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The Reichs Council of The Nobility of Germany
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The Reichs College of Princes and Counts of The Holy Roman Empire, Founded 1489
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The Reichs College of Princes and
Counts of The Holy Roman Empire
1489-2008
Imperial Council of Princes
and Counts of Germany
The Sovereign States of Europe
and of The Holy Roman Empire
of The German Nation
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(Above)
The Armorial Bearings of Various
Imperial and Royal European Sovereign States .
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THE IMPERIAL, ROYAL, PRINCELY AND DUCAL
SOVEREIGN STATES AND HOUSES OF EUROPE
REIGNING, FORMERLY REIGNING AND
THEIR PRESENT DAY CLAIMANTS
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KINGDOM OF ALBANIA
(The Royal House of Zogu)
HM King Leka I of Albania. (1939- )
PRINCIPALITY OF ANDORRA
(The Prince-Bishop of Urgell)
DUCHY OF ANHALT
(House of Ascania)
HH Prince Eduard, Duke of Anhalt.(1941- )
de jure Eduard II, Duke of Anhalt.
German Imperial Realm*
EMPIRE OF AUSTRIA
(The Imperial and Royal House of Habsburg-Lorraine)
HI&RH The Archduke Dr Otto von Habsburg of Austria.
(1912- ), de jure Otto I, Emperor of Austria.
German Imperial Realm*
GRAND DUCHY OF BADEN
(The Grand Ducal House of Zahringen)
HRH Maximilian, Margrave of Baden.(1933- )
de jure Maximilian, Grand Duke of Baden.
German Imperial Realm*
KINGDOM OF BAVARIA
(The Royal House of Wittelsbach)
HRH Duke Franz of Bavaria.(1933- )
de jure Franz, King of Bavaria.
German Imperial Realm*
KINGDOM OF BELGIUM
(The Royal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha)
HM King Albert II of Belgium. (1934- )
KINGDOM OF BOHEMIA
(The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany)
HI&RH Prinz Karl Friedrich von Deutschland,
Herzog von Swabia, Duke and Elector of Bohemia,
Margrave of Moravia, (1974- ),
de jure Charles IV, King of Bohemia.
Imperial Realm*
ROYAL HOUSE OF BOURBON-ORLEANS
(The Royal House of Bourbon-Orleans)
HRH Jean Count of Paris. (1933- )
Rival Claimant to the Throne of France,
de jure Henri VII, King of France.
ROYAL HOUSE OF BOURBON-PARMA
(The Royal House of Bourbon)
HRH Carlos Hugo, Duke of Parma.(1930- )
de jure Duke of Parma.
KINGDOM OF BOURBON-TWO-SICILIES
(Royal House of The Bourbon-Two Sicilies)
HRH Carlos, Duke of Calabria.(1938- )
de jure Carlo VIII, King of Naples and Sicily.
Rival Claimant*
HRH Ferdinando, Duke of Castro. (1926- )
de jure Ferdinando IV, King of The Two Sicilies.
EMPIRE OF BRAZIL
( The Imperial and Royal House of Orleans-Braganca )
HI&RH Prince Pedro Gastao of Orleans-Braganca .
(1913- ) de jure Emperor of Brazil .
Head of The Petrópolis Branch of the
Brazilian Imperial House.
Rival Claimant*
( The Imperial and Royal House of Orleans-Braganca )
HI&RH Prince Luiz Gastao of Orleans-Braganca,(1938- )
de jure Emperor Luiz I of Brazil .
Head of The Vassouras Branch of the Brazilian Imperial House.
DUCHY OF BRUNSWICK
(The Royal House of Guelph)
HRH Prince Ernst August of Hanover, (1954- )
de jure Ernst August, Duke of Brunswick & Luneburg.
KINGDOM OF BULGARIA
(The Royal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha)
HM King Simeon II of Bulgaria. (1937- )
KINGDOM OF BURGUNDY
(The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany)
HI&RH Prinz Karl Friedrich von Deutschland,
Herzog von Swabia, Duke and Count of Burgundy,(1974- )
de jure King of Burgundy
Imperial Realm*
KINGDOM OF DENMARK
(The Royal House of Oldenburg)
HM Queen Margrethe II of Denmark. (1940- )
KINGDOM OF ETRURIA IN THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
(The Royal House of Johnson)
H.R.H. Prince Ralph of Etruria,
de jure King of Etruria.
KINGDOM OF FRANCE
(Royal House)
(The Royal House of Capet de Bourbon)
HRH Prince Louis-Alphonse, Duke of Anjou, (1974- )
de jure Louis XX, King of France
EMPIRE OF FRANCE
(Imperial House)
(The Imperial House of Bonaparte)
HIH Charles, Prince Napolean. (1950- )
de jure Charles, Emperor of The French.
DUCHY OF FRANCONIA
(The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany)
HI&RH Prinz Henry Eduard von Deutschland,
Herzog von Franconia, (2001- )
de jure Henry Eduard I,
Imperial German Realm*
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(Above)
Map of The Holy Roman Empire of The German Nation
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EMPIRE OF GERMANY ( Holy Roman Empire of The German Nation )
(The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany)
HI&RH Prinz Karl Friedrich von Deutschland,
Herzog von Swabia, Herzog von Saxe-Altenburg ,(1974- )
de jure Charles VIII, Emperor and King of Germany.
Claimant to The First Reich*
KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND
( The Royal House of Windsor )
HM Queen Elizabeth II of The United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (1926- )
KINGDOM OF GREECE
( The Royal House of Oldenburg )
HM King Constantine II of The Hellenes.(1940- )
KINGDOM OF HANOVER
( The Royal House of Guelph )
HRH Prince Ernst August of Hanover,(1954- )
Duke of Brunswick and Luneberg.
de jure Ernst August V, King of Hanover.
