53
votes
What is the oldest European royal house?
In terms of continuously dateable genealogy, it is probably the Bagratids of Georgia, the current head of which is disputed between three branches.
The Georgian branch was founded by Adarnase in the ...
- 97.2k
27
votes
Accepted
When was the last promotion in the British Peerage?
On 7 December 1964, when the former Lord High Chancellor Reginald Manningham-Buller was created Viscount Dilhorne, of Greens Norton in the County of Northampton. He had originally been elevated to the ...
- 97.2k
26
votes
Has there ever been a revolution backed by a royal or a noble against their own family?
Louis Philippe II the Duke of Orléans, who avidly supported the French Revolution - arguably, the quintessential revolution of the modern era. As First Prince of the Blood, he was one of the most ...
- 97.2k
21
votes
Accepted
How common was marriage between nobles and peasants in the Middle Ages?
Probably more common than you would think.
Lots of nobles were little more than farmers with a coat of arms. Peasants could acquire a lot of wealth. Where the division between the two classes fell ...
- 5,681
21
votes
Has a hereditary peer ever been promoted or demoted to a higher or lower rank?
Yes to the first.
Examples: the 1st Marquess of Montrose had inherited the title of Earl of Montrose from his father. The 4th Earl of Devonshire was made a Duke for his support of William III in the '...
- 339
19
votes
Accepted
Are there any British peers whose surname matches their title?
It is very common to have titles based on the surname such as Barry Jones, Baron Jones or with a location so as to reduce ambiguity such as Nigel Jones, Baron Jones of Cheltenham
There are others ...
- 2,580
19
votes
Accepted
Did any English duke ever grant away an earldom he held?
This question Did an English Duke ever grant away an Earldom that he held?" generated so much confusion, including references to courtesy titles and European practice, that I decided to contact ...
- 7,901
19
votes
Has a hereditary peer ever been promoted or demoted to a higher or lower rank?
Someone who illustrates both aspects of the question is Thomas Wentworth, 1st Earl of Strafford who as an adviser to Charles I, progressed from Baronet, through Baron, Viscount and Earl, to being ...
- 31k
18
votes
Accepted
Why did Baldwin of Boulogne proclaim Edessa a County, not a Kingdom?
This may sound unintuitive, but a new kingdom could not be trivially proclaimed. Calling yourself a king has very little meaning if it isn't recognised by anyone else. For maximum acceptance by your ...
- 97.2k
18
votes
Accepted
Why didn't a noble family change their last name from a kind of duck to something more prestigious?
Actually, the answer is a bit confusing.
The name was apparently originally a 'normal' one before one of Nikolai's ancestors added the 'Gogol' bit.
A Reference Guide to Russian Literature tells us:
...
- 995
17
votes
Accepted
How is it possible to be a baronet and not a peer?
The ranks of the UK peerage are duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron.
A baronetcy is an hereditary title awarded by the British Crown, and (with a couple of exceptions) is the only British ...
- 77.2k
16
votes
Are there any British peers whose surname matches their title?
There have been several dukes whose titles match their surnames.
These include Frederick Schomberg, a German-born general who, at various times, commanded forces for France, Brandenburg and Portugal....
- 1,139
14
votes
Is there any valid basis for this claim that German Emperor Wilhelm II and the Hohenzollern family had Jewish blood?
Q: Is there any valid basis for this claim that German Emperor Wilhelm II and the Hohenzollern family had Jewish blood?
No.
Title of the pamphlet: "1888-1918. Eine genealogisch-...
- 80.6k
14
votes
Prior to 1963 did a British nobleman ever disclaim or renounce his title? What would have happened if someone had tried?
The closest case is probably that of Thomas Moreton FitzHardinge Berkeley, born 1796, de jure 6th Earl of Berkeley.
Upon the death of his father (Frederick Berkeley, the 5th Earl) in 1810, Thomas' ...
- 71.9k
12
votes
What is the oldest European royal house?
"The oldest noble family" is a somewhat fictional concept: When a 'House' starts or ends is somewhat arbitrary, and not uniformly handled throughout European history. There were countless exceptions, ...
