Nobility Articles
What is a Baroness: Meaning & History
The title of Baroness is one that evokes a lifestyle of aristocratic privilege and an elevated social rank. But what exactly is a Baroness, and where did this intriguing title originate? What Is A Baroness? A Baroness is a woman who has been granted or inherited a...
What is a Vicomte: Meaning & History
The conventional hierarchy of aristocratic ranks is rich with names and titles that are familiar in popular culture. Even though the realm of nobles originated in the Middle Ages, many of these ancient titles have survived to modern times. Noble ranks such as Duke,...
Chevalier: Pronunciation & Definition
There are some noble and aristocratic titles that are familiar to most people. Ranks and titles such as Duke and Duchess, Count and Countess, Lord and Lady etc are well-known within popular culture, all around the world. Then there are some other noble titles that...
Marquess vs Marquis
The title of Marquess is one of the most esteemed aristocratic titles. Although this noble rank dates back to the Middle Ages like many other titles of nobility, in modern times, the title of Marquis maintains an air of rarity and even a degree of mystery. As one of...
What is a Baronet Title
In the world of royal and noble titles, many of the ranks and terminology are familiar to most people. Any child who has loved a fairy story will know about kings and queens, princes and princesses. And fans of historical drama will be familiar with Dukes, Viscounts,...
What is a Palazzo
If you're interested in the lives of royals and nobles, or you appreciate various types of architecture, you may have come across the term palazzo and wondered what it means. Here are some of the most common definitions of palazzo, along with some variations of the...
Who Lived in the Palace of Versailles
There are few palaces that have captured the imagination quite like the magnificent Palace of Versailles. Known throughout the world as one of the most spectacular and opulent royal residences, the palatial complex on the outskirts of Paris, has become an icon of...
What’s the Definition of Prince?
Definition Of A Prince The classic definition of a prince is the son of a king or queen. This is the simplest example of the rank, role and title of a traditional royal prince. Yet there are a great many variations and subtle distinctions that lead to more complex...
Kingdom: Definition & Meaning
As the countries and lands around the world evolved into distinct and separate nations, they variously held a range of titles and descriptions. These include such terms as empire, principality, province, and state. One of the most popular and evocative terms used to...
Aristocracy vs Monarchy – What’s the Difference?
Throughout the ages, the worlds of monarchs and aristocrats have been inextricably linked. For much of history, the social circles of the nobility were in close and frequent contact with their sovereigns and other members of royalty. There has historically also been a...
What’s the Definition of Queen?
There are few words more symbolic of majesty and royal power than the title of queen. It's an age-old term that conjures up centuries of sovereignty, regal grandeur, and historic greatness. The women who have held this eminent royal title throughout history have...
Princess: Definition, Meaning & Modern Examples
The regal rank and title of Princess is one of the most endearing and evocative of all royal terms. From the medieval princesses of legend, to the fictional princesses of fables and fairy stories, to the modern princesses that dominate the headlines, there’s something...
What’s The Definition Of Noble?
The Definition Of Nobility There are essentially two definitions of nobility. These are related and share a common origin, but over centuries they have evolved in separate directions and now include significant differences. Nobility: An Elite Social Order When people...
Aristocratic: Synonyms & Antonyms
The word aristocratic is an evocative term that conjures up rich imagery of opulence, social esteem and historical heritage. It's also a word that has come to represent a number of meanings. To illustrate the various meanings of this complex and captivating word,...
Aristocratic Beauty: Meaning & Definition
The idea of an aristocracy has been established for many centuries and in many countries around the world. After so many generations of aristocrats, particularly those who lived infamous or notable lives, it's not surprising that the idea of an aristocratic character...
How To Use Aristocracy In A Sentence
The word aristocracy is an age-old term that has been in use for many centuries. It's also a word that can have a variety of different meanings. As such, it can be confusing to know the right way to use aristocracy in a sentence, and to know which meaning is...
Aristocrat: Meaning & Definition
The term aristocrat is a word that can conjure up a wide range of meanings. This is likely because, over the many centuries that the aristocracy evolved, there have been a vast variety of individuals and social groups that have held the title of aristocrat. To reveal...
