Imperial, royal and noble ranks
Traditional rank amongst European royalty, peers, and nobility is rooted in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. Although they vary over time and among geographic regions, the following is a reasonably comprehensive list that provides information on both general ranks and specific differences.
Ranks and title
Sovereign
- The word monarch is derived from the Greek μονάρχης, monárkhēs, "sole ruler" through the Latinized form monarcha.
- The word sovereign is derived from the Latin above.
- Autocrat is derived from the Greek αὐτοκράτωρ: αὐτός and κρατείν, and may be translated as "one who rules by himself".
Common titles for European and Near Eastern monarchs
Imperial titles
- "Emperor", from the Latin, 'imperator,' was originally a military title. Soldiers would salute the leader of a victorious army as 'imperator'. In English, the feminine form is Empress. The realm of an emperor or empress is termed an Empire. Other words meaning Emperor include:
- *Caesar, the appellation of Roman emperors derived from the Roman dictator Julius Caesar, whose great-nephew and adopted son Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus became the first emperor of Rome. Augustus' four successors were each made the adoptive son of his predecessor, and were therefore legally entitled to use "Caesar" as a constituent of their names; after Nero, however, the familial link of the Julio-Claudian dynasty was disrupted and use of the word Caesar continued as a title only.
- * Kaiser, derived from Caesar, primarily used in Germanic countries.
- *Augustus, a Roman honorific title which means 'Venerable' or 'Majestic', used by Roman Emperors from the beginning of the Empire onwards.
- *Basileus kai Autokrator, Medieval Greek title meaning "sovereign and autocrat", used by the Roman emperors from the 9th century onwards.
- *Tsar / Tzar / Csar / Czar, derived as shortened variant of the Slavic pronunciation of Caesar, the feminine form Tsaritsa, primarily used in Bulgaria, and after that in Russia and other Slavic countries.
- *Huangdi , the Imperial monarch during Imperial China.
- *Samrat, is an ancient Indian title meaning 'A paramount sovereign, universal lord'. The feminine form is Samrājñī or साम्राज्ञी.
- *Chhatrapati, from the Sanskrit chatra and pati, signifying a king over whom an umbrella is carried as a mark of dignity, a sovereign, emperor. The term was adopted by Maratha ruler Shivaji as his title in the 17th century in Early Modern India.
- *Sapa Inca, The Sapa Inca or Sapa Inka, also known as Apu, Inka Qhapaq, or simply Sapa, was the ruler of the Kingdom of Cusco and, later, the Emperor of the Inca Empire and the Neo-Inca State.
- *Tennō, which means "heavenly sovereign" in Japanese. Is the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people. Historically, he is also the highest authority of the Shinto religion as he and his family are said to be the direct descendants of the sun-goddess Amaterasu
- *Tsenpo, also known as Ihase or "Divine Son", was the title of emperors of the Tibetan Empire.
- *Chanyu, short for Chengli Gutu Chanyu was a title used by supreme nomadic rulers of Inner Asia. Meaning "Son of Heaven, Ruler of the North", it was later superseded by the title Khagan.
High royal titles
- King of Kings mostly used in Christian contexts to denote the Christian Roman emperors of the Late Empire and Byzantine periods.
- * Basileus tōn Basileōn, Ancient Greek title meaning "sovereign of sovereigns", used by Alexander the Great after the similar title of the Achaemenid dynasty of Persia. A translation from Ancient Persian Shahanshah.
- * Shahanshah, literally "King of Kings" in Middle Persian šāhān šāh, meaning "Kings' King." Used in Persia and surrounding countries.
- * Sulṭānü's-Selāṭīn, literally "King of Kings" in Ottoman Turkish Sulṭānü's-Selāṭīn, meaning "King's King." Used in Turkey and surrounding countries of the Ottoman dynasty.
- *Xi Chu Ba Wang (西楚霸王) meaning the Hegemon King of Western Chu.
- *Tian Kehan(天可汗) meaning Heavenly Khagan. Given to Tang Taizong and Tang Gaozong by Turkic nomads.
- * Taewang, literally "Greatest King", a Korean title for the rulers of the Goguryeo Empire.
- * Nəgusä Nägäst, title of the Emperors of Ethiopia, meaning "King of Kings".
- * Mepe-Mepeta, Georgian for "King of Kings."
- * Devaraja, literally "God King", a title in the Khmer Empire and throughout Java.
- * Khagan, derived from Khan of Khans, used by the Central Asian nomads.
- * Maharajadhiraja, "Great king of kings", title used in the Indian subcontinent, notably Gupta Empire and Kingdom of Nepal.
- * Padishah, Persian pād "master" and shāh "king". Used in the Ottoman Empire and the Mughal Empire.
- * Omukama, commonly translated as King of Kings, is a title associated with the Bunyoro-Kitara in Uganda. It is also the title of the Omukama of Toro.
- * Aliʻi nui, was the supreme monarch of various Hawaiian islands. They are the supreme high chiefs. This title would later be used by monarchs of the entire Hawaiian chain of islands.
- High king, A king who rules over lesser kings.
- * Amir al-Mu'minin, or "Commander of the Faithful," a title traditionally held by the Caliphs of Islam to denote their suzerainty over all Muslims, even those beyond their territorial borders. Currently, the King of Morocco and the Sultan of Sokoto hold this title, although neither officially claims the Caliphate.
- * Mahārāja, Sanskrit for a "great king" or "high king". The female form is Maharani.
- * Anax, from Mycenaean wanax for "High King". Outranked Basileus in Mycenaean usage.
- * Nam-Lugal High kings of ancient Sumer.
- * Pharaoh, "Man of the Great House " used in Ancient Egypt to denote the High kings of the upper and lower kingdoms of the Nile river valley.
- *Mansa, title of the rulers of the Mali Empire, meaning ".
- * Mwenematapa, title of the rulers of the Mutapa Empire. It means "Prince of the Realm" in Shona. Also spelled Mwene Mutapa or in Portuguese transliteration Monomotapa.
