The feudal system and jazz system in Britain have a long historical background. In the past, it was only aimed at ancient political and military feats, but in modern times it has expanded to other fields such as science, literature and art.
British titles are divided into seven grades, which are divided into two parts: nobles and civilians. In addition to the British royal family, nobles are divided into five categories; Because the governors of the Zhou Dynasty in China were also divided into five classes, Chinese was directly translated into Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount and Baron. There are also two titles: baronet and knight, belonging to civilians, not nobles; However, the doctors and scholars of the Zhou Dynasty in China still belonged to the nobility.
The conferment and succession of British titles
It was originally one of the privileges of the British king to exercise the right of honor, but under the current constitutional system, the right of honor is only nominal, and the award of honor must be based on the suggestions of cabinet members. Everyone can recommend British nationals to the British Prime Minister's Office to accept honorary awards. Usually, the list will be published twice a year, once in the New Year (called New Year's Honours) and once in the birthday of the King of England (called Birthday Honours). When the King ascended the throne and celebrated festivals, special awards must be held.
Barons and knights who belong to the civilian class have no additional titles, and only noble titles have titles similar to those of Prince China. For example, Zhuge Liang's title is marquis of Wuxiang. The king of England can grant any title, but there are the following rules: usually, the constituency of a member of parliament, aristocratic fiefs or place names with some connection or importance are part of the title, and surnames can also be required as part of the title. The conferment of titles will consult the parties concerned. For example, the British scientist, novelist and politician C.P. Si Nuo was knighted in 1957 and made a baron for life in 1964. Obviously, Si Nuo is his surname and Leicester is his birthplace. He also graduated from Leicester University, so C. P. Snow may choose Leicester as part of his title.
Can titles be hereditary? The answer is not necessarily. Generally, the title of nobility can be inherited, but if it is inherited by the eldest son or other relatives, it will be recorded in the patent or writ granted by the king of England. However, according to the appeal jurisdiction law of 1876 and the life aristocratic law of 1958, the title of life aristocratic granted by these two laws (only the title of baron) cannot be inherited. The title of quasi-baron belonging to civilians can be hereditary; Chivalry cannot be inherited, and glory is limited to his life, and children can't continue to enjoy it. Only after 1963 "Noble Law" was passed did women inherit titles.
Bo, male, male, child, Hou. This is the order in which they appear.
Of the five big noble in England, the Earl appeared first.
Some scholars believe that the title of Earl comes from continental Europe. In France in 900 AD at the latest, the count became a vassal of the duke. However, more scholars believe that the British Earl and the French Earl have no inheritance or joint relationship. In addition, the title of British Earl is the only English word among the five noble titles, which is transformed from the old English eorl. Around the late Anglo-Saxon era, due to the lack of strong kingship, the vast area of England was divided into several large earl jurisdictions. However, the title of Earl was introduced to England by King Knut of Denmark at the beginning of 1 1 century. 11-1Before the middle of the 2nd century, Ors was mostly a vassal. Most people go to several counties by themselves, so they are also called "Fang Bo". After Norman Archduke William invaded Britain, he was worried that their power was too heavy, endangering the royal power and national unity, so he divided Fang Bo's power and gave it to his cronies. The jurisdiction of each count is limited to one county, and his relationship with the king is very clear. If the count dares to make an insurrection, he will be suppressed by Wang Jun or punished by other nobles. Earls' official titles can be inherited by future generations, but the total number will be reduced because some Earls lack heirs. When Stephen was in office, Auffray de Mainville was made Earl of Essex. Since14th century, the number of earl has increased. There are 9 in 1307. In 1327, there were only six when Edward III acceded to the throne, and it increased to 12 after 10; Edward increased to 14 in the later period of his reign. 14 Before the 1920s, the Earl, as a senior aristocrat, was the "natural leader" of the baron, and he was responsible for managing the barons and knights at the local level. However, in the political crisis of 1327, when Edward III deposed his mother Princess Isabella as the regent, the earl acted independently as a political group with "self-awareness", and his "sense of distance" with the barons suddenly appeared. After Henry III increased the territory of earl of march in 1328, the earl did not have to perform the duties of local administration.
On important formal occasions, the count will wear a deep red velvet coat with a white fur edge and three minks sewn on the soft hat to show the rank of the title. There is a gold-plated silver ring on the crown and eight silver balls on the upper edge. The king called the count his "truly trustworthy and lovely partner"
English barons appeared in 1 1 century.
By the beginning of 12 century, most of the king's senior secular nobles were made barons. Among them, a few people who are closely related to the royal family and have more fiefs are also called "big barons", and their status is between the earl and the baron. Soon, the big baron was divided, the outstanding one was promoted to count, and the rest were equal to ordinary barons. The word "Baron" has long been regarded as a collective noun of aristocrats because Baron occupied a high proportion among the secular aristocrats at that time. 11-14th century, barons' titles and fiefs can be passed down through blood and marriage, but they can't be bought or sold at will, and kings of past dynasties can't add or deprive aristocratic titles at will. 1387, Richard II added the title of Baron for the first time, and Kemp de Hart was named Baron Kidminster. Hundreds of years have passed, and the number of barons living at the bottom of the five-class aristocracy has been the largest.
