NOBLE TITLES

Nobility Titles and Feudal Titles of Barons Lords and Seigneurs Counts  Earls Freiherren and Jarls

Sovereign

• The word  monarch is derived from the Greek μονάρχης,  monárkhēs, "sole ruler" (from μόνος,  mónos, "single" or "sole", and  ἄρχων,  árkhōn, archon, "leader", "ruler", "chief", the word being the present participle of the verb ἄρχειν,  árkhein, "to rule", "to lead", this from the noun ὰρχή,  arkhē, "beginning", "authority", "principle") through the Latinized form  monarcha.
• The word  sovereign is derived from the Latin  above.
• Autocrat is derived from the Greek  αὐτοκράτωρ:  αὐτός ("self") and  κρατείν ("to hold power"), and may be translated as "one who rules by themself".

Common titles for European and Asian monarchs

Note that many titles listed may also be used by lesser nobles – non-sovereigns – depending on the historical period and state. The sovereign titles listed below are grouped together into categories roughly according to their degree of dignity; these being: imperial (Emperor/Empress, etc.), royal (King/Queen, Grand Duke, etc.), others (sovereign Prince, sovereign Duke, etc.), and religious.

Imperial titles

• Grand Emperor/Retired Emperor/Emperor Emeritus, This title was occasionally used in Chinese history. It was technically given by the new emperor to the former emperor. For example, the Qianlong Emperor of the Qing Dynasty gave power to his son Jiaqing Emperor and became the Grand Emperor. After the transition of the throne, Qianlong still held the power for 3 years till his death at the age of 88.
• " Emperor", from the Latin, 'imperator,' was originally a military title. ^[1] Soldiers would salute the leader of a victorious army as 'imperator'. In English, the feminine form is  Empress (the Latin is  imperatrix). 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. The feminine form in German is  Kaiserin.
  • 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 Greek Byzantine Emperors from the 9th century onwards.
  • Tsar / Tzar / Csar / Czar, derived as shortened variant of the Slavic pronunciation of Caesar ( tsyasar), the feminine form is  Tsaritsa, primarily used in Bulgaria, and after that in Russia and other Slavic countries, although in English  Tsarina was also sometimes used.
  • Huangdi (皇帝), the Imperial monarch during Imperial China.
  • Huēyi Tlahtloāni, the head of the Triple Alliance of Anahuac or "Aztec Empire."
  • Samrat, (Sanskrit: samrāt or सम्राट) is an ancient Indian title meaning 'A paramount sovereign, universal lord'. ^[2] The feminine form is  Samrājñī or साम्राज्ञी.
  • Sapa Inca, The  Sapa Inca (Hispanicized spelling) or  Sapa Inka (Quechua for "the only Inca"), also known as  Apu ("divinity"),  Inka Qhapaq ("mighty Inca"), or simply  Sapa ("the only one"), was the ruler of the Kingdom of Cusco and, later, the Emperor of the Inca Empire ( Tawantinsuyu) and the Neo-Inca State.
  • Tennō (天皇), 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.
  • Kōtei (皇帝), Japanese title used for emperors of other nations (e.g. Rome, Russia, Germany)
  • Tsenpo, also known as  Ihase or "Divine Son", was the title of emperors of the Tibetan Empire.
  • Chanyu, short for  Chengli Gutu Chanyu (撐犁孤塗單于) 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.
  • Khagan, derived from khan of khans, used by the Central Asian nomads.
  • Padishah, Persian  pād "master" and  shāh "king". Used in the Ottoman Empire and the Mughal Empire.
  • Khedivate, Khedive (/kəˈdiːv/, Ottoman Turkish: خدیو, romanized: hıdiv; Arabic: خديوي, romanized: khudaywī) was an honorific title of Persian origin used for the sultans and grand viziers of the Ottoman Empire, but most famously for the viceroy of Egypt from 1805 to 1914.
  • Grand vizier was the title of the effective head of government of many sovereign states in the Islamic world. The office of Grand Vizier was first held by officials in the later Abbasid Caliphate. It was then held in the Ottoman Empire, the Mughal Empire, the Sokoto Caliphate the Safavid Empire and Morocco. In the Ottoman Empire, the Grand Vizier held the imperial seal and could convene all other viziers to attend to affairs of the state; the viziers in conference were called "Kubbealtı viziers" in reference to their meeting place, the Kubbealtı ('under the dome') in Topkapı Palace. His offices were located at the Sublime Porte. Today, the Prime Minister of Pakistan is referred to in Urdu as Wazir-e-azam, which translates literally to Grand Vizier