Imperial German Realm*
PRINCELY HOUSE OF HESSE
( House of Lorraine-Brabant )
HRH Prince Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse.(1926- )
de jure Moritz, Landgrave of Hesse.
Imperial German Realm*
GRAND DUCHY OF HESSE-AND-BY-RHINE
( The Grand Ducal House of Hesse-Darmstadt )(Line Extinct)
Reverts back to the German Empire by Imperial Decree.
Imperial German Realm*
PRINCELY HOUSE OF HOHENZOLLERN
( The Princely House of Hohenzollern )
HH Friedrich Wilhelm, Prince von Hohenzollern.(1924- )
de jure Prince of Hohenzollern.
Imperial German Realm*
THE HOLY SEE OF ST.PETER
His Holiness Pope Benedictus XVI. (1927- )
DUCHY OF HOLSTEIN
( The Ducal House of Oldenburg )
HH Prince Christoph zu Schleswig-Holstein-
Sonderburg-Glucksburg,(1949- )
de jure Duke of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg.
Imperial German Realm*
KINGDOM OF JERUSALEM
( The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany )
HI&RH Prinz Karl Friedrich von Deutschland,
Herzog von Swabia, (1974- )
de jure King of Jerusalem.
Imperial Realm*
KINGDOM OF ITALY ( Imperial )
( The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany )
HI&RH Prinz Karl Friedrich von Deutschland,
Herzog von Swabia, (1974- )
de jure King of Italy
Imperial Realm*
KINGDOM OF ITALY (Royal)
( The Royal House of Savoy )
HRH Prince Vittorio Emanuele of Savoy, Prince of Naples.
(1937- ) de jure Vittorio Emanuele IV, King of Italy.
PRINCIPALITY OF LIECHTENSTEIN
( The Princely House of Liechtenstein )
HSH Prince Hans-Adam II of Liechtenstein.(1945- )
Imperial German Realm*
PRINCIPALITY OF LIPPE
( The Princely House of Lippe )
HSH Prince Friedrich Wilhelm of Lippe.(1947- )
de jure Prince of Lippe.
Imperial German Realm*
GRAND DUCHY OF LUXEMBOURG
( The Grand Ducal House of Nassau )
HRH The Grand Duke Henri of Luxemburg.(1955- )
Imperial German Realm*
DUCHY OF MANTUA AND GUASTALLA
( The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany )
Duchies of Mantua & Guastalla, Claimed by Imperial Decree,
HI&RH Prinz Karl Friedrich von Deutschland,
Herzog von Swabia, Duke of Mantua and Guastalla,(1974- )
de jure Charles V.
Imperial Realm*
GRAND DUCHY OF MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN
( The Grand Ducal House Mecklenburg-Schwerin )
(Ducal Line Extinct)
Reverts back to The German Empire, by Imperial Decree.
Imperial German Realm*
GRAND DUCHY OF MECKLENBURG-STRELITZ
( The Grand Ducal House of Mecklenburg-Strelitz )
HRH Georg Borwin, Duke of Mecklenburg, (1956- )
de jure Georg Borwin, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
DUCHY OF MILAN
( The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany )
Reverts back to the German Empire by Imperial Decree.
Imperial Realm*
DUCHY OF MODENA
( The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany )
Revert back to the Imperial Empire by Imperial Decree.
Imperial Realm*
PRINCIPALITY OF MONACO
( The Princely House of Grimaldi )
HMSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.(1958- )
KINGDOM OF MONTENEGRO
( The Royal House of Petro-Njegos )
HRH Crown Prince Nicholas of Montenegro.(1944- )
KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS
( The Royal House of Orange-Nassau )
HM Queen Beatrix of The Netherlands.(1938- )
KINGDOM OF NORWAY
(The Royal House of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Glucksburg)
HM King Harold V of Norway.(1937- )
GRAND DUCHY OF OLDENBURG
( The Grand Ducal House of Oldenburg )
HRH Duke Anton Gunther of Oldenburg.(1923- )
de jure Grand Duke of Oldenburg.
Imperial German Realm*
KINGDOM OF PORTUGAL
( The Royal House of Braganca )
HRH Dom Duarte, Duke of Braganca.(1945- )
de jure Duarte III, King of Portugal.
KINGDOM OF PRUSSIA
( The Royal House of Hohenzollern )
HRH Prince George Friedrich of Prussia.(1976- )
de jure King of Prussia.
*Claimant to the Second Reich*
PRINCIPALITY OF REUSS
( The Princely House of Reuss )
HSH Prince Heinrich XXVII of Reuss.(1944- )
de jure Prince of Reuss.
Imperial German Realm*
KINGDOM OF ROMANIA
( The Royal House of Hohenzollern )
HM King Michael I of Romania.(1921- )
EMPIRE OF RUSSIA
( The Imperial House of Romanov )
HIH Grand Duchess Maria Vladimirovna of Russia.(1953- )
de jure Maria I, Empress and Autocrat of All The Russias.
KINGDOM OF SAXONY ( Wettin )
( The Royal House of Saxony, Albertin Line )
HRH Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen.(1926- )
de jure Maria Emanuel, King of Saxony.
Imperial German Realm*
SAXONY ( Wettin )
( The Ducal Houses of Saxony, Ernestine Line )
GRAND DUCHY SAXE-WEIMER-EISENACH
(1) (The Grand Ducal House of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach)
HRH Prince Michael-Benedict of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
(1946- ) de jure Grand Duke of Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach.