- * Ard Rí, Gaelic for high king, most notably used for high kings of Ireland and Scotland.
- * Bretwalda, high kings of Anglo-Saxon England.
- * Yang di-Pertuan Agong, the official title of the Malaysian head of state, and means "He who is Made Supreme Lord" and is generally glossed in English as "king". The officeholder is elected from among the heads of the nine royal states, so the office may also be analogous to that of a high king.
- * Alaafin, or "Man of the Palace" in the Yoruba language, was the title of the emperor of the medieval Oyo Empire in northwestern Yorubaland. He is considered the supreme overlord of the empire and expected to keep tributaries safe from attack as well as mediate disputes between various sub-rulers and their people within the Empire.
- *Lamane, "master of the land" or "chief owner of the soil" in old Serer language were the ancient hereditary kings and landed gentry of the Serer people found in Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania. The Lamanes were guardians of Serer religion and many of them have been canonized as Holy Saints.
Royal titles
- King, from the Germanic *kuningaz, roughly meaning "son of the people." The realm of a King is termed a Kingdom
- *Rex Latin for "ruler". Cognate with Raja, Rí, Reign, Regina, etc.
- *Basileus, from Mycenaean Greek meaning "chieftain", used by various Ancient Greek rulers.
- *Negus is a royal title in the Ethiopian
- *Arka is a royal title in Great Armenia
- *Tagavor is a royal title in Cilician Armenia
- *Melech, ancient Hebrew king.
- *Wang (王), the head of state of Ancient China.
- *Król Král, Király, Король, Краљ, Крал, Crai, Korol - Derived from Old East Slavic Король king, used in Ukrainian, Kazakh, Tatar, and Kyrgyz languages. The korol, krol, kral, крал and kiraly versions used in Central and Eastern Europe derive from the name of Charlemagne.
- *Raja, Sanskrit, later Hindustani, for "ruler or king". Cognate with Latin Rex, Gaelic Rí, etc.
- *Rai, Sanskrit, meaning Raja, for "ruler or king" in the Indian Subcontinent.
- *Rana, was used to be a title for martial sovereignty of Rajput rulers in the Indian subcontinent.
- *Deshmukh, Marathi for "ruler and king."
- *Rí, Gaelic title meaning king, of which there were several grades, the highest being Ard Rí. Cognate with Indian Raja, Latin Rex, and ancient Gaulish rix.
- *Khan, from the Turco-Mongol word for "lord," like Duke it was originally a military rank. A Khan's realm is called a Khanate.
- *Eze, the Igbo word for the King or Ruler of a kingdom or city-state. It is cognate with Obi and Igwe.
- *Oba, the Yoruba word for King or Ruler of a kingdom or city-state. It is used across all the traditional Yoruba lands, as well as by the Edo, throughout Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.
- *Kabaka, King of Buganda, a realm within Uganda in East Africa.
- *Shah, Persian word for King, from Indo-European for "he who rules". Used in Persia, alongside Shahanshah. The title of the sons of a Shah is Shahzade / Shahzadeh.
- *Sultan, from Arabic and originally referring to one who had "power", more recently used as synonym for King.
- *Malik, Arabic for King.
- *Tlatoani, Ruler of the atlepetl or city state in ancient Mexico. Title of the Aztec Emperors. The word literally means "speaker" in Nahuatl, but may be translated into English as "king".
- *Ajaw, In Maya meaning "lord", "ruler", "king" or "leader". Was the title of the ruler in the Classic Maya polity. A variant being the title of K'inich Ajaw or "Great Sun King" as it was used to refer to the founder of the Copán dynasty, K'inich Yax K'uk' Mo'.
- *Halach Uinik, In Maya meaning "real man", "person of fact" or "person of command". Was the title of the ruler in the Post-Classic Maya polity.
- *Datu in the Visayas and Mindanao which, together with the term Raja and Lakan, are the Filipino equivalents of "sovereign prince" and thus, glossed as "king".
- *Tuanku, literally "My Lord", the title of the kings of the nine Royal states of Malaysia; all princes and princesses of the Royal Families also receive the appellation Tengku,
- *Mwami in Rwanda and neighbouring regions in the Congo
- *Maad a Sinig, King of Sine, a pre-colonial kingdom of the Serer people. From the old Serer title "Maad".
- *Maad Saloum, King of Saloum, a pre-colonial kingdom of the Serer people.
- *Ratu, A Fijian chiefly title that is also found in Javanese culture.
- *Susuhunan, "he to whom homage is paid", title of the Javanese monarch of the Surakarta Sunanate.
- *Teigne, King of Baol, previously a pre-colonial Serer kingdom.
- *Nizam, The word is derived from the Arabic language Nizām, meaning order, arrangement. Nizām-ul-mulk was a title first used in Urdu around 1600 to mean Governor of the realm or Deputy for the Whole Empire.
- *Lugal, is the Sumerian term for "king, ruler". Literally, the term means "big man."
- Queen, from the Germanic *kwoeniz, or *kwenon, "wife"; cognate of Greek γυνή, gynē, "woman"; from PIE *gʷḗn, "woman". The female equivalent of a King, or the consort of a King; a Queen's realm is also a kingdom.
- *Rani, Hindi for Queen. See Raja, above.
- *Shahbanu, Persian for Empress. See Shah, above.
- *Sultana, Arabic for Queen. See Sultan, above.
- *Malika, Arabic for Queen.
- *Malka, ancient Hebrew Queen.
- *Mwamikazi, Rwanda and Congo kingdoms
- *Ix-ajaw, See Ajaw above, it was a title was also given to women, though generally prefixed with the sign Ix to indicate their gender.
- *Dayang, Filipino feminine equivalent of "Datu". See Datu
- *Hara, Filipino feminine equivalent of "Raha". See Raja, above.
- Sovereign Grand Dukes or Grand Princes are considered to be part of the reigning nobility
Princely, ducal, and other sovereign titles
- Prince, from the Latin princeps, meaning "first citizen". The feminine form is Princess. Variant forms include the German Fürst and Russian Tsarevich and the feminine form Tsarevna .