Royal titles

• King, from the Germanic  *kuningaz, roughly meaning "son of the people." (See: Germanic kingship) ^[a] The realm of a King is termed a  Kingdom (sovereign kings are ranked above vassal kings). The female equivalent of a King, or the consort of a King is a  Queen, from the Germanic  *kwoeniz, or  *kwenon, "wife"; cognate of Greek γυνή,  gynē, "woman"; from PIE  *gʷḗn, "woman". . Regardless of a ruler's gender, their realm is known as 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.
  • Arka is a royal title (king) in Great Armenia. Another used name was  Tagavor, which also appeared later in Cilician Armenia.
  • Melech, ancient Hebrew king. The word for queen is  Malka.
  • Wang （王）, the head of state of Ancient China.
  • Król (in Polish)  Král (in Czech),  Király (in Hungarian),  Король (in Russian and Ukrainian),  Краљ /  Kralj (in Serbian),  Крал (in Bulgarian),  Crai (in Romanian),  Korol – Derived from Old East Slavic Король  king, used in 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.
  • Maharaja, Sanskrit, later Hindustani, for "great ruler". It's the title of kings in the Indian subcontinent. The feminine equivalent is  Maharani.
  • 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, ruler 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. The female title is  Shahbanu
  • Boqor, Somali for King. However, in practice, it is the primus inter pares or "King of Kings". The title is etymologically derived from one of the Afro-Asiatic Somali language terms for "belt", in recognition of the official's unifying role within the greater society. Furthermore, Boqor is linguistically related to the style  Paqar, which was employed by rulers in the early Nile Valley state of  Meroe.
  • Ō (王), Japanese, meaning "king", or "sovereign". Also the title of the ruler of ancient Japan waō (倭王). The female title is  Joō (女王).
  • Sultan, from Arabic and originally referring to one who had "power", more recently used as synonym for a king. The feminine equivalent is a  Sultana.
  • Khan, from the Turco-Mongol word for "ruler" or “king”. A Khan's realm is called a Khanate.
  • Malik, Arabic for "king". The feminine equivalent is a  Malika.
  • Mwami in Rwanda and neighbouring regions in the Congo. The female counterpart is  Mwamikazi.
  • Almamy, King of Futa Toro, a pre-colonial kingdom of the Toucouleur people. From the old Pulaar title  "Almamy" (king).
  • Maad a Sinig, King of Sine, a pre-colonial kingdom of the Serer people. From the old Serer title  "Maad" (king).
  • Maad Saloum, ruler of Saloum, a pre-colonial kingdom of the Serer people.
  • Susuhunan, "he to whom homage is paid", title of the Javanese monarch of the Surakarta Sunanate.
  • Teigne, ruler of Baol, previously a pre-colonial Serer kingdom.
  • Tlahtloāni, the head of a Nahua city-state or altepetl in Mesoamerica.
  • Lugal, is the Sumerian term for "king, ruler". Literally, the term means "big man." ^[3]
  • 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.
  • 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 rulers of Ethiopia, meaning "king of kings", used alongside  Negus, a royal title in the Ethiopian Semitic languages.
  • Mepe-Mepeta, Georgian for "king of kings."
  • Devaraja, literally "god king", a title in the Khmer Empire and throughout Java.
  • 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.
  • Amir al-Mu'minin, or "Commander ( Emir ) of the Faithful," a title traditionally held by the Caliphs of Islam to denote their suzerainty over all Muslims, even (theoretically) those beyond their territorial borders. Currently, the King of Morocco and the Sultan of Sokoto hold this title, although neither officially claims the Caliphate.
  • Anax, from Mycenaean  wanax for "high king". Outranked  Basileus in Mycenaean usage.
  • Pharaoh,  "Man of the Great House (Palace)" used in  Ancient Egypt to denote the kings of the upper and lower kingdoms of the Nile river valley.
  • Mansa, title of the rulers of the Mali Empire, meaning (King).
  • Omanhene or  Ohene, an Akan title meaning  King of the Nation, with Ohene simply meaning  King.  Ohemaa, the maternal counterpart (his mother, sister, aunt ( referred to as a 2nd mother), cousin ( referred to as sister)), has equal power and selects which son she wants to lead the people. The Akan king rules on behalf of his mother who is the true power of the land. If the Ohemaa doesn't select any male relative to lead on her behalf, then she can take the role as King or Omanhene.
  • 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.
  • Bretwalda, monarchs 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.
  • Alaafin, or "Man of the Palace" in the Yoruba language, was the title of the ruler 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 ( Pangool).
  • Otumfuo, literally "the powerful one", an Akan title to mean a king. It is thought to originate with the Akan state of Akwamu. It is still used amongst the Akwamu and now the Asante people.
• Grand Duke is considered to be part of the reigning nobility ("Royalty", in German  Hochadel; their correct form of address is "Royal Highness"). ^[4]
  • Archduke, ruler of an archduchy; used exclusively by the Habsburg dynasty and its junior branch of Habsburg-Lorraine which ruled the Holy Roman Empire (until 1806), the Austrian Empire (1804–1867), and the Austro-Hungarian Empire (1867–1918) 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 (e.g., Tuscany, Modena); it was also used for those ruling some Habsburg territories such as those that became the modern so-called "Benelux" nations (Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg); 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 ^[5]