Imperial German Realm*
DUCHY OF SAXE-MEININGEN
(2)(The Ducal House of Saxe-Meiningen)
HH Duke Friedrich-Konrad of Saxe-Meiningen.(1952- )
de jure Duke of Saxe-Meiningen.
Imperial German Realm*
DUCHY OF SAXE-ALTENBURG
H.I.&.R.H. Prince Karl Friedrich of Germany,
Duke / Herzog von Saxe-Altenburg,(1974- )
de jure Duke Karl Friedrich I of Saxe-Altenburg
Imperial German Realm*
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(Above)
Coat of Arms of The Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
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DUCHY OF SAXE-COBURG and GOTHA
(4)( The Ducal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha )
HH Duke Andreas of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha , (1943- )
de jure Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha ,
Imperial German Realm.
PRINCIPALITY OF SCHAUMBURG-LIPPE
( The Princely House of Lippe )
HSH Prince Philipp-Ernst of Schaumburg-Lippe.(1928- )
de jure Prince of Schaumburg-Lippe.
Imperial German Realm*
PRINCIPALITY OF SCHWARZBURG
( The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany )
(Line Extinct)Reverts back to The German
Empire. by Imperial Decree.HI&RH Prinz Karl
Friedrich von Deutschland, Herzog von Swabia,
Prince of Schwarzburg-Sonderhausen-Rudolstadt,
(1974-) de jure Karl Fredericke I.
Imperial German Realm*
KINGDOM OF SPAIN
( The Royal House of Bourbon )
HM King Juan Carlos I of Spain.(1938- )
KINGDOM OF SWEDEN
( The Royal House of Bernadotte )
HM King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden.(1946- )
DUCHY OF THURINGIA
( The Imperial and Royal Electoral House of Germany )
HI&RH Prinz Louis Stefan Deutschland,
Herzog von Thuringia, (1998- )
de jure Louis Stefan I.
Imperial German Realm*
GRAND DUCHY OF TUSCANY
( The Imperial and Royal House of Habsburg-Lorraine )
HI&RH The Archduke Sigismund of Austria,
Prince of Tuscany.(1966- )
de jure Sigismund, Grand Duke of Tuscany.
PRINCIPALITY OF WALDECK UND PYRMONT
( The Princely House of Waldeck )
HSH Prince Wittekind of Waldeck and Pyrmont.(1936- )
de jure Prince of Waldeck and Pyrmont.
Imperial German Realm*
KINGDOM OF WURTTEMBERG
( The Royal House of Wurttemberg )
HRH Duke Carl of Wurttemberg.(1936- )
de jure Carl II, King of Wurttemberg.
Imperial German Realm*
KINGDOM OF WESTPHALIA IN THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE
( Royal House of Steinhurst von und zu Westfalen )
H.R.H. Prince Keith Patrick of Westphalia,
de jure King of Westphalia .
Imperial German Realm*
KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA / SERBIA
( The Royal House of Karadjordjevic )
HRH Crown Prince Alexander of Yugoslavia / Serbia.
(1945- ) de jure Alexander II King of Yugoslavia.
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EUROPEAN TITLES OF RANK
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ALTGRAVE
(Ger. Altgraf) An exclusively German usage, granted to nobles of the status of Counts with holdings in mountainous regions, particularly along passes, where they were vested with the right to garrison such points, and levy tolls for access and passage. See also Burggrave, Landgrave, Margrave, Rhinegrave, Wildgrave.
ARCHDUKE
(Fr. Archiduc; Ger. Erzherzog; Ir. Ard Diuc; Ital. Arciduca; Sp. Archiduque) The title of sovereignty used exclusively by legitimate members of the Austrian Habsburgs and Lorraine-Habsburgs, from 1359; a duke of higher rank than Grand Dukes or simple Dukes. The title of Archduke was invented in the Privilegium Maius, a forgery initiated by Duke Rudolf IV of Austria. Originally, it was meant to denote the ruler of the Archduchy of Austria, in any effort to put that ruler on par with the electorships, as Austria had been passed over in the Golden Bull of 1356, where the electorships had been assigned. Emperor Charles IV refused to recognize the title. Duke Ernest the Iron and his descendants unilaterally assumed the title "Archduke." This title was only officially recognized in 1453 by Emperor Frederick III, when the Habsburgs had (permanently) gained control of the office of the Holy Roman Emperor . From the 16th century onward, Archduke or its female form, Archduchess, came to be used by all the members of the House of Habsburg, similar to the title Prince in many other royal houses. For example, Queen Marie_Antoinette of France was born an Archduchess of Austria. This practice was maintained in the Austrian_Empire (1804-1867) and the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867-1918). With the abolition of the monarchy, titles and the peerage system were also abolished in Austria. Thus, those members of the extended Habsburg family who are citizens of the Republic of Austria, are simply known by their respective first name and their surname Habsburg-Lothringen. The use of aristocratic titles such as archduke is in fact illegal in Austria. However, some members of the family who are citizens of other countries such as Germany, where aristocratic titles have become part of the name, may use the title.
ARDRIGH , ARDRY
(Irish) High King, the theoretical (and sometimes actual) ruler of the entire Irish nation.
BAN
( Slavonic ) A term usually found in Hungary and the Balkans, in the context of describing district or provincial governors; it often had a hereditary implication, and could be approximately equivalent to Duke or Prince. In it's origin, it seems to have been based on a Irani term, and imported into the Balkans with the Avar invasions.
