Nobility and Titles

[chinmoypborah]

If you're literally only looking for names, a quick starting point:

House of Bourbon

The Habsburgs

The House of Hannover

The first two are especially crucial to the 16th thru late 18th century history of Europe as a whole, not even just Western Europe. The third was rather important to British history, giving it the various King Georges.

 

[Denville]

There were the Bonapartes who were minor coriscan nobility I suppose and one of them made it to being Emperor...

 

[Tatiana Maria]

As Troy Thompson and Countessmeout pointed out above, the vast majority of European royal houses originated from what we would deem "nobility". One exception is the reigning royal house of Sweden, the House of Bernadotte, the first sovereign of which was born as a commoner.

Though, it should be noted that it's an entirely different matter outside of Europe. The Arab countries in particular never really developed such a concept as titled nobility, so, except where their ancestors might have held Ottoman noble titles, it's not likely that you're going to find many Arabic royals who are descended from nobles. Additionally, in North America, the House of Iturbide (if I'm not mistaken) did not become a noble house until after it was an imperial house, and the Haitian imperial and royal houses never held any noble titles.

Thank you for the reminder that European concepts are not always applicable to countries and systems elsewhere.

 

[theroyalfly]

Yeah, all of the presently regnant royal houses of Europe, and the vast majority—if not all—of the European houses that continue to hold royal titles in pretense, were formed from noble houses.

Though, it should be noted that it's an entirely different matter outside of Europe. The Arab countries in particular never really developed such a concept as titled nobility, so, except where their ancestors might have held Ottoman noble titles, it's not likely that you're going to find many Arabic royals who are descended from nobles. Additionally, in North America, the House of Iturbide (if I'm not mistaken) did not become a noble house until after it was an imperial house, and the Haitian imperial and royal houses never held any noble titles.

1 Alaouite dynasty of Morocco descended from Al-Hassan Ad-Dakhil who was hoped to be a descendant of greatest Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
2 House of Saud of Saudi Arabia descended from Saud ibn Muhammad ibn Muqrin that traces its origin to the Arabian tribe of 'Amir ibn Saasaa--- a tribe that swore allegiance to Prophet Muhammad and his immediate successors.
3 The Hashemites of Jordan claim to trace their ancestry from Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf the great-grandfather of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

And of course,

4 The deposed Bagrationi Dynasty of Georgia that claimes their descent from the Biblical King and Prophet David.

As Troy Thompson and Countessmeout pointed out above, the vast majority of European royal houses originated from what we would deem "nobility". One exception is the reigning royal house of Sweden, the House of Bernadotte, the first sovereign of which was born as a commoner. Thank you for the reminder that European concepts are not always applicable to countries and systems elsewhere.

Yes this is so true. They descend from a Frenchman Jean Bernadotte, a commoner who had risen to be a general during the French Revolution; married Désirée Clary also a commoner who had a sister Julie who is married to Joseph Bonaparte (older brother of Napoleon Bonaparte) briefly King of Spain, Naples and Sicily. He was also made 'Prince of Pontecorvo' by Napoleon.

PS: The Bonaparte's are of Genoese noble descent.

Jean was created Crown Prince of Sweden by the elderly King Charles XIII of Sweden who didn't have heirs. Thus ending reign of the House of Holstein-Gottorp (Swedish line) and making it extinct.

 

[Duc_et_Pair]

The Queen of the Belgians born gravin/comtesse Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz
The Hereditary Grand-Duchess of Luxembourg born gravin/comtesse Stéphanie de Lannoy
Queen Paola, Princess of Belgium born Donna Paola dei principi Ruffo di Calabria
Lady Nicholas Windsor born Donna Paola Doimi de Lupis de Frankopan
Princess Amedeo of Belgium born Donna Elisabetta Rosboch von Wolkenstein
The Countess of Snowdon born Lady Serena Stanhope
The Duchess of Kent born Katharine (of the baronets) Worsley

These are non-royal but nevertheless noble partners in present reigning royal families which come to my mind.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

The current Queen of the Belgians was born Jonkvrouw Mathilde d'Udekem d'Acoz and raised to the rank of Countess on the day of her marriage.

In the communications to the media in relation to the engagement (a summary: Wie is Elisabetta, de verloofde van prins Amedeo? | Royalty | Showbizz | HLN), Elisabetta Rosboch von Wolkenstein and her father were called Nobile instead of Donna (I believe the latter was limited to certain ranking families within the Italian nobility). But it is only a title of pretense, as the 1948 Constitution of Italy abolished the country's nobility.