Princely, ducal, and other sovereign titles

• Sovereign Prince, from the Latin  princeps, meaning "first citizen". The feminine form is  Princess. Variant forms include the German  Fürst and Russian  Knyaz (князь) and the feminine form Knyaginya (княгиня) . ^[b]
  • 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 (now used in the form " Ginoóng" as the analogue to "mister").
  • Pillai, Ancient South Indian title meaning "child", Prince for junior children of Emperors ^[6]
  • Morza, a  Tatar 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.
  • Daakyehene, pronounced:  Daa-chi-hi-ni, literally:  future king. The feminine form is  Daakyehemaa. An Akan prince.
  • 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.
  • Datu in the Visayas and Mindanao which, together with the term  Raja ( in the Rajahnate of Cebu and Kingdom of Maynila) and  Lakan (title widely used on the island of Luzon), are the Filipino equivalents of "sovereign prince" and thus, glossed as "ruler". The female equivalent is a  Dayang. (Cf. also  Principalía – the hispanized and Christianized Datu class during the Spanish colonial period in the Philippines.) ^{[7] [8]}
  • Nizam, The word is derived from the Arabic language Nizām (نظام), 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.
• 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 (from Slavic) means in this context supreme military commander while Domn (from lat.  dominus) means master, lord, autocrat. The "civilian" title of  domn holds a kind of primacy. The office/authority is called "domnie" (roughly "lordship") rather than voievodship (as is the case of similar named but lesser Slavic titles). The prince is called upon as "doamne" ("mylord") .
• Sovereign 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 (meaning "chief" Duke),  Grand Duke (literally "large", or "big" Duke; see above under royal titles),  Vice Duke ("deputy" Duke), etc. The female equivalent is  Duchess.
  • Doge, elected lord and head of state in several Italian city-states
  • Ealdorman, Old English for "elder man", rendered  Dux in Latin.
  • Rí, Gaelic title meaning  king, of which there were several grades, the highest being  Ard Rí (high king). Cognate with Indian  Raja, Latin  Rex, and ancient Gaulish  Rix.
  • Raja, Sanskrit, later Hindustani, for "ruler". Cognate with Latin  Rex, Irish  Rí, etc. The female equivalent is  Rani. The Filipino feminine equivalent is  Hara.
  • Rai, Sanskrit, meaning Raja, for "ruler" in the Indian Subcontinent.
  • Rana, was used to be a title for martial sovereignty of Rajput rulers in the Indian subcontinent.
  • Tuanku, literally "My Master" (Tuan Ku), the title of the rulers of the nine Royal states of Malaysia; all princes and princesses of the Royal Families also receive the appellation  Tunku (literally "My Lord" (Tun Ku) or spelt  Tengku) or  Raja.
• Sheikh is often used as a title for Arab royal families. Some Emirs of the Arabian Peninsula use the title Sheikh ("elder" or "lord"), 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 (Amirah). 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(A) (Arabic definite article), 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.
• Dey, title given to the rulers of the Regency of Algiers and Tripoli under the Ottoman Empire from 1671 onwards.
• Sardar, also spelled as  Sirdar,  Sardaar or  Serdar, is a title of nobility ( sir-,  sar/sair- means "head or authority" and  -dār means "holder" in Sanskrit and Avestan)
• Imam, Imam (/ɪˈmɑːm/; Arabic: إمام imām; plural: أئمة aʼimmah) is an Islamic leadership position. For Sunni Muslims, Imam is most commonly used as the title of a worship leader of a mosque. In this context, imams may lead Islamic worship services, lead prayers, serve as community leaders, and provide religious guidance. Thus for Sunnis, anyone can study the basic Islamic sciences and become an Imam.