- * Bai, Filipino feminine equivalent of a prince.
- * Ampuan, Maranao royal title which literally means "The One to whom one asks for apology"
- * Ginoo, Ancient Filipino equivalent to noble man or prince.
- * Pillai, Ancient South Indian Title meaning "child", Prince for junior children of Emperors
- * Morza, a Tartar title usually translated as "prince", it ranked below a Khan. The title was borrowed from Persian and Indian appellation Mirza added to the names of certain nobles, which itself derived from Emir.
- * Knyaz, a title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a ruling or noble rank. It is usually translated into English as "Prince", but the word is related to the English King and the German König.
- Despot, Greek for "lord, master", initially an appellation for the Byzantine emperor, later the senior court title, awarded to sons and close relatives of the emperor. In the 13th-15th centuries borne by autonomous and independent rulers in the Balkans.
- Voievod şi domn, title held by the sovereign princes of Wallachia and Moldavia. Voievod means in this context supreme military commander while Domn means master, lord, autocrat. The "civilian" title of domn holds a kind of primacy. The office/authority is called "domnie" rather than voievodship. The prince is called upon as "doamne" .
- Duke, from the Latin Dux, meaning "leader," a military rank in the late Roman Empire. Variant forms include Doge, and Duce; it has also been modified into Archduke, Grand Duke, Vice Duke, etc. The female equivalent is Duchess.
- * Ealdorman, Old English for "elder man", rendered Dux in Latin.
- Sheikh, is often used as a title for Arab royal families. Some Emirs of the Arabian Peninsula use the title Sheikh, as do other members of the extended family.
- Emir, often rendered Amir in older English usage; from the Arabic "to command." The female form is Emira. Emir is the root of the naval rank "Admiral"
- * Amir al-umara, Emir of Emirs.
- Mir, According to the book Persian Inscriptions on Indian Monuments, Mir is most probably an Arabized form of Pir. Pir in Old Persian and Sanskrit means the old, the wise man, the chief and the great leader. It was Arabized as Mir then, with Al, it was pronounced as Amir.
- Bey, or Beg/Baig, Turkish for "Chieftain."
- * Begum, female royal and aristocratic title from Central and South Asia.
- * Beylerbey, Bey of Beys.
- * Atabeg, word is a compound of two Turkic words: ata, "ancestor", and beg or bey, "lord, leader, prince".
- * Beg Khan, concatenation of Baig and Khan.
- * Khagan Bek, title used by Khazars.
- * Derebey, feudal lord in Anatolia and the Pontic areas of Lazistan and Acara in the 18th century.
- Buumi, first in line to the throne in Serer pre-colonial kingdoms.
- Thilas, second in line to the throne in Serer pre-colonial kingdoms.
- Loul, third in line to the throne in Serer country.
- Dey, title given to the rulers of the Regency of Algiers and Tripoli under the Ottoman Empire from 1671 onwards.
- Sahib, name of Arabic origin meaning "holder, master or owner."
- Zamindar, were considered to be equivalent to lords and barons in some cases they were seen as independent, sovereign princes.
- Jagir, also spelled as Jageer The feudal owner/lord of the Jagir were called Jagirdar or Jageerdar
- Sardar, also spelled as Sirdar, Sardaar or Serdar, is a title of nobility
Tribal titles
- Tadodaho, derived from the name of the first "keeper of the council fire" of the Iroquois Confederacy, Haudenosaunee, or Five Nations, refers to the individual with the highest authority in both their modern territory and their spiritual way of life.
- Taoiseach means leader. An Irish clan chief.
- Tánaiste is the second in command of an Irish clan.
- Tòiseach, the Scottish Gaelic for clan chief.
- Tywysog, in modern Welsh, means "Prince" and is cognate with Taoiseach and Tòiseach. Derived from the proto-Celtic *' "chieftain, leader".
- Rí ruirech, King of Overlords, or rí cóicid, a provincial King in Ireland.
- Fon''', the regional and tribal leaders in Cameroon.
Religious titles
- Caliph, was the ruler of the caliphate, an Islamic title indicating the successor to Muhammad. Both a religious and a secular leader; the Caliph was the secular head of the international Muslim community, as a nation. To claim the Caliphate was, theoretically, to claim stewardship over Muslims on earth, under the sovereignty of Allah.. This did not necessarily mean that the Caliph was himself the supreme authority on Islamic law or theology; that still fell to the Ulema. The role of the Caliph was to oversee and take responsibility for the Muslim community's political and governmental needs, rather than to himself determine matters of doctrine, like the Pope.
- Dalai Lama, the highest authority in Tibetan Buddhism and a symbol of the unification of Tibet, said to belong to a line of reincarnations of the bodhisattva Avalokitesvara. Among other incarnate Tibetan lamas, the second highest Gelug prelate is the Panchen Lama. From the time of the Fifth Dalai Lama until 1950 the Dalai Lamas effectively ruled Tibet. The chief of the rival Kagyu school of Tibetan Buddhism is the Karmapa.
- Patriarch is the highest ecclesial title used in the Eastern Christian tradition. Some patriarchs are also styled as popes.
- Pope of Rome, derived from Latin and Italian papa, the familiar form of "father" ; The pope is considered the apostolic successor of Saint Peter, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Once wielding substantial secular power as the ruler of the Papal States and leader of Christendom, the Pope is also the absolute ruler of the sovereign state Vatican City. Also the title of the leader of the Coptic Church, considered successor of the Apostle Saint Mark the Evangelist.
- Catholicos is the Chief Bishop, Patriarch of the Armenian Orthodox Church. The earliest ecclesiastical use of the title Catholicos was by the Bishop of Armenia, head of the Armenian Orthodox Apostolic Church, in the 4th century.
- Saltigue, the high priests and priestesses of the Serer people. They are the diviners in Serer religion.
Other sovereigns, royalty, peers, and major nobility
Titles
- Archduke, ruler of an archduchy; used exclusively by the Habsburg dynasty and its junior branch of Habsburg-Lorraine which ruled the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire for imperial family members of the dynasty, each retaining it as a subsidiary title when founding sovereign cadet branches by acquiring thrones under different titles ; it was also used for those ruling some Habsburg territories such as those that became the modern so-called "Benelux" nations ; The title was created in 1358 by the Habsburgs themselves to establish a precedence of their princes over the other titleholders of high nobility of the era; therefore the rank was not recognized by the other ruling dynasties until 1453
- Grand Duke, ruler of a grand duchy; nowadays considered to be in precedence the third highest monarchial rank in the western world, after "Emperor" and "King". In the Russian Empire the title of Grand Duke was reserved for sons and grandsons of a reigning Tsar, and as such marked the holder of the title as a member of the Imperial Family.
- Grand Prince, ruler of a grand principality; a title primarily used in the medieval Kyivan Rus' principalities; It was also used by the Romanovs of the Russian Empire for members of the imperial family, although then it is more commonly translated into English as Grand Duke
- * Grand Župan, like a Russian Grand Prince to a Knyaz.
- Duke, ruler of a duchy; also for junior members of ducal and some grand ducal families
- Prince, junior members of a royal, grand ducal, ruling ducal or princely, or mediatised family. The title of Fürst was usually reserved, from the 19th century, for rulers of principalities—the smallest sovereign entities —and for heads of high-ranking, noble but non-ruling families. Cadets of these latter families were generally not allowed to use Prinz, being accorded only the style of count or, occasionally, that of Fürst even though it was also a ruling title. Exceptional use of Prinz was permitted for some morganatic families and a few others.
- * In particular, Crown prince was reserved for the heir apparent of an emperor or king
- * Ban, noble title used in several states in Central and Southeastern Europe between the 7th century and the 20th century.
- Dauphin, title of the heir apparent of the royal family of France, as he was the de jure ruler of the Dauphiné region in southeastern France
- Infante, title of the cadet members of the royal families of Portugal and Spain
- Królewicz, title used by the children of the monarchs of Poland and later Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth
- Elector, a rank for those who voted for the Holy Roman Emperor, usually sovereign of a state
- Marquess, Margrave, or Marquis was the ruler of a marquessate, margraviate, or march
- Landgrave, a German title, ruler of a landgraviate
- Count, theoretically the ruler of a county; known as an Earl in modern Britain; known as a Graf in German, known as a Serdar in Montenegro and Serbia
- * Župan, noble and administrative title used in several states in Central and Southeastern Europe between the 7th century and the 21st century.
- * Ispán, leader of a castle district in the Kingdom of Hungary from the early 11th century.
- Principal /Principala , a person belonging to the aristocratic ruling class of Filipino nobles called Principalía, roughly equivalent to ancient Roman Patricians, through whom the Spanish Monarchs ruled the Philippines during the colonial period.
- Viscount, theoretically the ruler of a viscounty, which did not develop into a hereditary title until much later. In the case of French viscounts, it is customary to leave the title untranslated as vicomte.
- Primor, a Hungarian noble title, originally the highest rank of Székely nobility, usually compared to baron. Originally, primores could de jure not be evicted from his fiefdom, even by the King of Hungary.
- Freiherr, a German word meaning literally "Free Master" or "Free Lord", is the German equivalent of the English term "Baron", with the important difference that unlike the British Baron, he is not a "Peer of the Realm"
- Baron, theoretically the ruler of a barony – some barons in some countries may have been "free barons" and as such, regarded as higher barons.
- Rais, is a used by the rulers of Arab states and South Asia.
- Yuvraj, is an Indian title for crown prince, the heir apparent to the throne of an Indian kingdom
- Subahdar, is normally appointed from the Mughal princes or the officers holding the highest mansabs.
Usages of the titles of Grand Duke, Duke and Prince
In Germany, a sovereign Duke outranks a sovereign prince. A cadet prince who belongs to an imperial or royal dynasty, however, may outrank a duke who is the cadet of a reigning house, e.g., Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Mecklenburg or Oldenburg.
The children of a sovereign Grand Duke may be titled "Prince" or "Duke" in accordance with the customs of the dynasty. The heir of the throne of a Grand Duchy is titled "Hereditary Grand Duke", as soon as he reaches the full legal age.
Children of a sovereign Duke and of a ruling Prince were, however, all titled prince.
The heir apparent to a ruling or mediatised title would usually prepend the prefix Erb- to his or her title, e.g., Erbherzog, Erbprinz, Erbgraf, to distinguish their status from that of their junior siblings.
Children of a mediatised Fürst were either Prinzen or Grafen, depending upon whether the princely title was limited to descent by masculine primogeniture or not. In the German non-sovereign nobility, a Duke still ranked higher than a Prince.
In Russia "Grand duke" is the traditional translation of the title Velikiy Kniaz, which from the 11th century was at first the title of the leading Prince of Kievan Rus', then of several princes of the Rus'. From 1328 the Velikii Kniaz of Muscovy appeared as the grand duke for "all of Russia" until Ivan IV of Russia in 1547 was crowned as tsar. Thereafter the title was given to sons and grandsons of the Tsars and Emperors of Russia. The daughters and paternal granddaughters of Russian emperors, as well as the consorts of Russian grand dukes, were generally called "grand duchesses" in English.
Minor nobility, landed gentry, and other aristocracy
The distinction between the ranks of the major nobility and the minor nobility, listed here, was not always a sharp one in all nations. But the precedence of the ranks of a Baronet or a Knight is quite generally accepted for where this distinction exists for most nations. Here the rank of Baronet is taken as the highest rank among the ranks of the minor nobility or landed gentry that are listed below.Titles
- Baronet is a hereditary title ranking below Baron but above Knight; this title is granted only in the British Isles and does not confer nobility. Ritter in German lands is the equivalent.
- Dominus was the Latin title of the feudal, superior and mesne, lords, and also an ecclesiastical and academical title
- Vidame, a minor French aristocrat
- Vavasour, also a petty French feudal lord
- Seigneur or Lord of the manor rules a smaller local fief
- Knight is the central rank of the Medieval aristocratic system in Europe, usually ranking at or near the top of the Minor Nobility
- Patrician is a dignity of minor nobility or landed gentry usually ranking below Knight but above Esquire
- Fidalgo or Hidalgo is a minor Portuguese and Spanish aristocrat
- Nobile is an Italian title of nobility for prestigious families that never received a title
- Edler is a minor aristocrat in Germany and Austria during those countries' respective imperial periods.
- Jonkheer is an honorific for members of noble Dutch families that never received a title. An untitled noblewoman is styled Jonkvrouw, though the wife of a Jonkheer is a Mevrouw or, sometimes, Freule, which could also be used by daughters of the same.
- Junker is a German noble honorific, meaning "young nobleman" or otherwise "young lord"
- Skartabel is a minor Polish aristocrat.
- Scottish Baron is a hereditary feudal nobility dignity, outside the Scots peerage, recognised by Lord Lyon as a member of the Scots noblesse and ranking below a Knight but above a Scottish Laird in the British system. However, Scottish Barons on the European continent are considered and treated equal to European barons.
- Laird is a Scottish hereditary feudal dignity ranking below a Scottish Baron but above an Esquire
- Esquire is a rank of gentry originally derived from Squire and indicating the status of an attendant to a knight, an apprentice knight, or a manorial lord; it ranks below Knight but above Gentleman
- Gentleman is the basic rank of landed gentry, historically primarily associated with land; within British Commonwealth nations it is also roughly equivalent to some minor nobility of some continental European nations
- Bibi, means Miss in Urdu and is frequently used as a respectful title for women in South Asia when added to the given name
- Lalla, is an Amazigh title of respect. The title is a prefix to her given name or personal name, and is used by females usually of noble or royal background.
- Sidi, is a masculine title of respect, meaning "my master" in Darija and Egyptian Arabic.
- Qanungoh Shaikh, are a clan of Muslim Shaikhs in Punjab, other parts of Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
In Austria, nobility titles may no longer be used since 1918.
Titles used by the Maratha Royals
The titles used by royalty, aristocracy & nobility of the Maratha Empire- Chhatrapati: Chhatrapati is an Indian royal title most equivalent to a King. It means the 'Lord of the Parasol' and is a title conferred upon the founder of Maratha Empire, Chhatrapati Shivaji. The title is also used by Shivaji's descendants.
- Maharaj: The English equivalent of Maharaj is great king. It is a title first conferred upon Chhatrapati Shivaji's father Shahaji Raje Bhosale by Adilshah.
- Maharani: The English equivalent of Maharani is great queen. It is a title first used by Tarabai, as regent of marathas empire.
- Raje: The English equivalent of Raje is Your Majesty. It is a title first conferred upon Chhatrapati Shivaji's grandfather Maloji Raje Bhosale
- Kshatriya Kulavantas: It means 'The Head of the Kshatriya caste' and was a title first given to Chhatrapati Shivaji at the time of his coronation
- Sinhasanadhishwar: It means 'the enthroned King' and was a title first given to Chhatrapati Shivaji at the time of his coronation
- Peshwa: It is a word of Persian origin and means 'Foremost' or 'the first minister' or 'Premier'. It was a title given to the prime ministers of the Maratha Empire
- Peshwin: The wife of a Peshwa
- Daria Sarang: It means the Chief or Admiral of the Maratha Navy
- Sena Khas Khel: It means the Commander of the armies of the state. It is a designation created by the Peshwas of Pune and was conferred upon the Gaekwads of Vadodara
- Shamsher Bahadur: It is a title conferred upon the Maharajas of Baroda and means a distinguished swordsman
- Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Alija Bahadur: It is a title used by the Maharajas of Indore. For example, Maharajadhiraj Raj Rajeshwar Alija Bahadur H.H. Yashwant Rao Holkar
- Raj Rajeshwar: It means 'king of kings' and is a title conferred upon the Holkar Maharajas.
- Maharajadhiraj: It means 'Great King of Kings'. For example, it was conferred upon H. H. Maharajadhiraj Rajeshwar Sawai Tukoji Rao Holkar Bahadur K.G.C.S.I.
- Naib Wakil-i-Mutlaq: It means Deputy Regent of Mughal affairs. It was a title conferred upon Shrimant Maharaja Mahadaji Shinde by the Mughals, since he helped the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, ascend the throne of Delhi.
- Amir-al-Umara: It means the Head of the Amirs and was a title conferred upon Shrimant Maharaja Mahadaji Shinde by the Mughals, since he helped the Mughal Emperor, Shah Alam II, ascend the throne of Delhi.
- Shrimant: It is a title used by Maratha royals and nobles. It was also used in recent times to formally address well achieved members of society or upperclass men in Marathi. For example, 'Shrimant' Bajirao Peshwa aka Baji Rao I or 'Shrimant' Dnyaneshwar Agashe.
- Sardar: It is a title used by the most senior Mahratta nobles, for example Shrimant 'Sardar' Ranoji Rao Scindia Bahadur, Subedar of Malwa
- Mankari: Mānkari is a hereditary title used by Maratha nobles who held land grants, and cash allowances. They were entitled to certain ceremonial honours and held an official position at the Darbar.
- Sawai: 'Sawai' in Marathi means 'a notch above the rest'. For example, it was a title conferred upon His Highness Shrimant Sawai Madhavrao Peshwa aka Madhu Rao II Narayan
- Pant Pratinidhi: It means a vicegerent; title borne by a distinguished Maratha family.
- Nawab: It is a title used by the Nawabs of Banda, such as the Nawab of Banda, Ali Bahadur, the grandson of Shreemant Bajirao I
Corresponding titles of nobility between languages
See Royal and noble styles to learn how to address holders of these titles properly.