BARON
(Fr. Baron; Ger. Freiherr; Ir. Barun; It. Barone; Port. Barao; Sp. Baron) The lowest grade of nobility; the word derives from a Gothic term meaning "Man" in the sense of "My man in London", ie. my representative, my servant, one who exerts himself on my behalf. Spanish still has two separate terms for the idea, the Latinate "Hombre" and the Visigothic "Varon". Originally, Barons were the holders of Royal lands, castellans and companions of the King who assisted in maintaining order in the provinces. The German term translates as "free warrior".
BOYAR
( Slavonic ) A term meaning "Noble", "Companion", or "Landholder"; roughly speaking, an eastern European equivalent for "Count". It is an archaic term, and tends to be superceded by Slavic transliterations of central and western European titles after the 16th century.
BURGRAVE
( Ger. Burggraf ) A title encountered exclusively in Germany, where it refers to a person with the status of Count whose domain was primarily an urban territory. Some sources equate it as an equivalent title to the Anglo-French Viscount. Cf. Altgrave, Landgrave, Margrave, Rhinegrave, Wildgrave.
COUNT
(Ang.-Sax. Ealdorman; Eng. Earl/Countess; Fr. Comte; Ger. Graf; Ir. Iarla, Coimhid, Cunta; It. Conte; Lat. Comes; Port. Conde; Scand. Jarl; Sp. Conde) The Anglo-Saxon term translates literally as "Elder", "Senior", and refers to a chief counselor of the realm. The term survives in modern English as "Alderman", a councilman or representative in local government or a local church governing body.
The "Co..." terms all derive from the Latin "Comes", a companion, ally, or supporter. In English, a cognate term is "Committee". The term came to be used to refer to close friends and companions of Royalty, and was eventually institutionalized as such, somewhat superceding, but not replacing, Barons. The Scandinavian "Jarl", which came to be transliterated in English as "Earl" has exactly the same sense: a companion or supporter ( of Royalty ). The German term of "Graf" also has the same basic meaning as well. English is unusual in that it preserves all three terms in contemporary speech: Earl recalls the Scandinavian term, a Countess is a female Earl, and Graf entered the language as "Reeve", a manorial steward or overseer; "Reeve" has become archaic with the
disappearance of manorial feudalism, but it may be noted that Kings began to appoint bailiffs to enforce Royal perogatives on a local level, and these "shire-reeves" (sheriffs) still exist today.
COUNT PALATINE
(Eng. Palatine Earl; Ger. Pfalzgraf; Ital. Conte Palatino) In a general sense, Palatine nobles are those invested not only with the honours and privileges usual to their rank, but also with certain sovereign or semi-sovereign rights as well, especially those involving the administration of justice. This is the case both in the north of England and within Germany, where this form is most usually encountered. In the specific sense of the German usage, the Counts Palatine of the Rhine became the senior Counts of the Empire, and were invested with Electoral dignity from the 14th century.
DESPOT
(Gk.) An old term which came, in the Middle Ages, to be used in the Balkans and Anatolia as regional ruler, dictator (in the modern sense). Sometimes as a vassal. sometimes autonomous.
DUKE
(Arm. Naharar; Fr. Duc, Ger. Herzog, Ir. Diuc; Ital. Doge, Duca; Lat. Dux; Port. Duque; Serb. Herceg; Sp. Duque) The highest grade of nobility, and sometimes a sovereign title. Most of the above-mentioned terms derive from the Latin "Dux", meaning a leader or commander, especially in a military sense, ie. a general or warlord. Warlord is the exact equivalent of the Dark Ages usage from which the term evolved into an hereditary caste of nobility: "Dux Bellorum". The German Herzog means exactly the same thing.
Dux was a title given by the Romans to a general commanding a single military expedition and holding no other power than that which he exercised over his soldiers. The designation first arose in the early part of the second century. Upon the separation of the civil and military functions in the fourth century the duke became commander of all the troops cantoned in a single province. The Germanic Franks converted, under Roman influence, the Germanic concept of ''Herzog'' (literally: "war-leader", commonly translated as "duke"), the temporarily elected general for a major expedition of warfare, into military governors for units of up to a dozen counties. In the 7th_century these units developed into hereditary clan-duchies of Bavarians, Thuringians, Alemanns, Franks and other Germanic tribes, which Charlemagne crushed in 788, converting the border provinces into margraviates ( which however soon emerged as clan-margraviates: Saxony, Bavaria, Swabia, Lorraine...). The dissolution tendency was counteracted by the appointment of younger sons of the monarchs ''( royal dukes )'' as military governors of the important border provinces, which however also soon developed into hereditary duchies and a source of intrigues against the monarch. The medieval dukes had a strong position in the realms they belonged to. Like the margraves, they were responsible for the military defence of an important region, and had strong arguments for retaining the Crown's tax incomes of their duchy to found their military force. In early Medieval Italy, the Dukes of Benevento and of Spoleto were independent territorial magnates in duchies originally created by the Lombards. Although since the unification of Italy in the 1870, there have no longer been any sovereign duchies Luxembourg is a grand duchy sovereign dukes of Parma and Modena in Italy, and of Brunswick , Anhalt , Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Saxe-Meiningen, and Saxe-Altenburg in Germany survived Napoleon's reorganization.
ELECTOR
(Ger. Kurfürst) In the restricted sense of the German usage, "Elector" refers to the any of the great nobles of the Mediaeval and Renaissance Kingdom of Germany who held the right to elect successive Holy Roman Emperors; the term became in effect a kind of senior nobility in and of itself. In fact, one electorate ( Hesse-Cassel) insisted on retaining the title even after the Empire had been abolished.