Tribal titles

• " Tribal chief"
• 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 ( Irish pronunciation:  [ˈt̪ˠiːʃəx]) means leader. An Irish clan chief. Since 1937, this has been the title for the elected prime ministers of Ireland, in both Irish and English.
• Tánaiste ( Irish pronunciation:  [ˈt̪ˠaːn̪ˠəʃtʲə]) is the second in command of an Irish clan. Since 1937, this has been the title in both Irish and English for the deputy head of the Irish government, nominated by the serving Taoiseach to act in that role during the Taoiseach's temporary absence.
• Tòiseach, the Scottish Gaelic for clan chief.
• Tywysog ( Welsh pronunciation:  [təˈwəsɔɡ]), in modern Welsh, means "Prince" and is cognate with Taoiseach and Tòiseach. Derived from the proto-Celtic * towissākos "chieftain, leader".
• Rí ruirech, "king of over-kings", or  rí cóicid, a provincial King in Ireland.
• Corono, leader of a large tribe in Celtic Gallaecia. In later Latin inscriptions, they would sometimes be referred to as  Princeps. ^[9]
• Fon, the regional and tribal leaders in Cameroon.
• Odikro, an Akan chieftain.  Obahemaa female maternal counterpart.
• Cacique, derived from the Taíno word  kasike, for pre-Columbian monarchs in the Bahamas, the Greater Antilles, and Lesser Antilles.
• Lonko, chief of several Mapuche communities.
• Ratu, A Fijian chiefly title that is also found in Javanese culture.
• Aliʻi nui, was the supreme monarch of various Hawaiian islands. They are the supreme high chiefs (chief of chiefs). This title would later be used by rulers of the entire Hawaiian chain of islands.
• 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'. The female equivalent is a  Ix-ajaw.
• 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 (Kuchkabal).

