Nobility Articles
How To Address Royalty Correctly
There’s a scene in the popular movie The King’s Speech that has become a classic education on how to address royalty correctly. This particular vignette, set in the 1930s, shows the English queen, Elizabeth, latterly The Queen Mother, (played with panache by Helena...
The Greatest Female Royals In European History
The lives and legends of the royals of Europe have fascinated history lovers for centuries. The power, prestige and influence of Europe’s royal families have taken centre stage in so many of the most historic dramas of the twentieth century, as well as earlier periods...
Are You Related To Royalty?
With the history books full of legendary tales of famous kings and queens or infamous princes and princesses, it can be tempting to wonder whether we have any links to these notable royal characters through our own family lineage. And given the value placed on the...
Famous Quotes From Princes & Princesses
Marie Antoinette, in response to the peasant folk facing a lack of bread; "Let them eat cake." According to some sources, the actual phrase was, Let them eat brioche - which is a rich and buttery type of French bread, more akin to indulgent cakes than the daily staple...
How Nobles Could Be Stripped Of Their Titles
Many people wonder how it's possible to become an aristocrat or to attain a noble title. Yet, there's an aspect of being a member of the aristocracy that is rarely discussed - the fact that nobles can be stripped of their titles. It's a little-known phenomenon that...
Noble German Surnames & What They Mean
Like many of their European neighbours, and similar to German royalty last names, the German nobility adopted the custom of using the name of their estate or region as their surname or integrating it into their given family name. This was often done using a prefix...
The Monarchies That Didn’t Survive The Middle Ages
The great monarchies of history are famous for their hereditary lines of kings, queens, emperors and rulers. Within the history of royalty, the lines of succession, the blue bloodlines and the family ties played crucial roles in the stories and dramas of those who...
The Difference Between a Plutocracy & Aristocracy
Historically, the aristocracy has often been regarded as the realm of powerful nobles and the wealthy classes. So, it can be common to wonder exactly what official power the aristocracy hold within society, and what role their wealth plays in their status. For...
What Are The Smallest Kingdoms In The World
As the nations of the world evolved during the Middle Ages, boundaries and borders were drawn to represent the various kingdoms. In the earliest times, when the larger countries we know today were made up of many smaller territories, these would each be headed by a...
The Grandest Dynasties Of Europe
The Grandest Dynasties of Europe include some of history's most infamous and legendary royal and noble families. A dynasty is classed as a line of reigning sovereigns, or a prominent family line in the realms of commerce or politics, and throughout the ages, Europe...
Rich & Famous Aristocrats from Renaissance Europe
To be a member of the aristocracy must surely be one of the most fascinating of life paths. Not least are they blessed at birth with a rich and noble heritage, often with family histories that inspire esteem and admiration from all levels of society, aristocrats...
The Most Famous Aristocratic Families of Europe
The European aristocracy lays claim to a vast array of noble families that have left an indelible mark in the history books over the centuries. Many of the aristocratic families of Europe have been closely linked to the monarchies of the various countries and...
Noble Old Money Families of Europe
The aristocracy of Europe is regarded as the preeminent social class outside of the various nations' royal families. And it's true that this elite group of noble families have enjoyed a privileged and prestigious position in the higher echelons of society ever since...
Who Were the Nouveau Riche Aristocrats?
There are two aspects that have defined the aristocracy through the ages; wealth and exclusivity. And while the fortunes of many nobles and aristocrats may have risen and fallen over the centuries, the air of elitism, exclusion and rare privilege has been much more of...
Old Money vs New Money Within The Aristocracy
Within the higher echelons of society such as the nobility or aristocratic systems of the world, there's an idea of Old Money vs New Money. This is a kind of discrimination or judgement about individuals or their families, based on their background, familial lineage...
Who Are the American Aristocracy?
Over the last few centuries, there developed a class of eminent families and individuals in the United States that have come to be known as the American Aristocracy. In the truest sense of the term, America doesn't have an aristocratic or noble class, largely because...
The Italian Aristocracy of the Renaissance
The Italy that we know today is a unified country, a world-renowned nation that includes many famous cities and regions, such as Rome, Florence, Genoa, Milan and Tuscany, Sicily and Sardinia. While these places are an integral part of modern Italy, they each have...
Legends of Spanish Royalty
Spain and its surrounding territories are rich with history and legend. From the famous tales of how the city of Barcelona was named after the ships of Hercules, to the much-loved stories of San Jorge rescuing his princess from the fearsome dragon, the Spanish lands,...
Lavish Lifestyles of the French Aristocracy
La noblesse - the legendary nobility of France - conjures up the epitome of lavish aristocratic lifestyles. The heyday of the infamous court of 17th century Versailles is perhaps the ultimate example of the wealth, decadence, drama and refinement that the aristocrats...
The Grand Homes of German Royalty
While the life stories and legends of royalty through the ages may have filled the history books, there's another legacy of royal life that has long fascinated people from all walks of life and continues to captivate millions everywhere - the grand homes of those...