 

[theroyalfly]

20th Century Queen Consorts

Queen Geraldine of Albania born Countess Géraldine Margit Virginia Olga Mária Apponyi de Nagy-Appony

Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother born Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon

Queen Fabiola of the Belgians born Doña Fabiola de Mora y Aragón

Tsaritsa Margarita of Bulgaria born Doña Margarita Gómez-Acebo y Cejuela

 

[Troy Thompson]

1 Alaouite dynasty of Morocco descended from Al-Hassan Ad-Dakhil who was hoped to be a descendant of greatest Islamic Prophet Muhammad.
2 House of Saud of Saudi Arabia descended from Saud ibn Muhammad ibn Muqrin that traces its origin to the Arabian tribe of 'Amir ibn Saasaa--- a tribe that swore allegiance to Prophet Muhammad and his immediate successors.
3 The Hashemites of Jordan claim to trace their ancestry from Hashim ibn 'Abd Manaf the great-grandfather of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad.

This really does not contradict my statement that the Arab countries did not develop an indigenous system of titled nobility, and consequently there are not likely to be many Arab royals who are descended from nobility. Descendance from the Prophet Muhammad is not the same thing as the concept of nobility, nor is descendance from a particular tribe.

The closest thing to a concept of nobility that the Arab world developed indigenously is the concept of a sheikh, but a sheikh really is not a noble. Sheikhs are either members of the royal house, or tribal chieftains, or influential Islamic scholars.

 

[Denville]

I don't think that non royal but aristocratic wives of monarchs or princes is what the OP is askig about. Of course there are many European princes in the last century who have married wives who were of noble but not royal birth... but I think he's asking about noble families who "roes to royalty"...

 

[theroyalfly]

I don't think that non royal but aristocratic wives of monarchs or princes is what the OP is askig about. Of course there are many European princes in the last century who have married wives who were of noble but not royal birth... but I think he's asking about noble families who "roes to royalty"...

The House of Savoy and the House of Romanov are two great examples.

 

[Madoka]

Ennoblement

Hello.


Apart from the UK, the Vatican, Belgium and San Marino, In which countries can those not marrying into the royal family can still be ennobled? Can titles be passed between distant relatives akin to abdication in favor of?

 

[Countessmeout]

Hello.


Apart from the UK, the Vatican, Belgium and San Marino, In which countries can those not marrying into the royal family can still be ennobled? Can titles be passed between distant relatives akin to abdication in favor of?

Spain.

And to note in 2006 Spain passed a law that introduced equal primogeniture among its nobility, not simply for the throne. Meaning the eldest child of the noble is eligible to inherit no matter their gender. Something we do not see in the UK and other countries with nobility. In Scotland (those titles created before the union of thrones) there are a few where a woman can inherit, but only male preference.

And yes the King still creates new noble titles in Spain.


In Spain the title does not automatically pass to the heir on death. They actually have to pay taxes to take the title.

No abdication per say but:

-the heir to the title has 2 years to claim the title following the death of the holder. If they don't, anyone who is a child, grandchild or male line descendent can lay claim to the title. It must be done within 40 years of the person dying.

-A noble can actually cede their title during their life time. But this can only be done with their subsidiary titles. Their senior most title must go to their direct heir (eldest child). We saw this with the Duchess of Alba who held the Guiness record for most titles. She ceded titles to each of her children.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Olivia de Borbón is heiress to the the Duchy of Seville ,she will be one day the 6th Duchess,her father Don Francisco de Borbón is the current 5th Duke of Seville.

 

[theroyalfly]

Since 2017 and at 23 years old, Princess Victoria of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 20th Duchess of Medinaceli is the most titled aristocrat in Spain.

 

[An Ard Ri]

Since 2017 and at 23 years old, Princess Victoria of Hohenlohe-Langenburg, 20th Duchess of Medinaceli is the most titled aristocrat in Spain.

I always thought the Duke of Alba held that record?

 

[Lumutqueen]

I always thought the Duke of Alba held that record?

The Duke has 39, The Duchess has 43.

If Wikipedia is to be believed.

 

[An Ard Ri]

The Duke has 39, The Duchess has 43.

If Wikipedia is to be believed.

Indeed but wasn't the Ducal House of Alba mentioned in the Guinness World Records?

 

[theroyalfly]

I always thought the Duke of Alba held that record?

Yup well during the time of Cayetana Fitz-James Stuart, 18th Duchess of Alba she was the most titled aristocrat. Victoria Eugenia Fernández de Córdoba, 18th Duchess of Medinaceli just came in second.

But since her death, she ceded more titles to her children and also her heir the current Duke of Alba ceded some to his youngest son.

 

[Per]

Marquess

Hello!

I would be very thankful for help.
I'm not sure if you I can ask a question about Marquess in this forum. I have a fork made in 1895 in Sheffield. It has a brand that I wonder about. It's the crown, it's a crown for a Marquess?

Best regards

Per