Wikipedia

Nobility

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The nobility represents, or has represented, the higher stratum of a society in which social classes can be distinguished. Typically the notion of nobility originates from the stage of feudal society in the development of a country. The nobility of a person might be either inherited or earned. Nobility is its most general and strict sense is an acknowledged preeminence that is hereditary, i.e., legitimate descendants (or all male descendants, in some societies) of nobles are nobles, unless explicitely stripped of the privilege. In this respect, nobility is distinguished from British peerage: the latter can be passed to only a single member of the family. Another confusion of the term nobility is with aristocracy. The latter term is often used (abused) in an informal way, but in the strict sence it is a political term related to a form of government.

Nobles typically commanded resources, such as food, money, or labor, from common members or nobles of lower rank of their societies, and could exercise religious or political power over them. Also, nobles typically, but not necessarily were entitled to land property, which was reflected in the title. For example, the title Earl of Chesterfield tells about property, while the title Earl Cairns was created for a surname. However all the above is not obligatory; quite often nobility was associated only with social respect and certain social privileges. A typical example of the latter would be Polish szlachta.

Ranks in Europe

Traditional ranks among royalty, peers, and nobles 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.

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) The term Peer is used in Britain, but the division could be argued to be of general value.
3) 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, would not be considered to be of princely rank.

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.

Titles of nobility in Europe

English French Italian Spanish German Dutch Norwegian Swedish Finnish Russian
Duke Duc Duca Duque Herzog Hertog Hertug Hertig Herttua3 Kniaz4
Duchess Duchesse Duchessa Duquesa Herzogin          
Prince¹ Prince¹ Principe¹ Príncipe¹ Fürst Prins Furst3 Furste3 Ruhtinas3  
Princess Princesse Principessa Princesa Fürstin          
Marquess Marquis Marchese Marques Markgraf² Markgraaf Marki Markis3 Markiisi3 Boyar4
Marchioness Marquise Marchesa Marquesa Markgräfin          
Earl / Count Comte Conte Conde Graf Graaf Greve Greve Kreivi  
Countess Comtesse Contessa Condesa Gräfin          
Viscount Vicomte Visconte Vizconde Vizegraf Burggraaf Visegreve      
Viscountess Vicomtesse Viscontessa Cizcondesa Vizegräfin          
Baron Baron Barone Barón Freiherr Baron Baron Friherre Paroni  
Baroness Baronne Baronessa Baronesa Freifrau          
Baronet5 Baronnet                
Knight5 Chevalier Cavaliere Caballero Ritter Ridder Ridder Riddare3 Ritari  
Notes:
1) Prince/principe can also be a royal title, Prinz in German, Prins in Swedish. In the British system, the title Prince is not a rank of nobility but always a title held exclusively by members of the Royal Family
2) In the German system by rank approximately equal to Landgraf and Pfalzgraf
3) Not in current domestic use.
4) For domestic Russian nobility only the two titles Kniaz and Boyar were used.
5) Not counted as nobility in the British system

Nobility by nation

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