Emperor, Empress | King, Queen | Archduke, Archduchess | Duke, Duchess | -Elector, Electress | Prince, Princess | Viceroy, Vicereine | Marquess/ Margrave, Marchioness/ Margravine | Earl/Count, Countess | Viscount, Viscountess | Baron, Baroness | Baronet Baronetess | Knight, Dame | Esquire/Gentleman | ||
Latin | Imperator/ Caesar, Imperatrix/ Caesarina | Rex, Regina | Archidux, Archiducissa | Dux, Ducissa | Princeps Elector | Princeps, Principissa | Prorex, Proregina | Marchio, Marchionissa | Comes, Comitissa | Vicecomes, Vicecomitissa | Baro, Baronissa | Eques | Nobilis Homo | ||
Arabic | imperator/ embrator , imperatora/ embratora | Malik , Malika | Al-Ka'ed Al-Askary Al-Akbar | Al-Emir Al-Akbar , Al-Emira Al-Kobra | Ka'ed Askary | Emir Nakheb , Emira Nakheba , | Amir/ Emir , Amira/ Emira | Na'eb Al-Malik , Na'ebat Al-Malik , | - | - | - | Baron , Barona | - | Faris فارس | Rajol Nabil رجل نبيل |
Armenian | Shahanshah | Arka | Tagavor, Taguhee | Ishkhanats ishkhan | Duc, Duchesse | Prince-électeur, | Ishkhan, Ishkhanooee | Bdeshkh, Bdeshkhooee | Marquis, Marquise | Comte, Comtesse | Paronats Paron | Paron | Aznavour | Asbed | Azat |
Bulgarian | Цар, Царица | Крал, Кралица | Ерцхерцог, Ерцхерцогиня | Велик Княз, Велика Княгиня | Херцог, Херцогиня | Курфюрст, Курфюрстина | Княз, Княгиня | Вице-крал, Вице-кралица | Маркиз, Маркиза | Граф, Графиня | Виконт, Виконтеса | Барон, Баронеса | Баронет, Дама | Рицар, Дама | Господин |
Czech | Císař, Císařovna | Král, Královna | Arcivévoda, Arcivévodkyně | Velkovévoda, Velkovévodkyně | Vévoda, Vévodkyně | Kurfiřt, Kurfiřtka | Kníže, Kněžna10 | Místokrál/Vicekrál Místokrálovna/Vicekrálovna | Markýz/Markrabě Markýza/Markraběnka | Hrabě, Hraběnka | Vikomt, Vikomtka/Vikomtesa | Baron, Baronka | Baronet | Rytíř | Pán, Paní |
Danish | Kejser, Kejserinde | Konge Dronning | Ærkehertug, Ærkehertuginde | Storhertug, Storhertuginde | Hertug, Hertuginde | Kurfyrste, Kurfyrstinde | Prins/Fyrste Prinsesse/Fyrstinde | Vicekonge, Vicedronning | Markis, Markise | Greve Grevinde, Komtesse | Vicegreve, Vicegrevinde/ Vicekomtesse | Baron, Friherre, Baronesse, Friherreinde | Baronet, Baronetesse | Ridder | Junker |
Dutch | Keizer, Keizerin | Koning, Koningin | Aartshertog, Aartshertogin | Groothertog/grootvorst, Groothertogin/grootvorstin | Hertog, Hertogin | Keurvorst, Keurvorstin | Prins/Vorst, Prinses/Vorstin | Onderkoning, Onderkoningin | Markies/Markgraaf, Markiezin/Markgravin | Graaf, Gravin | Burggraaf, Burggravin | Baron, Barones | Erfridder style of wife: Mevrouw | Ridder | Jonkheer, Jonkvrouw |
Estonian | Keiser, Keisrinna | Kuningas, Kuninganna | Ertshertsog, Ertshertsoginna | Suurhertsog, Suurhertsoginna | Hertsog, Hertsoginna | Kuurvürst, Kuurvürtsinna | Vürst, Vürstinna | Asekuningas, Asekuninganna | Markii, Markiis | Krahv, Krahvinna | Vikont, Vikontess | Parun, Paruness | Baronet | Rüütel | Džentelmen |
Finnish | Keisari, Keisarinna | Kuningas, Kuningatar | Arkkiherttua, Arkkiherttuatar | Suurherttua/Suuriruhtinas, Suurherttuatar/Suuriruhtinatar | Herttua, Herttuatar | Vaaliruhtinas, Vaaliruhtinatar | Prinssi/Ruhtinas, Prinsessa/Ruhtinatar | Varakuningas, Varakuningatar | Markiisi/Rajakreivi, Markiisitar/Rajakreivitär | Jaarli/Kreivi, Kreivitär | Varakreivi, Varakreivitär | Paroni, Vapaaherra, Paronitar, Rouva/ Vapaaherratar | Baronetti, "Herra", Herratar | Aatelinen/Ritari style of wife: Rouva | |
French | Empereur, Impératrice | Roi, Reine | Archiduc, Archiduchesse | Grand-Duc, Grande-Duchesse | Duc, Duchesse | Prince-électeur, | Prince, Princesse | Viceroi, Vicereine | Marquis, Marquise | Comte, Comtesse | Vicomte, Vicomtesse | Baron, Baronne | Baronnet | Chevalier | Ecuyer, Gentilhomme |
German | Kaiser, Kaiserin | König, Königin | Erzherzog, Erzherzogin | Großherzog/ Großfürst, Großherzogin/ Großfürstin | Herzog, Herzogin | Kurfürst, Kurfürstin | Prinz/Fürst, Prinzessin/Fürstin | Vizekönig, Vizekönigin | Markgraf, Markgräfin | Graf, Gräfin | Vizegraf, Burggraf Vizegräfin, Burggräfin | Baron, Herr, Freiherr Baronin, Frau, Freifrau, Freiin | Ritter | Junker, Edler, Junkerin, Edle | |
