleman

General chart of "translations" between languages

Below is a comparative table of corresponding royal and noble titles in various European countries. Quite often, a Latin 3rd declension noun formed a distinctive feminine title by adding -issa to its base, but usually the 3rd declension noun was used for both male and female nobles, except for Imperator and Rex. 3rd declension nouns are italicized in this chart. See Royal and noble styles to learn how to address holders of these titles properly.

English French Italian Spanish German Dutch Norwegian Swedish Czech Slovak Finnish Polish Russian Danish Greek Portuguese Slovene Latin
Emperor,
Empress		 Empereur,
Imperatrice		 Imperatore,
Imperatrice		 Emperador,
Emperatriz		 Kaiser,
Kaiserin		 Keizer,
Keizerin		 Keiser,
Keiserinne		 Kejsare,
Kejsarinna		 Císař,
Císařovna		 Cisár,
Cisárovná		 Keisari,
Keisarinna (or Keisaritar, obsolete)		 Cesarz,
Cesarzowa		 Imperator/Tsar,
Imperatritsa/Tsaritsa		 Kejser,
Kejserinde		 Aftokrator,
Aftokratira		 Imperador,
Imperatriz		 Cesar,
Cesarica		 Imperator/Caesar,
Imperatrix/Caesarina
King,
Queen		 Roi,
Reine		 Re,
Regina		 Rey,
Reina		 König,
Königin		 Koning,
Koningin		 Konge,
Dronning		 Kung,
Drottning		 Král,
Královna		 Kráľ,
Kráľovná		 Kuningas,
Kuningatar		 Król,
Królowa		 Koról,
Koroléva		 Konge
Dronning		 Vasilefs,
Vasilissa		 Rei,
Rainha		 Kralj,
Kraljica		 Rex,
Regina
Grand Duke/Grand Prince,
Grand Duchess/Grand Princess		 Grand Duc,
Grande Duchesse		 Granduca,
Granduchessa		 Gran Duque,
Gran Duquesa		 Großherzog/
Großfürst,
Großherzogin/
Großfürstin		 Groothertog,
Groothertogin		 Storhertug,
Storhertuginne		 Storfurste,
Storfurstinna		 Velkovévoda,
Velkovévodkyně		 Veľkovojvoda,
Veľkovojvodkyňa		 Suuriruhtinas,
Suuriruhtinatar		 Wielki Książę,
Wielka Księżna		 Velikiy Knyaz,
Velikaya Kniagina		 Storhertug,
Storhertuginde		 Megas Doux, Megali Doukissa Grão-Duque,
Grã-Duquesa		 Veliki vojvoda,
Velika vojvodinja		 Magnus Dux/ Magnus Princeps,
magna ducissa, magna principissa
Archduke,
Archduchess		 Archiduc, Archiduchesse Arciduca,
Arciduchessa		 Archiduque,
Archiduquesa		 Erzherzog,
Erzherzogin		 Aartshertog,
Aartshertogin 		 Erkehertug,
Erkehertuginne		 Ärkehertig,
ärkehertiginna		 Arcivévoda,
Arcivévodkyně		 Arcivojvoda,
Arcivojvodkyňa		 Arkkiherttua,
Arkkiherttuatar		 Arcyksiążę
Arcyksiężna		 Ertsgertsog,
Ertsgertsoginya		 Ærke Hertug,
Ærke Hertuginde		 Archidoux, Archidoukissa Arquiduque,
Arquiduquesa;		 Nadvojvoda,
Nadvojvodinja		 Archidux,
archiducissa
(Prince)-Elector,
Electress		 Prince-électeur,
Princesse-électrice		 Principe Elettore,
Principessa Elettrice		 Príncipe Elector,
Princesa Electora;		 Kurfürst,
Kurfürstin		 Keurvorst,
Keurvorstin		 Kurfyrste,
Kurfyrstinne		 Kurfurste
Kurfurstinna		 Kurfiřt
 - Vaaliruhtinas,
Vaaliruhtinatar		 Książę Elektor,
Księżna Elektorowa		 Kurfyurst,
Kurfyurstina		 Kurfyrste,
Kurfystinde		 Pringkips-Eklektor
Pringkipissa-Eklektorissa		 Príncipe-Eleitor,
Princesa-Eleitora;		 Volilni knez,
Volilna kneginja		 Princeps Elector
Prince,
Princess		 Prince,
Princesse		 Principe
Principessa		 Príncipe,
Princesa		 Prinz/Fürst,
Prinzessin/Fürstin		 Prins/Vorst,
Prinses/Vorstin		 Prins/Fyrste,
Prinsesse/fyrstinne		 Prins/Furste,
Prinsessa/
Furstinna		 Kníže,
Kněžna10		 Knieža,
Kňažná		 Prinssi/Ruhtinas,
Prinsessa/Ruhtinatar		 Książę,
Księżna		 Kniaz/Gertsog,
Kniagina/
Gertsoginya		 Prins/Fyrste
Prinsesse/Fyrstinde		 Pringkips
Pringkipissa		 Príncipe,
Princesa		 Knez,
Kneginja		 Princeps,
principissa
Duke,
Duchess		 Duc,
Duchesse		 Duca,
Duchessa		 Duque,
Duquesa		 Herzog,
Herzogin		 Hertog,
Hertogin		 Hertug,
Hertuginne		 Hertig,
hertiginna		 Vévoda,
Vévodkyně		 Vojovda,
Vojvodkyňa		 Herttua,
Herttuatar		 Diuk (Książę),
(Księżna)		 Hertug
Hertuginde		 Doukas/archon
Doux/archontissa		 Duque,
Duquesa		 Vojvoda,
Vojvodinja		 Dux,
ducissa
Marquess/Margrave,
Marchioness/Margravine		 Marquis,
Marquise		 Marchese,
Marchesa		 Marqués,
Marquesa		 Markgraf,
Markgräfin		 Markies/Markgraaf,
Markiezin/
Markgravin		 Marki,
Markise		 Markis/markgreve,
markisinna/
markgrevinna		 Markýz/Markrabě Markíz,
Markíza		 Markiisi/rajakreivi,
Markiisitar/rajakreivitär		 Markiz/Margrabia,
Markiza/Margrabina		 Markiz,
Markiza,
Boyar,
Boyarina		 Markis,
Markise		 Markissios,
Markissia		 Marquês,
Marquesa		 Markiz,
Markiza		 Marchio,
marchionissa
Earl / Count,
Countess		 Comte,
Comtesse		 Conte,
Contessa		 Conde,
Condesa		 Graf,
Gräfin		 Graaf,
Gravin		 Jarl / Greve,
Grevinne		 Greve,
Grevinna		 Hrabě,
Hraběnka		 Gróf,
Grófka		 Kreivi/(brit:)jaarli,
Kreivitär		 Hrabia,
Hrabina		 Graf,
Grafinya		 Greve
Grevinde, Komtesse		 Komis,
Komissa		 Conde,
Condessa		 Grof,
Grofica		 Comes,
comitissa
Viscount,
Viscountess		 Vicomte,
Vicomtesse		 Visconte,
Viscontessa		 Vizconde,
Vizcondesa		 Vizegraf,
Vizegräfin		 Burggraaf,
Burggravin		 Vikomte,
Visegrevinne		 Vicegreve,
vicegrevinna		 Vikomt Vikomt,
Vikontesa		 Varakreivi,
Varakreivitär		 Wicehrabia,
Wicehrabina		 Vikont,
Vikontessa		 Vicegreve,
Vicegrevinde/Vicekomtesse		 Ypokomis, Ypokomissa Visconde,
Viscondessa		 Vikont,
Vikontinja		 Vicecomes,
vicecomitissa
Baron,
Baroness		 Baron,
Baronne		 Barone,
Baronessa		 Barón,
Baronesa		 Freiherr/ Baron,
Freifrau/Freiherrin/ Baronin		 Baron,
Barones(se)		 Baron,
Baronesse		 Friherre,
Friherrinna		 Baron,
Baronka		 Barón,
Barónka		 Vapaaherra/Paroni,
Vapaaherratar/Paronitar		 Wolny Pan,
Wolna Pani		 Baron,
Baronessa		 Baron,
Baronesse		 Varonos,
Varoni		 Barão,
Baronesa		 Baron,
Baronica		 Liber baro,
baronissa
Baron,
Baroness		 Baron,
Baronne		 Barone,
Baronessa		 Barón,
Baronesa		 Baron, Herr,
Baronin, Frau		 Baron,
Barones(se)		 Baron,
Baronesse		 Baron, Herre,
Baronessa, Fru		 Baron,
Baronka		 Barón,
Barónka		 Paroni, Herra,
Paronitar, Rouva/ Herratar		 Baron,
Baronowa		 Baron,
Baronessa		 Baron,
Baronesse		 Varonos,
Varoni		 Barão,
Baronesa		 Baron,
Baronica		 Baro,
baronissa
Baronet
Baronetess		 Baronnet Baronetto   Edler,
Edle		 Erfridder     Baronet   Baronetti, "Herra" (=fiefholder),
Herratar		 Baronet Baronet Baronet,
Baronetesse		 Baronetos, Baroneta Baronete,
Baronetesa;		 Baronet,
Baronetinja		  
Knight Chevalier Cavaliere Caballero Ritter Ridder Ridder Riddare/ Frälseman,
Fru[12]		 Rytíř Rytier Aatelinen/Ritari
style of wife: Rouva		 Rycerz/ Kawaler Rytsar Ridder Hippotis Cavaleiro Vitez Eques

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