On formal occasions, the baron wears the same coat as the count, two mink coats on his hat and a light silver ring decorated with six silver balls on his crown.
In turn, the duke appeared.
As early as the Roman Empire, the title of Duke in continental Europe was usually awarded to senior commanders who defended their territories and made outstanding military achievements, but it was interrupted by major political changes. Hundreds of years later, the title of Duke was discovered in Germany. Around 970 AD, German Emperor Otto I first established the title of Duke. Soon France and other parts of the European continent also established a principality (duchy；; Grand Duchy, Grand Duchy). In Britain, the duke is the highest nobleman after the king or prince, which is different from the "Grand Duke" in continental Europe as the head of a country. The title of Duke of England appeared very late. 1337, Edward III upgraded Cornwall to a principality, and awarded seven-year-old Edward the title of Duke of Edward the Black Prince. Crown Prince 16 years old participated in the Hundred Years' War, showing sharp edges; 1355 went to France to command operations, with outstanding achievements. His father rewarded him with many titles, such as Prince of Wales in 1343 and Duke of Aquitaine in 1362. In order to highlight the special status of the duke, in the years to come, except for the queen's spouse and prince, other royal relatives are not allowed to be kings, and the highest title can be the duke. Subsequently, Edward III and his successors successively established the Principality of Lancaster (135 1), the Principality of Clarence (1362), the Principality of York and Gloucester (1385), the Principality of hereford (1397) and the Principality of Bateford. The leaders of these principalities are all relatives of the royal family. After gaining a high title, they stood out among the nobles and possessed extraordinary power, which laid a hidden danger for the future struggle for kingship, disrupted the imperial platform and created war. Since the establishment of 1483 Norfolk Principality, the title of Duke began to be awarded to people outside the royal family, but the principality was rarely established. Moreover, most of the commanders who can get this highest title are commanders with outstanding military achievements. Even if managers in the administrative field have served for many years and achieved remarkable results, it is difficult to win this honor. On formal occasions, the duke also wore a crimson velvet coat with four minks in his hat. Its crown has a gold ring decorated with eight red gold leaves. The king called the duke "our truly trusted and beloved partner"
Look at the Marquis (also called Marquis). As far as etymology is concerned, it is German Markgraf [Bao Hou; Governor of border colonies; Evolved. Marquis's original intention is similar to "Fang Bo", which refers to a government official who runs a place. In England, the Latin "Marquis" originally refers to the Lord of the Welsh border. At that time, it only showed that their territory was close to the border, not that their status was higher than that of the count. The meaning of 1385 changed, and Robert de Weil, the 9th Earl of Oxford, was made the Marquis of Dublin. 1397, John, Earl of Somerset, was made Marquis of Dorset and Marquis of Somerset. Marquis's status and honor is not clear, about between the duke and the count, and they are not valued for a period of time. During the reign of Henry VI, John de Beaford was relieved of the title of Marquis by the king, and the House of Commons petitioned the king for this purpose, demanding the restoration of the title of Beaford. But he himself opposed begging for the king, saying: "Marquis is a new honorary title, which was completely unknown to his ancestors. So look at it coldly and don't think it is wise to accept it. " In the15th century, this title was valued by the nobles only after it kept the second position of the title. Compared with the other four classes of nobles, the number of Marquis has always been the least.
On important occasions, the Marquis also wore a Red Velvet coat with three and a half rows of mink on his hat and a silver ring with four gold leaves and four silver balls on his crown. The king called him Duke.
Among the nobles in the House of Lords, the viscount is the shallowest.
Viscount originated in France, and was originally the county magistrate, ranking below the count, but sometimes it may also be a powerful vassal. In Britain, John of Bio-Mountain was made a viscount in 1440, ranking higher than all barons. There are two rows and a half of mink on the viscount's hat, and a silver ring is added to the crown and decorated with six silver balls.
By this time, the British Grade 5 big noble Party was fully formed and became a relatively fixed aristocratic hierarchy.
In academic circles, there is a very popular saying: British five-level aristocrats are ex officio members of the House of Lords. Historical facts are not so simple. In the13-15th century, although all big noble were qualified to attend the upper house, before each session of parliament was held, they had to obtain the imperial edict of the king of the country, otherwise they were not allowed to attend the meeting. Since14th century, the sons of earl, viscount, baron and duke have all been called "Lord", and later Lord can also refer to marquis, earl, viscount and baron below duke. Its meaning is similar to the word "noble". In addition, the word "noble" in Britain has always been divided into broad sense and narrow sense. Nobles come from Greek and Latin. In Greek, the original meaning is "outstanding" and "excellent", which can be used to refer to big noble. However, in Latin with a wider meaning, the word not only refers to big noble, but also includes a free man with a lower status, which contains derogatory meanings such as "stupidity" and "mediocrity". Later, it was transformed into an English source, with the same meaning, meaning free peasants in military service. From Norman conquest to modern times, nobles used to address nobles, including knights. After the formation of class 5 aristocrats, in order to show the difference, aristocrats, collective nouns aristocrats and aristocrats were called upper house big noble. In the future, aristocrats refer to upper house aristocrats and sometimes political dignitaries.