EMPEROR
(Fr. Empereur; Ger. Kaiser; Ital. Imperatore; Lat. Augustus, Caesar, Imperator; Rus. Tsar; Sp. Emperador) Technically, a ruler of sovereigns, a king of kings. Most of the above terms derive from the Latin Imperator, meaning "One who requires, demands, or obligates". The Roman usage was as field marshal, a supreme military commander. As such, there were many individuals invested with imperium before the establishment of the Roman Empire. That establishment took place with the granting of the style of "Augustus" (revered one) to the Imperator Octavian Caesar in 27 BCE. His family name provides the source for the remaining terms. An Emperor is the male head of state of an empire who reigns for life. Empress is the feminine form. The term "emperor" is in many cases interchangeable with "dictator" or "king", but there are subtle differences. An emperor always adopts royal ceremony and regalia, and thus acts as a monarch, though he may not be from an established royal family. In some cases, this is the only thing making a "dictator" into an "emperor". An emperor, in theory at least, reigns over several ethnicities or nationalities, as opposed to a king, who rules a single nation. Emperors are always recognised to be above kings in precedence when both titles are used in a single system. While a king is subject to the conventions of a state church, an emperor often ranks above the church, answering to no one but himself. Derivation of Emperor , The English term for emperor is derived from the Latin imperator ( literally, "one who prepares against" loosely,commander ). Imperator was originally a title used by the highest-ranking Roman commanders, roughly comparable to field marshal or commander in chief. The term was later used by Roman monarchs specifically in place of the Latin word for "king", which had negative historical connotations for the Romans. What we now call the "emperors" of Rome in fact had a long list of honorifics and titles, of which the dynastic name Caesar also played an important part. Successive emperors took the name Caesar regardless of whether they had any dynastic tie to Julius or Augustus Caesar, founders of the imperial system. Thus, in German the title ''Kaiser'' is equivalent to "emperor". Kaiser/CÃsaÅ™/Cisár/Császár etc. was used in the Austro Hungarian Empire. In some Slavic languages ''tsar'' was used. All of these are derived from ''Caesar'' rather than "imperator". Another honorific of the Roman emperors was "princeps", meaning "first citizen", from which we derive "prince". Historical development , After the fall of Rome to barbarian forces, the title of "emperor" lived on in rulers of the Byzantine_Empire until at least the mid 14th century. Following the final fall of the Byzantine Empire to the Ottoman Turks in 1453, the Turkish sultan sometimes designated himself as successor to the Roman Emperors, and used the title of Emperor in addition to that of Sultan. The tsars of Russia also claimed to be the carriers of the "Eastern Roman Empire" flame since one of them had taken a niece of a Byzantine emperor as consort.
Holy Roman Empire , On 25 December , 800, Charles I, King of the Franks, was crowned Emperor by Pope Leo III in Rome. This was seen as a revival of the Western Empire, and descendants of Charlemagne continued to be crowned in Rome through the 9th century. The increasing divisions within the Frankish lands, however, led to a suspension of the office. In 962, Otto I, King of the Eastern Franks ( or Germany ) was again crowned Emperor by the Pope. His successors became known as Holy Roman Emperors. The Holy Roman Empire, such as it was, consisted of the Kingdoms of Germany, Italy, and Burgundy. After the 13th century and the fall of the Hohenstaufen dynasty, the universalistic aspirations of the Emperors became increasingly theoretical, and their control over Italy, still seen as the locus of the proper empire, became increasingly tenuous. Rather than being hereditary, emperors were elected by the great German magnates, in a process codified by the Golden Bull of 1356. Coronations in Rome became rarer and rarer, until in 1508, King Maximilian I declared himself Emperor Elect without having been crowned in Rome. Although Maximilian's grandson and successor, Charles V, was crowned in Bologna in 1529 by the Pope, he was the last, and thereafter the position of Holy Roman Emperor was a wholly German post until the Empire's dissolution in August 6, 1806. Even in Germany itself, real control was increasingly tenuous, as various local princes put increasing amounts of power into his own hands, so that the Habsburg emperors who ruled almost continuously from 1438 until the end of the empire derived their power much more from their hereditary lands in the eastern part of the monarchy than from their position as emperor. This became even more true after the defeat of Habsburg attempts to reassert authority over the Empire in the Thirty Years War, which ended with the Peace of Westphalia in 1648. The impotence of the Emperors' position became most nakedly apparent during the brief reign of Charles VII from 1742 to 1745. As Duke of Bavaria, Charles was the only non-Habsburg emperor for the last three hundred fifty years of the empire's existence, and his utter inability even to protect his own hereditary lands from the forces of his enemy, Maria Theresa, the Habsburg heiress, showed how empty the position of Holy Roman Emperor had become. The conquests of the French revolutionary armies in the 1790s made the Empire itself untenable, so that Emperor Francis II in 1804 took the title of Emperor of Austria as Francis I , and ultimately, allowed ( illegally) the dissolution of the Empire two years later.
Bulgaria , In 913, Bulgarian king Simeon I crowned himself "Emperor and Autocrat of all the Bulgars and Greeks" following a victory over the Byzantines. His successors held on to the title Tsar until 1396 when Bulgaria fell to the invading Ottoman Empire. The title was revived between 1908 and 1946. Simeon II, the last tsar, abdicated and the monarchy was abolished.
Spain , King Sancho III of Navarre declared himself emperor of Spain in 1034. His son, Ferdinand I of Castile also took the title in 1039. His son, Alfonso VI of Castile Leon took the title in 1077. His grandson, Alfonso VII crowned himself in 1135. The title was not hereditary but self proclaimations.