Greek domestic | Αυτοκράτωρ, Αυτοκράτειρα | Βασιλεύς, Βασίλισσα | Aρχιδούκας, Aρχιδούκισσα | Μέγας Δούκας, Μεγάλη Δούκισσα | Δούκας, Δούκισσα | Eκλέκτορας | Δεσπότης, Δέσποινα | Aντιβασιλέας, Αντιβασίλησσα | Μαρκήσιος, Μαρκησία | Κόμης, Κόμισσα | Υποκόμης, Υποκόμισσα | Bαρώνος | Βαρωνίσκος | Ιππότης, Ντάμα | Νωβελίσσιμος, Νωβελίσσιμα; |
Hungarian | Császár, császárnő | Király, királynő | Főherceg, főhercegnő | Nagyherceg, fejedelem, vajda nagyhercegnő, fejedelemasszony, - | Herceg, hercegnő | Választófejedelem, | Királyi herceg, királyi hercegnő | Alkirály, alkirálynő | Márki, őrgróf márkinő, őrgrófnő | Gróf grófnő | Várgróf, vikomt Várgrófnő | Báró, bárónő | Baronet, baronetnő | Lovag | Nemes, nemesasszony |
Icelandic | Keisari, keisarynja | Konungur, kóngur, drottning | Erkihertogi, Erkihertoginja | Stórhertogi, stórhertogaynja | Hertogi, hertogaynja | Kjörfursti, kjörfurstynja | Prins/fursti, prinsessa/furstynja | Vísikonungur, vísidrottning | Markgreifi, markgreifynja | Greifi, jarl greifynja, jarlkona | Vísigreifi, vísigreifynja | Barón, fríherra, barónessa | Riddari | Aðalsmaður, aðalskona | |
Italian | Imperatore, Imperatrice | Re, Regina | Arciduca, Arciduchessa | Granduca, Granduchessa | Duca, Duchessa | Principe Elettore, Principessa Elettrice | Principe, Principessa | Viceré, Viceregina | Marchese, Marchesa | Conte, Contessa | Visconte, Viscontessa | Barone, Baronessa | Baronetto | Cavaliere | Nobile, Nobiluomo |
Latvian | Imperators/Ķeizars, Imperatrise/Ķeizariene | Karalis/Ķēniņš, Karaliene/Ķēniņiene | Erchercogs, Erchercogiene | Lielhercogs, Lielhercogene | Hercogs, Hercogiene | Kūrfirsts, Kūrfirstiene | Princis, Princese | Vicekaralis, Vicekaraliene | Markgrāfs/Marķīzs Markgrāfiene/Marķīziene | Grāfs, Grāfiene | Vikonts, Vikontese | Barons, Baronese | Baronets | Bruņinieks, Bruņiniece | Dižciltīgais/Augstdzimušais, Dižciltīgā/ Augstdzimusī |
Lithuanian | Imperatorius, Imperatorienė | Karalius, Karalienė | Kunigaikštis, Kunigaikštienė | Didysis kunigaikštis, Didžioji kunigaikštienė | Hercogas, Hercogienė | Princas, Princesė | Vicekaralius, Vicekaralienė | Markizas, Markizienė | Grafas, Grafienė | Vikontas, Vikontienė | Baronas/Freiheras, Baronienė/Freifrau | Baronetas, Baronetė | Riteris | Skvairas, Džentelmenas Ponas, Ponia | |
Luxembourgish | Keeser, Keeserin | Kinnek, Kinnigin | Erzherzog, Erzherzogin | Groussherzog, Groussherzogin | Herzog, Herzogin | Kuerfierscht, Kuerfierschtin | Prënz/Fierscht, Prënzessin/Fierschtin | Vizekinnek, Vizekinnigin | Markgrof/Marquis, Markgrofin/Marquise | Grof, Grofin/Comtesse | Vizegrof/Vicomte, Vizegrofin/Vicomtesse | Baron, Baroness | Ritter | ||
Maltese | Imperatur, Imperatriċi | Re/Sultan, Reġina/Sultana | Arċiduka, Arċidukessa | Gran Duka, Gran Dukessa | Duka, Dukessa | Prinċep Elettur, Prinċipessa Elettriċi | Prinċep, Prinċipessa | Viċirè, Viċireġina | Markiż, Markiża | Konti, Kontessa | Viskonti, Viskontessa | Baruni, Barunessa | Barunett | Kavallier | |
Norwegian | Keiser, Keiserinne | Konge, Dronning | Erkehertug, Erkehertuginne | Storhertug, Storhertuginne | Hertug, Hertuginne | Kurfyrste, Kurfyrstinne | Prins/Fyrste, Prinsesse/Fyrstinne | Visekonge, Visedronning | Marki, Markise | Jarl / Greve, Grevinne | Vikomte/Visegreve, Visegrevinne | Baron, Friherre, Baronesse, Friherreinde | Ridder | Adelsmann, Adelskvinne | |
Polish | Cesarz, Cesarzowa | Król, Królowa | Arcyksiążę Arcyksiężna | Wielki Książę, Wielka Księżna | Diuk, | Książę Elektor, Księżna Elektorowa | Książę, Księżna | Wicekról, Wicekrólowa | Markiz/Margrabia, Markiza/Margrabina | Hrabia, Hrabina | Wicehrabia, Wicehrabina | Baron, Baronowa | Baronet | Rycerz/ Kawaler | Szlachcic |
Portuguese | Imperador, Imperatriz | Rei, Rainha | Arquiduque, Arquiduquesa; | Grão-Duque, Grã-Duquesa | Duque, Duquesa | Príncipe-Eleitor, Princesa-Eleitora; | Príncipe, Princesa | Vice-rei, Vice-rainha | Marquês, Marquesa | Conde, Condessa | Visconde, Viscondessa | Barão, Baronesa | Baronete, Baronetesa; | Cavaleiro | Fidalgo |
