Oldest Royal and Noble Families

[Dierna23]

Originally Posted by Warren

The Merovingians - the first Frankish dynasty,
ruled c420 to 751, when the Carolingians gained power.
See the Wiki entry for detail.

Thank you, Warren.

[Vasaborg]

Originally Posted by BryanCornett

Through my connection to King Canute The Great, King Canute's Great-grandfather Is King Gorm The Old. And Gorm the old's Son Is King Harald Bluetooth. And Harald Bluetooth's son is King Sweyn Forkbeard. I didn't Know that Canute Lineage was the Oldest royal family in Europe. That's neat.

You must be related to Canute through his sister ? as he has no descendants.

[Next Star]

Originally Posted by Nathalie Cox

And the Grimaldis? they've been in Monaco for more than 700 years...
And i think Denmark is the oldest monarchy in the world.

Monaco is one of the oldest reigning noble families not royal like some
people think their dynasty was found in 1297.and Denmark is the oldest
European royal family but not the world's that belongs to the Japense
Imperial family that was found in b.c. era while other reigning dynasties
were found in a.d. era.

[Archduchess Zelia]

I have read that we () have one of the eldest monarchys in the whole world ... (:

[Sephora]

Originally Posted by Humera

isnt the moroccan royal family quite old as well?
The Hashemites of Jordan are ofcourse one of the newest monarchs but the family goes way back to Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

The moroccan alouite royal family is the sencond oldest royal family in the world after the japenese one.

[Warren]

The Moroccan monarchy can be traced back to the 700s through a series of dynasties. The current dynasty, the Alaouite, were local rulers until 1664 when the first Sultan of Morocco was proclaimed. The Alaouites claim descent from the Prophet Mohammed (as do the Hashemites) so whereas the family line may be ancient, they were not a Ruling Family and did not begin to amass power until the early 1600s.

[Hereditary Thane]

Perhaps this will surprise many but the oldest extant, though non-reigning, dynasties are to be found on the very edges of Europe. Those mediatized princely families in the Caucasus, and the former families who provided High Kings and regional kings in Ireland. The later either fled to the continent or were mediatized by the English Tudors (yes they are Welsh and Norman but were sovereigns of England and self appointed lords of Ireland) during the push for English supremacy.

Although Ireland (the southern portion is a republic) the government with the consent of the president and supervised by the Chief Herald of Ireland, in Dublin have always acknowledged the former dynastic families and their septs. The Chiefs of Family apart from their territorial titles are acknowledged as eith Serene Highness or Most Serene Highness. As the old saying goes: all the Irish are sons of kings isn't as far fetched as it seems, their being over thirty chiefly and princely families.

[Ruspoli Princess]

Without a doubt, the oldest royal and noble family in Europe would have to be Venice's House of Barbaro. The Barbaro family's history goes all the way back to ancient Roman times.

See here:
Barbaro family information

The Barbaro family also has a noble branch and a royal branch still in existence:

Barbaro di San Giorgio
ACTING HEAD: Marquis Anthony Cremona Barbaro di San Giorgio (1955-)

Barbaro dell' Albergo
ACTING HEAD: His Illustrious Highness Princely Count Vitus Sebastian Barbaro, Patrician of Venice; the 5th Princely Count of the Grand Principality of Transylvania and substantive Baron dell' Albergo (1973-)

Link:
StateMaster - Encyclopedia: Barbaro family