- 80.6k
10
votes
How common was marriage between nobles and peasants in the Middle Ages?
It's hard to prove a negative (outside of math, of course), but let me try to show why this would be extremely rare (and mostly exist in legends).
The institution of marriage exists to protect the ...
- 26.9k
10
votes
Did any English duke ever grant away an earldom he held?
They couldn't! All titles were bestowed by the sovereign, you couldn't just say "Oh, I've got a spare earldom etc I don't want, I'll give it to a friend." Apart from any other consideration, your ...
- 7,901
10
votes
What would a 9th-century German count do if he wanted to spend some time with his wife?
A count in the 9th century? Well, then we are speaking not just about a very rich person, we are speaking about a head of his own state. He is not subject to any other state authority except loose ...
- 32.4k
9
votes
Was Erich Ludendorff any form of nobility?
There seems to be three different claims as to why Ludendorff should be considered noble in the question:
Ludendorff being descended from Eric XIV of Sweden.
Ludendorff being descended from several ...
- 5,681
9
votes
Prior to 1963 did a British nobleman ever disclaim or renounce his title? What would have happened if someone had tried?
It has not happened for many centuries, but it did happen, principally in order to bring about a change in the title rather than to surrender it forever.
Roger le Bygod, fifth Earl of Norfolk (1245-...
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8
votes
What is the oldest European royal house?
Short Answer: Nobody knows for sure.
Long Answer It is very complicated.
A royal pedigree in the agnatic (male only) line that is more or less totally proven and accepted by everyone who studied ...
- 18.6k
7
votes
Accepted
Until when did Castile consider all Basques to be noble?
Apparently, it is still valid. If you can read Spanish and you have a stomach for legalese, you can try to digest this. It is a relatively long but definitely dull exposition on what you should do in ...
- 562
7
votes
Accepted
Is Carolyn Seymour (the actress) related to Alexander von Benckendorff (the Russian statesman)?
Related, probably Yes. Descended from, probably Not.
Of course a quick look at the wiki page for Alexander von Benckendorff tells us the connection isn't one of descent :
Children 3 daughters
So ...
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7
votes
What legal test, if any, distinguished gentlemen from commoners in Tudor England?
I only have a conjecture, it is derived from one case.
But I suppose it is typical.
George Green was a miller in Nottingham in the first half of 19th century. He owned a mill and worked in it. He was ...
- 38.4k
7
votes
Has a hereditary peer ever been promoted or demoted to a higher or lower rank?
Peers have often been promoted by being granted another peerage with a higher rank.
In some cases, a peerage can be inherited by someone who already holds another peerage title.
So a number of peers ...
- 18.6k
6
votes
What titles did early Welsh rulers hold?
Brenhin Pennaf - the high king, supreme king
Brenhin - king
Pendeuic - duke
Arglwyd - baron or landed lord
Canghellor - governor
Deleyr - mayor or count, a local chief
Hyneyw - a royal counselor
...
- 37.7k
6
votes
Did princess Maria von Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen -Belgian king Albert's mother- have a child out of wedlock?
To add to sempaiscuba's answer:
Although there was a 'Prince Pierre d'Orleans', his full name was Pierre Philippe Jean Marie d'Orléans, not Pierre Antoine Lacouture d'Orleans. The only other 'Prince ...
- 108k
6
votes
Accepted
Do the Chadwyck-Healey baronets have a coat of arms?
Yes - the coat of arms is recorded in Burke's Peerage & Baronetage, the 1999 edition of which is available to borrow for free on archive.org and includes the description of the Chadwyck-Healey ...
- 797
6
votes
Accepted
Are there any examples of European rulers with a rank lower than king to utilize a "throne" and a "throne room"?
Sure. "Throne room" is perfectly fine, though I think "audience chamber" may have been more common.
Pulling an example out of my hat (I visited and was very, very impressed) take ...
- 6,811
5
votes
Accepted
Why was the Titles of Nobility Amendment proposed?
Yes, the Titles of Nobility Amendment was prompted by the marriage of Jérôme-Napoléon Bonaparte, brother of Napolean Bonaparte, and Elizabeth Patterson Bonaparte who together had a child named Jérôme ...
- 1,258
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible