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  • Sovereign:

  • --- Emperor , rules¹ an Empire .

  • --- Tsar (or '''Czar''') in Bulgarian, Russian, and Serbian, and ''' Kaiser ''' in German, both mean Caesar , i.e. '''Emperor''', and rule¹ an Empire , which in these cases may be referred to as "Tsardom" and "Kaiserreich" respectively. Contrary to a common misconception, "tsar" is never equivalent to "king" (in a technical sense).

  • --- Khan (Mongol, or Turkic) rules a khanate. (Mainly Asian, but also existed in Mongol/Turkic territory in Russia, Ukraine, and the Crimea.)

  • --- Sultan , rules¹ a Sultanate

  • --- King , rules¹ a Kingdom (Sovereign kings are ranked above vassal kings).

  • --- Prince , '' Fürst '' in German, sometimes '' Emir '' in Arabic, ruling¹ a Principality

  • --- Grand Duke , ruling¹ a Grand Duchy

  • --- Archduke


  • Others:

  • --- Prince , ''Prinz'' in German; junior members of a sovereign or formerly sovereign family

  • --- Prince-elector , ''Kurfürst'' in German, electing the Holy Roman Emperor

  • --- Archduke , a unique rank used only by the Habsburg s in Austria for princes of the imperial family

  • --- Duke , who rules¹ a Duchy &2

  • --- Marquess , theoretically the ruler¹ of a marquessate, or march.

  • --- Count , theoretically the ruler of a County , known as an ''' Earl ''' in Britain.

  • --- Viscount (vice-count), theoretically the ruler of a viscounty

  • --- Baron , theoretically the ruler of a barony

  • --- Vidame , a minor French aristocrat

  • --- Seigneur or '''Knight of the Manor''' rules a smaller local fief

  • --- Knight is the basic rank of the aristocratic system


: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) 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, should be considered nobles ranking above marquess.

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 ).'' 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.

In Austria, nobility titles may no longer be used since 1918. {Link without Title} (http://www.ris.bka.gv.at/taweb-cgi/taweb?x=d&o=d&v=bnd&d=BND&i=13944)

In Germany, the constitution of the Weimar Republic in 1919 abolished nobility and all nobility titles. They are now merely part of the family name, and there is no more right to the traditional forms of address (e.g., "Hoheit" or " Durchlaucht "). The last title was conferred on 12 November 1918 to Kurt von Klefeld.

In Switzerland, nobility titles are prohibited and are not recognized as part of the family name.

Below is a comparative table of corresponding royal and noble titles in various European countries. See Royal And Noble Styles to learn how to properly address holders of these titles.


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