Gentry: Definition & Meaning
Gentry is an age-old word, dating back to the 1300s. Yet it’s still used quite regularly in modern language, evoking a vivid period in history or a certain level of sophistication. But what exactly does gentry mean? What Does Gentry Mean? In essence, gentry means a...
What Is Nobility?
The root of the word nobility relates to a quality of being well-born - from the Latin nobilitas. However, this unassuming definition gives little indication of the rich history this term has come to incorporate, as well as the evocative range of meanings associated...
A Short History of Kings and Queens
The kings and queens of the ages are one of the oldest and most enduring aspects of social hierarchies the whole world over. In modern times, we're familiar with the status of a king or queen, who usually reside as the eminent social rank in the royal and noble...
Famous Royal Princes of Europe
The royal princes of Europe have historically been a colourful collection of notable individuals and famous characters. Many of the famous princes of history went on to become kings, making their name in the history books as sovereigns, rather than being renowned as...
The Order of Merit: A Guide to the Prestigious Award
One of the enduring connections between monarchies and their subjects is the recognition of great or worthy achievements. The entire system of the aristocracy was built on the practice of kings and queens choosing to honour and elevate certain individuals. The...
Old Money Last Names: Exploring the Wealthy & Influential Surnames
Throughout the evolution of civilisation, both individuals and groups have sought to classify members of society into certain hierarchies. While it may not seem appropriate to modern minds, given the contemporary culture of equality and democracy, there have been...
Famous Members of the Imperial Habsburg Family
Among the many royal and imperial dynasties of Europe, there were some ruling families that became established for generations, or left a lasting impression on history due to their infamy, legend or scandal. One of the most famous and historic imperial dynasties of...
Monarchy Countries: Which Nations Still Have Kings & Queens Today
The British Royal Family is a world-famous monarchy that regularly makes headlines around the globe. It seems the entire world is fascinated with the lives and dramas of the famous Windsor Family and the ancient royal history of Britain. Whether it's the...
Scandalous Crown Princes Of Europe
The history books are filled with stories of the great and famous kings and queens of the ages. Given the esteemed and highly public role of royal rulers, it's not surprising that the lives and dramas of sovereigns capture the imagination of the public, both during...
The Most Beautiful French Royal Names & Their Meaning
There's something inspiring about discovering the meaning behind beautiful and popular names. Many names are so loved and cherished because they have an important or symbolic meaning. Whereas other names evoke a certain time in history, a place in the world, or a...
The Definition of a Noble Person: The Qualities That Define Nobility
Many people around the world are curious about the glamorous and historic social group known as the nobility. This social class has acquired an identity of its own, one that’s elevated from the rest of society, that includes a range of curious rules and formal...
Do Aristocrats Have Generational Wealth
The story of the aristocracy has long included a tradition of passing on rank and status to future generations. The many Counts and Lords of the modern world are part of a historical practice of passing noble names and titles from one generation to another. Many...
Are Aristocrats Born Rich
For as long as there has been an aristocratic class, there has also been a strong association between aristocracy and wealth. Even though the origins of the aristocracy are rooted in ideas of altruism and service, for many centuries, the realms of nobles and...
Old Money Rules of the Nobility
When the system of nobility first began to emerge during the Middle Ages, it was a fluid and informal class of esteemed individuals and notable royal servants. Over time, the early ranks and titles of nobility evolved into a more formal structure, the beginnings of...
What’s the Definition of Chivalry
The notion of chivalry has long been associated with the nobles of the ages, particularly with the rank and title of knights and knighthoods. Since the earliest knights of the Christian Crusades during the medieval times, the idea of chivalry has called to mind...
What’s the Oldest Elite Social Class
Throughout the course of history, there have been many varied types of social groups that have risen to power or become popular among their people. In modern times, it could be argued that the celebrities of contemporary culture - those who have risen to fame and...
Why are Noble Titles for Sale in Europe
If you're the kind of person who likes to explore unusual and effective ways to get ahead in life, you may have come across notices that there are sometimes noble titles available to buy. Many of these offers appear online, and there is a great deal of interest from...
What are the Oldest French Noble Titles
The nobility of France is one of the many great social systems that emerged in Europe during the Middle Ages. Many of the titles that evolved during this period are still in use today. Although the systems of governance have changed drastically since the days of the...
Who was the Last Russian Tsar
The last Tsar of Russia was Nicholas II, or to give him his full Russian title; Nikolay Aleksandrovich Romanov. He was born in Russia in 1868, the eldest son of his predecessor, Tsar Alexander III. As the eldest son of the heir to the Russian Empire, he was raised in...
What Happened to the Russian Imperial Family
Throughout the ages, the Russian Empire has played a key role in the history of Europe. This once-vast imperial realm was the home of some of the most iconic rulers, such as the legendary Catherine the Great, and her predecessor in greatness, Peter the Great. The...
Who Was Princess Alix of Hesse
The royal princesses of Europe are a captivating cast of notable women, historic characters and fascinating personalities. Even though all of history's princesses have left their mark in some way, there are some who make a bigger impression on the world stage during...
The Royals of Europe & the First World War
The royals of Europe are connected in a number of expected and sometimes unexpected ways. For example, it has long been the practice of Europe's great royal houses to unite in the marriage of a young prince of one nation to a young princess of another nation. These...
How Do Royal Dynasties Begin
Some of the family names of the royal dynasties of Europe have become legendary lineages in the history of kings and queens and their offspring. From the Bourbon kings who ruled France for centuries, to the mighty Habsburg line that reigned supreme over the vast...
Where Were French Kings Crowned
The pomp and ceremony associated with French Kings throughout the ages call to mind splendour and extravagance beyond the imagination of many ordinary people. Nowhere is this more evident than in a royal coronation ceremony. Even today, a coronation is a prodigious...
Great Dynasties Of Europe
The great royal dynasties of Europe have evolved over some of the most turbulent centuries of both ancient epochs and modern times. The stories of these iconic and esteemed family lines are some of the most captivating tales of regal characters and family dramas that...
The Kings of Sweden & Norway
The Kings and Queens of Sweden and Norway have occupied a historic role in the evolution of Europe's royal dynasties. Though the nations of Norway and Sweden may have played less pivotal roles in the tumultuous epochs of Europe as it evolved and emerged during the...
Who Was The Most Famous King of Spain
The Kingdom of Spain has known a great many famous and legendary kings. From the infamous Charles V, or Carlos I to give him his Spanish title, to the 'King of The Golden Age', Philip II, also known as Philip the Prudent and credited with an unprecedented age of...
What are Peerage Titles & How to Get Them
The Peerage of Great Britain has become renowned throughout the world as one of the most esteemed and established systems of the aristocracy to have emerged from the nobility of the Middle Ages. What Is A Peerage? In its simplest terms, a peerage is just the status...
To the Manor Born – Meaning & History
There's a phrase in modern parlance that is often used to represent high society circles or people of noble birth: to the manor born. But what does this curious phrase really mean? Where did it originate? And what's the right way to use it in everyday conversation? ...
Great Noble Houses Of Europe
The European continent has been the backdrop for the origin and evolution of many great noble family lines. Many of these aristocratic lineages, known as Houses, stretch back across the centuries to medieval times, when the earliest nobles and aristocrats began...
From Italian Noblewoman To Queen Of France
During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance Era that followed, the social hierarchy known as the aristocracy gradually developed into a formal system of ranks and titles. These noble ranks identified a person's place in the social order, their position or status...
The Most Scandalous Queen Of Norway
The regal dynasties of Europe have long been a fascinating and complex collection of royal and noble family lines, with marriages between families and nations creating historic lineages that endure for centuries. For eons, it has long been the practice for prominent...
How are the European Royal Families Related
The royal dynasties of Europe have a long history of family connections and shared heritage. For centuries, it was the custom within the great royal houses of Europe to look to join forces via strategic marriages and profitable alliances. As a result, the family...