Romanian | Împărat, Împărăteasă | Rege, Regina | Arhiduce, Arhiducesă | Mare Duce, Mare Ducesă | Duce, Ducesă | Prinț Elector, Prințesa Electora | Prinț, Prințesa | Vicerege, Viceregina | Marchiz, Marchiza | Conte, Contesă | Viconte, Vicontesă | Baron, Baroneasă, Baronă | Baronet | Cavaler | |
Russian | Император/Царь, Императрица/Царица | Король/Царь , Королева/Царица | Эрцгерцог, Эрцгерцогиня | Великий Князь, Великая Княгиня | Герцог, Герцогиня | Курфюст, Курфюстина | Царевич/Князь, Царевна/Княгиня | Вице-король, Вице-королева | Маркиз, Маркиза, Боярин, Боярыня | Граф, Графиня | Виконт, Виконтесса | Барон, Баронесса | Баронет | Рыцарь, Дама | Господин, Госпожа |
Serbian | Car, Carica | Kralj, Kraljica | Nadvojvoda/ Herceg, Nadvojvodkinja/ Hercoginja | Veliki vojvoda, Velika vojvodkinja | Vojvoda, Vojvodkinja | Princ, Princeza | Knez, Kneginja | Ban, Vicereine | Markiz, Markiza | Grof, Grofica | Vikont, Vikontica | Baron, Baronica/ Baronesa | Barunet, Baruneta | Vitez | Gospodin |
Spanish | Emperador, Emperatriz | Rey, Reina | Archiduque, Archiduquesa | Gran Duque, Gran Duquesa | Duque, Duquesa | Príncipe Elector, Princesa Electora; | Príncipe, Princesa | Virrey, Virreina | Marqués, Marquesa | Conde, Condesa | Vizconde, Vizcondesa | Barón, Baronesa | Baronet | Caballero | Escudero, Hidalgo |
Slovak | Cisár, Cisárovná | Kráľ, Kráľovná | Arcivojvoda, Arcivojvodkyňa | Veľkovojvoda, Veľkovojvodkyňa | Vojvoda, Vojvodkyňa | Kurfirst/ Knieža voliteľ/ Knieža volič | Knieža, Kňažná | Miestokráľ/Vicekráľ | Markíz, Markíza | Gróf, Grófka | Vikomt, Vikontesa | Barón, Barónka | Baronet | Rytier | |
Slovene | Cesar, Cesarica | Kralj, Kraljica | Nadvojvoda, Nadvojvodinja | Veliki vojvoda, Velika vojvodinja | Vojvoda, Vojvodinja | Volilni knez, Volilna kneginja | Knez, Kneginja | Podkralj, Podkraljica | Markiz/Mejni grof, Markiza/Mejna grofica | Grof, Grofica | Vikont, Vikontinja | Baron, Baronica | Baronet, Baronetinja | Vitez | Oproda |
Swedish | Kejsare, Kejsarinna | Kung, Drottning | Ärkehertig, ärkehertiginna | Storhertig/Storfurste, Storhertiginna/Storfurstinna | Hertig, hertiginna | Kurfurste Kurfurstinna | Prins/Furste, Prinsessa/Furstinna | Vicekung, Vicedrottning | Markis/markgreve, markisinna/markgrevinna | Greve, Grevinna | Vicomte, Vicomtessa | Baron, Herre, Friherre, Baronessa, Fru, Friherreinde | Riddare/Frälseman, Dam/Fru | ||
Turkish | Padishah, Hakan, Sulṭānü's-Selāṭīn | Sultan, Han | Khedive, Pasha | Pasha, Beylerbey, Beylerbayan | Bey, Bayan | - | Şehzade, Hanımsultan | Vezir | - | - | - | Timariot, Timariota | Timar | Şövalye | Bey, Efendi |
Persian | Šâhanšâh, Šahrbânu | Šâh, Šahbânu | _, _ | Khan-i-Khanan, Khatun Bozorg | Khan, Khatun | Entexâbgare Šâhpur, Entexâbgare Šâhdoxt, | Šâhpur, Šâhdoxt | Jânešin | Mârki, Mârkiz | Kont, Kontes | Vikont, Vikontes | Barun, Barunes | Barunet, Bârunetes | Šovâlye | Agha, Khanum |
Ukrainian | Імператор/Цісар, Імператриця/Цісариця | Король/Цар, Королева/Цариця | Ерцгерцог/Архекнязь, Ерцгерцогиня/Архікнягиня | Великий Князь, Велика Княгиня | Герцог/Дюк, Герцогиня/Дючесса | Курфюрст, Курфюрстина | Князь/Принц, Княгиня/Принцесса | Віце-король, Віце-королева | Маркіз/Бояр, Маркіза/Боярина | Граф, Графиня | Віконт, Віконтесса | Барон, Баронесса | Баронет | Лицар | Пан/Господар, Пані/Господиня |
Urdu | Badishah, Shahanshah, Sultan | Shah, Nawab, Nizam, Shah Bahadur, Wali, Mian, Jam | Nawab Emir, Nawab Mirza, Nawab Sahibzada, Nawab Khan Bahadur | Nawabzada Sayyid, Nawabzada Mir, Sahibzada Sayyid, Sahibzada Mir | Diwan, Thakur, Mir, Mian, Sardar Bahadur, Taluqdar, Zaildar, Khan Bahadur, Darbar Sahib, Jah | Nawab Wazir, Wazir e Azim, Mir Bakshi | Shahzada, Emirzada, Nawabzada, Sahibzada, Mian | Subahdar, Nawab Subahadar | Chaudhry, Malik, Meher, Zamindar, Mulk | Pasha, Rais, Darbar, Daula | Sardar Sahib, Khan Sahib, Jang | Sardar, Khan, Tumandar | Seth, Saeen, Baig, | Ghazi | Janab |
Welsh | Ymerawdwr, Ymerodres | Brenin, Brenhines | Archddug, Archdduges | Archddug, Archdduges | Dug, Duges | Tywysog, Tywysoges | Marcwis/Ardalydd, Ardalyddes | Iarll/Cownt, Iarlles/Cowntes | Iarll, Iarlles | Barwn, Barwnes | Barwnig, Barwniges | Marchog |