Compared with the aristocrats in Spain, Portugal, Sweden, France and other countries on the European continent, one of the characteristics of the British aristocratic group is its small number. For a long time, the title of nobility and the corresponding property rights and political privileges were only owned by the title holder himself. Although his family members are noble family members, their political status is close to that of ordinary freemen, and they are not allowed to attend the upper house as representatives without voting rights. Noble titles and fiefs are passed down according to the rather strict eldest son inheritance system; If the eldest son dies early, the eldest son, the second son, the youngest son or other family members will take over in turn. If a nobleman has no heir, his next of kin can inherit his title and fief according to his will or living arrangements and with the approval of the king and the High Court. But in most cases, the title was taken back by the king. Generally speaking, the titles and titles of British nobles cannot be transferred or sold at will. In order to maintain the size of the aristocratic group and other reasons, most kings of past dynasties will moderately increase the number of nobles.
Once an important person obtains a title, it is not fixed. If you have achieved outstanding military achievements, outstanding achievements or are particularly favored by the king, you can be promoted to a higher rank or get a new title. In addition, aristocratic marriage is also a good opportunity and way to obtain, increase or improve the title. Because the title is dazzling, admirable and highly respected by many people in society, those who have aristocratic status and family property and their long-term heirs can always easily get admirers and pursuers. For example, Henry IV, the founder of Lancaster dynasty, had the title of Duke before he ascended the throne, which was brought from his mother's house by bridge. Bridge is Henry III's great-granddaughter. In addition to Lancaster, she also owns earl territories such as Derby, Lincoln and Leicester.
British five-class aristocrats were formed in13-15th century. It is different from the five-level aristocratic enfeoffment system in China in the early Zhou Dynasty. It was not established in a moment, but gradually formed after a long time and finally became customized.
/kloc-At the beginning of the 0/4th century, among the royal aristocrats above grade 5, there was a rather unique title-"Prince of Wales", which was monopolized by the Crown Prince. This title was first created by Prince Liveran of Wales, who once unified the whole country. 1282, King Edward I of England of England led an army and fleet to attack Wales, and Liveron was killed. Two years later, Wales was merged into England, and Edward added the title of Prince of Wales to the heir to the British throne in 130 1 year.
Now, according to British tradition, the queen (or king) can grant someone a certain title of nobility according to the proposal of the Prime Minister of the Cabinet, but the number of people who are blocked is limited, about 20 each year.
Nobles can be divided into five grades: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount and Baron.
It turns out that the title of nobility is hereditary and there can only be one heir. The eldest son is the lawful heir. Only when a nobleman has no son can his title be inherited by the immediate descendants who first reached the age of inheritance. After 1958, it is allowed to grant a person a "lifetime peerage" that is not inherited.
Address the Duke and Duchess as "Grace". Use "your grace" in direct address and "his (her) grace" in indirect address. Used at the beginning of envelopes or letters, you can write "Duchess" ... "or" Her Excellency Duchess "..." (Duchess ...).
Marquis, earl, viscount and baron can all be called "lords". When addressed directly, you can call it "Your Excellency". Indirect reference can use "Lord+surname" or "Lord+place name". The beginning of an envelope or letter is called "Lord Marquis" or "Lord" respectively (mainly used for uncles, sons and barons).
The eldest son of a duke, marquis or earl can be called a "Lord" before his father dies, that is, before he inherits his father's title, but he is not a nobleman. A son below the second son of a duke or marquis can be called a "Lord" for life; For sons below the second son of a uncle, a son or a baron, it can be called "honor". They are not nobles either.
Marquise, Countess, Viscount and Baroness can all be called "Madame", that is, "Lady+husband's surname or place name in husband's honorific title".
The daughter of every duke, marquis and earl can also be called "madam", that is, "madam+first name+last name".
If she gets married, she will use her husband's surname instead of her own, but she will still be called "lady". Even if her husband has no title and is an ordinary "sir", he can be called "lady". If the husband has a title, then she should choose the corresponding reputation.
Besides the title of nobility, there are other titles, and jazz is regarded as "jazz". The specific method is "Jazz+First Name+Last Name" or "Jazz+First Name", but as a knight, you can never use jazz only before the last name.
For example, "Sir James Manson" can also be called "Sir James", but it must not be called "Sir Manson". A knight's wife can also be called "madam".
Jazz titles cannot be inherited, and jazz has no privileges except titles. His son is also commensurate with the civilian surname, using "Sir".