Serbia , After a series of victories against his neighbors, Serbian king Stefan Uros IV proclaimed himself "Tsar and Autocrat of Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians and Albanians" in 1346. His son, Stefan Uros V, was unable to retain the empire. After his death in 1371, no Serb monarch would use the title Tsar.
Russia , The exclusivity of the title Emperor in Europe was lost on 31 October , 1721 when, at the request of his jubilant Senate and the Holy Synod, the recent victor of the 21 year long Great Northern War Peter I ("Peter the Great") proclaimed the establishment of the Russian Empire and accepted the title Emperor of Russia in addition to the traditional (since 1547) title of Tsar of several diverse nationalities in their specific lands. He based his claim partially upon a letter discovered in 1717 written in 1514 from Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor to Vasili III, Grand Duke of Moscow, in which the Holy Roman Emperor used the term in referring to Vasily. The title has not been used in Russia since the consecutive abdications of Emperor Saint Nicholas II and his brother Grand Duke Michael on March 15 and 16, 1917.
France , Napoleon I declared himself Emperor of the French on 18 May , 1804. He relinquished the title of Emperor of the French on 6 April and again on April 11, 1814, but was allowed to style himself Emperor of Elba, the island of his first exile. After his attempted restoration and defeat in 1815 he was stripped of even that usage during his second exile. His nephew Napoleon III resurrected the title on December_2, 1852 after establishing the Second French Empire in a Coup d'état, and lost it when he was deposed on September_4, 1870 by the Third Republic. It has not been used in France since then.
Austria , On 11 August , 1804 anticipating the eventual collapse of the Holy Roman Empire (the "First Reich") at the behest of Napoleon I, Francis II of the Holy Roman Empire assumed the additional title of Emperor of Austria ( as Francis I thereof ). The precaution was a wise one, because two years later on August 6 1806 he was obliged to proclaim the dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire. The title has not been used in Austria since Emperor Karl of Austria "relinquished every participation in the administration of the State" on November_11 1918.
Germany , Upon the formation of the Second Reich the Prussian king had himself crowned German Emperor as Wilhelm I on January 18 1871, as part of the competition with the Emperor of Austria for dominance in the German-speaking lands. The Prussian Crown Prince was married to a daughter of Queen Victoria, and when he came to the throne his wife would naturally carry the title of Empress, outranking her more powerful mother whose title was merely Queen. The title was no longer used in Germany after the announcement of the abdication of Emperor Wilhelm II on 9 November 1918.
GENTRY
(Fr. Gens de Qualite; Ger. Landadel; Ir. Daoine Uaisle; Lat. Gentis; Sp. Gentil) A Gentleman is not necessarily mild-mannered, he is gentle because he is a member of a Gens, a distinguished lineage or family (cf. "Gender, Genealogy, Genetics").
GRAND DUKE
(Fr. Grand Duc; Ger. Grossherzog; Ital. Granduca) A title created in early modern times to distinguish certain sovereign Dukes from simple Dukes of various nobilities. A single Grand Duchy remains today: Luxembourg.
HETMAN
(Ger. Hauptmann; Pol./Ukr. Hetman) In a general sense, a Hetman is a clan or tribal leader and/or military commander. The title is most usually a reference to Cossack leaders of the Ukraine: in fact, it has been used to identify Ukrainian Sovereigns on those occasions when dissident Cossacks attempted the establishment of a separate State. Its military sense has also been used extensively in Moldavia during the 17th and 18th centuries.
HIGHNESS
Highness, literally the quality of being lofty or high, a term used, as are so many abstractions, as a title of dignity and honor, to signify exalted rank or station. These abstractions arose in great profusion in the Roman empire, both of the East and West, and highness is to be directly traced to the allitudo and ceisitudo of the Latin and the iah7Xr,~ of the Greek emperors. Like other exorbitant and swelling attributes of the time, they were conferred on ruling princes generally. In the early middle ages such titles, couched in the second or third person, were uncertain and much more arbitrary (according to the fancies of secretaries) than in the later times (Selden, Titles of Honor, pt. i. ch. vii. 100). In English usage, Highness alternates with Grace and Majesty, as the honorific title of the king and queen until the time of James I Thus in documents relating to the reign of Henry VIII all three titles are used indiscriminately; an example is the kings judgment against Dr Edward Crome (d. f562), quoted, from the lord chamberlains books, ser. I, p. 791, in Trans. Roy. Hist. Soc. N.S. lOX. 299, where article 15 begins with Also the Kinges Highness hath ordered, 16 with Kinges Majestie, and 17 with Kinges Grace. In the Dedication of the Authorized Version of the Bible of 1611 James I is still styled Majesty and Highness; thus, in the first paragraph, the appearance of Your Majesty, as of the Sun in his strength, instantly dispelled those supposed and surmised mists . . . especially when we beheld the government established in Your Highness and Your hopeful Seed, by an undoubted title. It was, however, in James I's reign that Majesty became the official title. It may be noted that Cromwell, as lord protector, and his wife were styled Highness. In present usage the following members of the British Royal Family are addressed as Royal Highness (H.R.H.): all sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, uncles and aunts of the reigning sovereign, grandsons and granddaughters if children of sons, and also great grandchildren (decree of 31st of May 1898) if children of an eldest son of any prince of Wales. Nephews, nieces and cousins and grandchildren, offspring of daughters, are styled Highness only. A change of sovereign does not entail the forfeiture of the title Royal Highness, once acquired, though the father of the bearer has become a nephew and not a grandson of the sovereign. The principal feudatory princes of the Indian empire are also styled Highness. As a general rule the members of the blood royal of an Imperial or Royal house are addressed as Imperial or Royal Highness (.4ltesselmpriale, Royale, Kaiserliche, Koniglic/ze Hoheit) respectively. In Germany the reigning heads of the Grand Duchies bear the title of Royal or Grand Ducal Highness (Konigliche or Gross-Herzogliche Hoheit), while the members of the family are addressed as Hoheit, Highness, simply. Hoheit is borne by the reigning dukes and the princes and princesses of their families. The title Serene Highness has also an antiquity equal to that of highness, for yaXflv6r1~c and were titles borne by the Byzantine rulers, and serenitas and serenissimus by the emperors Honorius and Arcadius. The doge of Venice was also styled Serenissimus. Selden (op. cii. pt. ii. ch. X. 739) calls this title one of the greatest that can be given to any Prince that hath not the superior title of King. In modern times Serene Highness (Altesse Srnissime) is used as the equivalent of the German Durchlaucht, a stronger form of Erlauclit, illustrious, represented in the Latin honorific superillustris. Thackerays burlesque title Transparency in the court at Pumpernickel very accurately gives the meaning. The title of Durchlaucht was granted in 1375 by the emperor Charles IV to the electoral princes (Kurfursten). In the I 7th century it became the general title borne by the heads of the reigning princely states of the empire (reiclzstandische Frsten), as Erlaucht by those of the countly houses (reichstandische Grafen). In 1825 the German Diet agreed to grant the title Durc/ilaucht to the heads of the mediatized princely houses whether domiciled in Germany or Austria, and it is now customary to use it of the members of those houses. Further, all those who are elevated to the rank of prince (Furst) in the secondary meaning of that title are also styled Durc/zlauc/it. In 1829 the title of Erlaucht, which had formerly been borne by the reigning counts of the empire, was similarly granted to the mediatized countly families
KING (Arm. Tagavor; Celt. Rig; Dan. Konge; Dutch Koning; Fr. Roi; Ger. König; Gk. Basileus; Hung. Kiraly; Ir. Ri(gh); Ital. Re; Lat. Rex; Pol. Krol; Port. Rei; Nor. Konge; Rom. Regele; Serb. Kralj; Sp. Rey; Swe. Konung) All of these terms mean essentially the same thing; national ruler or sovereign leader of a particular people.
KNIAZ (Russian Knyaz; Serb. Knez) An archaic title meaning "Prince", but often mistranslated as "Duke". The Kniazy were rulers of the various Russian states existing during the Middle Ages. They had differing levels of authority; technically a Kniaz was a sub-Prince, the highest level were called Veliky Knyaz, Great Prince (also translated poorly, as Grand Duke).
KNIGHT (Ang.-Sax. Cniht; Fr. Chevalier; Ger. Ritter; Ir. Curadh, Ridire; Ital. Cavaliere; Lat. Equites; Port. Cavaleiro; Sp. Caballero) A knight is, technically, just someone who owes military service to a feudal lord, and is wealthy enough to own a horse. Most of the above terms are variations on "Horseman" or "Rider"; the Anglo-Saxon term has the sense of "Youth", "Aide-de-Camp", or "Military Retainer" (almost exactly the same status as later came to be described by the term "Squire").
LANDGRAVE (Ger. Landgraf) A title found in Germany, referring to a Count who has jurisdiction over primarily rural regions. Cf. Altgrave, Burgrave Margrave, Rhinegrave, Wildgrave.
LEADER (Ger. Führer; Ital. Duce; Lat. Dictator; Sp. Caudillo) Not noble titles at all, these terms nevertheless are important references to political rulers. They each have the sense of Overall Commander, Ruler (especially: Military Ruler), "Boss".
LEATH-RI (Irish) Literally "Half-King", the particular style for a member of a joint rulership.
LORD (Ang.-Sax. Hlaford; Fr. Seigneur; Ger. Herr; Ir.Tiarna, Tighearna; It. Signore; Port. Senhor; Sp. Señor) This is an imprecise term which can mean various things depending on context. Usually it means "One of noble birth, a holder of a title of nobility". In Great Britain though, it can also have the sense of rural gentry, one of gentle birth who, without possessing a patent of nobility, nevertheless owns a manorial estate. The Scottish "Laird" is an exact equivalent of this sense. The Irish Tighearna was also similar; an untitled ruler of a compact swath of territory. Most of the above terms derive from the Latin "Senior", an elder or master. The German term means "Warrior".
MARGRAVE (Eng. Marquess/Marchioness; Fr. Marquis; Ger. Markgraf; Ir. Marcas; It. Marchese; Port. Marques; Sp. Marques) Originally this term refered to counts who held frontier districts. Since such regions tended to be larger than average, and heavily militarized, March lords slowly accumulated greater status than others, and now are the second grade of nobility, ranking below Dukes but above Counts. Note also; Altgrave, Burggrave, Landgrave, Rhinegrave, Wildgrave.
MELIQ (Armenian) Prince, ruler of a small state. Derived from Arabic Malik, "King, Prince".
PAGE (Fr. Page; Ger. Page, Ital. Paggio; Lat. Paginus; Sp. Paje) All these terms derive from the Latin, which means "A boy, a child servant". Pages were institutionalized as the first step in becoming a Knight; a child of roughly 7 to 14 who was set to learning the fundamentals of life in a castle.
PRINCE (Arm. Ishxan; Fr. Prince; Ger. Fürst, Prinz; Ir. Flaith, Mal, Prionsa; Lat. Princeps; Port. Principe; Sp. Principe; Welsh Brenin) This term has any of a number of definitions depending on context. Usually, "Prince" refers to a member of a Royal Family who is not the sovereign. Often, especially when used as "Crown Prince", it refers to the immediate heir to the throne. It is also a sovereign title, and as such there are several Principalities still in existence today. In German nobility, a Prince was a grade of nobility located below Dukes but above Margraves. The term derives from the Latin, which means simply "First, Chief, the Boss" The Roman Empire was, in fact, described by its citizens as "the Principate".
RHINEGRAVE (Ger. Rheingraf) An exclusively German usage, denoting nobles of Countal status with holdings on the Rhine River, and vested with the privilege of levying tolls for passage along the river. See as well; Altgrave, Burggrave, Landgrave, Margrave, Wildgrave.
RUIRE (Irish) Petty King; Lord of a minor or dependent regality.
SQUIRE (Ger. Gutsherr, Junker; Ir. Scuibheir; Ital. Scudiero; Port. Morgado; Sp. Escudero) Usually this refers to the servant of a knight, a young person of roughly 14 to 21 who is learning the business of being a knight. It, and similar terms in other languages have been applied to landed gentry, owners of large estates who do not hold patents of nobility. The term derives ultimately to a phrase (Esquyer, Escutier) in Anglo-Norman meaning "Shieldbearer", and a variant of that has also remained in the language: Esquire.
STRATEGOS (Arm. Sparapet) An old Greek term for military commander, General. Came to be used in various places around the Middle East as a term for Military Governor
TANAISTE, TANIST (Irish) Successor-designate to a chieftaincy or royalty. Utilized today as the Irish term for Deputy Prime Minister.
TAOISEACH (Irish) Clan elder, chieftain. Utilized today as the Irish term for Prime Minister.
TYRANT (Gk.) An ancient term for semi-monarchic oligarchic ruler of a region or city-state. Very similar in many respects to the modern idea of a military junta or dictator, but not necessarily pejorative. Tyrants were found mainlt in Greece, western Anatolia, and southern Italy, especially in the 7th through 5th centuries BCE.
VISCOUNT (Fr. Vicomte; Ger. Vicomte; Ir. Biocun; Ital. Visconte; Lat. Vice Comes; Sp. Vizconde) A title meaning, essentially, "Vice-Count", an assistant or deputy Count. It is now the fourth grade of nobility, situated between Counts/Earls on the one hand, and Barons on the other.
VOIVODE (Russ. Voyevoda; Serb. Vojvod) An old Slavonic title, usually encountered in the Balkans. Its original sense was a military one, meaning field commander in an army. By extension, it became the title of district or provincial governors, and evolved in some areas a quasi-hereditary status close to that of Prince or Duke. Cf. Bulg. "Voin", "Warrior". In a slightly altered context, it has also come to be applied as a term describing the clan leader of a Gypsy (Rroma) band or extended family.
WILDGRAVE (Ger. Wildgraf) A German usage, refering to a noble of the status of Count, who held jurisdiction over wilderness, waste ground, forests, and uninhabited districts. They had certain legal privileges which made them, in effect, foresters and gamekeepers.
ZUPAN (Slavonic) Most usually found in the Balkans, the original meaning of this term was the "Leader of a Zupa", a clan or grouping of extended families. These associations of families (remnants of which can still be recognized today in various Slavic nations) were among the earliest political organizations found among Proto-Slavic and Slavonic peoples. As the term evolved, it became a usage for certain types of provincial governors and minor nobles.
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"CHRISTUS VINCIT, CHRISTUS REGNAT, CHRISTUS IMPERIT."
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THE TAXIS SURNAME Y-DNA PROJECT
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This project will compare the Y-chromosome markers of male (patrilineal) descendants of Omodeo de Tassis del Cornello, who lived in the vicinity of St. Joannis Albi, near Bergamo, Italy, in 1251. Through DNA testing, it is the aim of this project to see how, and if, men bearing the TAXIS surname, or one of its many variations, are descended from Omodeo de Tassis. The project is open to males with the surnames: Taxis, von Taxis, von Thurn und Taxis, Tassis, de la Tour et Tassis, Tacques, Tasso, Tazzo, and all of the variations of the surname. Women who wish to participate in the project may have a male Taxis relative take the test for them.
Taxis Family History:
According to historians, Omodeo was part of the family that was originally known as the Torriani, or de la Tour family. After the Torriani lost a battle for the domination of Milan to the Visconti, they settled near the Tasso mountains near Bergamo. The family then became known as de Tassis. Francisco Tasso, along with three of his brothers, ran a post service between Milano, Italy and Innsbruck, Austria. Francisco (later known as Franz von Taxis) moved from Italy to Brussels, and began a post service between that city and Vienna. This horse-based system worked well, and the Habsburgs came to rely on it. Franz, and the family, were granted the right to carry government and personal mail throughout the Holy Roman Empire and Spain. In 1512, the family received their Letters of Nobility from Emperor Maximilian I. These Letters of Nobility were confirmed in 1534, by Emperor Charles V. The family became Barons of the Empire in 1608; and in 1624, Counts of the Empire. In 1681, they were made princes by the Spanish Court. Then in 1695, Emperor Leopold I of Habsburg, made the family princes of the Holy Roman Empire. This was a large family, and they spread all over Europe to operate their postal service. The family name took different forms in different countries. Today, there are people with the surname Taxis living in the United States. There is also a family in Brazil, with the name of Tacques, who claim to be descendants of this famous family. For more information please click on the Taxis DNA Project website at the bottom of this page.
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