Religious titles

• Pope, also " Supreme Pontiff of the Universal Church and Vicar of Christ", is considered the apostolic successor of Saint Peter, one of the Twelve Apostles (primary disciples) 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. The word  pope is derived from Latin and Italian  papa, a familiar form of "father".
• 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.
• Patriarch is the highest ecclesial title used in the Eastern Christian tradition. Some patriarchs are also styled as popes.
• Caliph means 'successor' (to Muhammad), both a religious and a secular leader. The ruler of the caliphate 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. (See  Amir al-Mu'minin above). 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 (both within and beyond the borders of his territorial realm), rather than to himself determine matters of doctrine.
• Dalai Lama, the highest authority in Tibetan (or more specifically Gelug) 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.
• Saltigue, the high priests and priestesses of the Serer people. They are the diviners in Serer religion.

Other sovereigns, royalty, peers, and major nobility

Several ranks were widely used (for more than a thousand years in Europe alone) for both sovereign rulers and non-sovereigns. Additional knowledge about the territory and historic period is required to know whether the rank holder was a sovereign or non-sovereign. However, joint precedence among rank holders often greatly depended on whether a rank holder was sovereign, whether of the same rank or not. This situation was most widely exemplified by the Holy Roman Empire (HRE) in Europe. Several of the following ranks were commonly both sovereign and non-sovereign within the HRE. Outside of the HRE, the most common sovereign rank of these below was that of Prince. Within the HRE, those holding the following ranks who were also sovereigns had (enjoyed) what was known as an  immediate relationship with the Emperor. Those holding non-sovereign ranks held only a  mediate relationship (meaning that the civil hierarchy upwards was mediated by one or more intermediaries between the rank holder and the Emperor).

Titles

• Prince ( Prinz in German), 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 (e.g., Liechtenstein, Lippe, Schwarzburg, Waldeck-and-Pyrmont)—and for heads of high-ranking, noble but non-ruling families (Bismarck, Clary und Aldringen, Dietrichstein, Henckel von Donnersmarck, Kinsky, Paar, Pless, Thun und Hohenstein, etc.). Cadets of these latter families were generally not allowed to use  Prinz, being accorded only the style of count ( Graf) or, occasionally, that of  Fürst (Wrede, Urach) even though it was also a ruling title. Exceptional use of  Prinz was permitted for some morganatic families (e.g., Battenberg, Montenuovo) and a few others (Carolath-Beuthen, Biron von Kurland).
  • In particular,  Crown prince ( Kronprinz in German) was reserved for the heir apparent of an emperor or king.
  • Grand Prince ( Velikiy Knyaz), 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.
  • Elector Prince ( Kurfürst in German), a rank for those who voted for the Holy Roman Emperor, usually sovereign of a state (e.g. the Margrave of Brandenburg, an elector, called the  Elector of Brandenburg)
  • 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 (under the authority of the King)
  • 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
  • Ōji (王子), Japanese, literally "sovereign-child", used only for the son of a monarch.
  • Yuvraj, is an Indian title for crown prince, the heir apparent to the throne of an Indian (notably Hindu) kingdom.
  • Buumi, first in line to the throne in Serer pre-colonial kingdoms. The second in line is called a  Thilas, whereas the third in line is known as a  Loul.
• Duke ( Herzog in German), ruler ^[a] of a duchy; ^[c] also for junior members of ducal and some grand ducal families.
• Marquess,  Margrave, or  Marquis (literally "Count of a March" (=Border territory)) was the ruler of a marquessate, margraviate, or march. The female equivalent is  Marchioness.
  • Grand Župan, a more influential  Župan.
• 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. The female equivalent is  Countess, which in Britain also refers to an earl's wife.
  • Landgrave (literally "Land Count"), a German title, ruler of a landgraviate (large / provincial territory).
  • 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 (a fortress and the royal lands attached to it) in the Kingdom of Hungary from the early 11th century.
• Viscount (vice-count), theoretically the ruler of a viscounty, which did not develop into a hereditary title until much later. ^[10] The female equivalent is  Viscountess. In the case of French viscounts and viscountesses, it is customary to leave the titles untranslated as  vicomte  [vikɔ̃t] and  vicomtesse  [vikɔ̃tɛs].
  • Sahib, name of Arabic origin meaning "holder, master or owner."
• Baron, theoretically the ruler of a barony – some barons in some countries may have been "free barons" ( liber baro) and as such, regarded (themselves) as higher barons. The female equivalent is  Baroness.
  • Freiherr, a German word meaning literally "Free Master" or "Free Lord" (i.e. not subdued to feudal chores or drudgery), 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" (member of the high aristocracy). ^[11] The female equivalent is  Freifrau.
  • Primor, a Hungarian noble title, originally the highest rank of Székely nobility, usually compared to baron (or less commonly, count). ^[12] Originally,   primores could  de jure not be evicted from his fiefdom, even by the King of Hungary (although such instances did occur). ^[13]
  • Zamindar were considered to be equivalent to lords and barons; in some cases they were independent sovereign princes.
  • Jagir, also spelled as  Jageer (Devanagari: जागीर, Persian: جاگیر,  ja- meaning "place",  -gir meaning "keeping, holding") The feudal owner/lord of the Jagir were called  Jagirdar or  Jageerdar
  • Rais, is a used by the rulers of Arab states and South Asia.
  • Subahdar, is normally appointed from the Mughal princes or the officers holding the highest mansabs.
  • Deshmukh, Marathi for "ruler". It is an equivalent to a lord of the land.
  • Principal (m.)/Principala (f.), 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 ( c.  1600s to 1898). ^{[14] [15]}
  • Regents: A regent (from Latin regens: ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state pro tempore (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, or the throne is vacant and the new monarch has not yet been determined. The rule of a regent or regents is called a regency. A regent or regency council may be formed ad hoc or in accordance with a constitutional rule. Regent is sometimes a formal title granted to a monarch's most trusted advisor or personal assistant. If the regent is holding their position due to their position in the line of succession, the compound term prince regent is often used; if the regent of a minor is their mother, she would be referred to as queen regent.

Minor nobility, landed gentry, and other aristocracy

The distinction between the ranks of the major nobility (listed above) 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 (ranking above a Knight) is taken as the highest rank among the ranks of the minor nobility or landed gentry that are listed below.

Titles [edit ]

• 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.
• Dominus was the Latin title of the feudal, superior and mesne, lords, and also an ecclesiastical and academical title (equivalent of Lord)
• Vidame, a minor French aristocrat
• Vavasour, also a petty French feudal lord
• Seigneur or  Lord of the manor rules a smaller local fief
• Captal, archaic Gascon title equivalent to seigneur
• Knight is the central rank of the Medieval aristocratic system in Europe (and having its equivalents elsewhere), usually ranking at or near the top of the Minor Nobility
• Patrician is a dignity of minor nobility or landed gentry (most often being hereditary) usually ranking below Knight but above Esquire
• Fidalgo or  Hidalgo is a minor Portuguese and Spanish aristocrat (respectively; from  filho d'algo /  hijo de algo, lit. "son of something")
• 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".
• Reis is an obscure aristocratic title from the coastlines of Lebanon and Syria that is roughly equivalent to a Baron. The word itself can be translated as "Commodore", and is found only among a few of the former "Merchant Aristocrat" houses of the former Mount Lebanon Emirate. The only legitimate holders of this title are those that trace their lineage back to vassals of Fakhr al-Din II that arrived from Italy via the alliance with the Medici.
• 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 Lord of Parliament but above a Scottish Laird ^{[16] [d]} 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; ^[17] it ranks below Knight (or in Scotland below Laird) but above Gentleman ^{[e] [f]}
• Gentleman is the basic rank of landed gentry (ranking below Esquire), historically primarily associated with land; within British Commonwealth nations it is also roughly equivalent to some minor nobility of some continental European nations ^[18]
• 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 Maltese, Darija and Egyptian Arabic.
• Dvoryanin, the word (Russian:  Дворянин,  romanized:  Member of the court); a member of Russian nobility

In Germany, the constitution of the Weimar Republic in 1919 ceased to accord privileges to members of dynastic and noble families. Their titles henceforth became legal parts of the family name, and traditional forms of address (e.g., "Hoheit" or "Durchlaucht") ceased to be accorded to them by governmental entities. The last title was conferred on 12 November 1918 to Kurt von Klefeld. The actual rank of a title-holder in Germany depended not only on the nominal rank of the title, but also the degree of sovereignty exercised, the rank of the title-holder's suzerain, and the length of time the family possessed its status within the nobility ( Uradel, Briefadel, altfürstliche, neufürstliche, see: German nobility). Thus, any reigning sovereign ranks higher than any deposed or mediatized sovereign (e.g., the  Fürst of Waldeck, sovereign until 1918, was higher than the Duke of Arenberg, head of a mediatized family, although  Herzog is nominally a higher title than  Fürst). However, former holders of higher titles in extant monarchies retained their relative rank, i.e., a queen dowager of Belgium outranks the reigning Prince of Liechtenstein. Members of a formerly sovereign or mediatized house rank higher than the nobility. Among the nobility, those whose titles derive from the Holy Roman Empire rank higher than the holder of an equivalent title granted by one of the German monarchs after 1806.

In Austria, nobility titles may no longer be used since 1918. ^[19]

Greetings from the Ancient Lords, Dames and Seigneurs of Private Fief Blondel Est. 1179 -   "Le Seigneurs de la Fief Thomas Blondel &  Fief de L'Eperons

The Fief of Blondel is One of the Last Great Private Fiefs of Normandy registered directly with the Crown in Her Majesty's Crown Dependencies

Fiefdom  In feudalism, a fiefdom (also called a fief, feud, feoff, or fee) was a property or right that an overlord, seigneur or Lehnsherr (sometimes granted directly from a King or Queen) gave a vassal in exchange for fealty or service. This property, of whatever size, could be inherited by the man's heirs.

Some Fiefs are Free Fiefs registered directly from the Sovereign such as this ancient Norman Fief. The Lords of the Guernsey fiefs were originally all:             " liberi homines " and " franc-tenans ", free men, or free tenants.  In other parts of Scandanivia, Frankonia, Germania, the name is Free Lord, Free Tenant, or  Feudal Lord.

Friherre af Fief Blondel,  Kanaløyer Est. 1179

History of the Viking Norman Seigneur & Fiefdoms

911AD - The Norse Channel Islands of France's Normandy were conquered by the Vikings before 911AD. As a concession to the invaders, Fiefs of the Channel Islands begin with the Grants by King Charles the Simple. In 912, Charles the Simple, King of France, ceded to Rollo, the great Norwegian Viking Chieftain, the province of Neustria, now called Normandy, and Rollo became the first duke of that province. On his baptism and marriage with Gisele, daughter of Charles, he also received Brittany, for which Juhael Berengier, Earl of Rennes, did him homage.

911AD. The Great Viking Chief Rollo Göngu-Hrólfr or Gaange Rolf is first Seigneur of the Guernsey Islands.
Chief Rollo was a Viking Warrior who became the first ruler of Normandy, a region of France. He is sometimes called the 1st Duke of Normandy and speculations point to Denmark as Rollo's birth place. Guernsey, second largest of the Channel Islands. It is 30 miles (48 km) west of Normandy, France, and roughly triangular in shape. With Alderney, Sark, Herm, Jethou, and associated islets, it forms the Bailiwick of Guernsey. The reigning Queen or King of England is still known as the "Duke of Normandy" to all those in the Channel Islands.

1020AD - The Fief de Blondel or Fiefdom of Thomas Blondel came about through the medieval fragmentation of Fief Au Canelly and consequently, of the initial half of Guernésiais or Guernsey given by Duke Richard II in 1020 to Neel, Vicomte of the Cotentin.

Fief Blondel was part of Fief Canelly and Fief of the Cotentin of Torteval and Fief of  Bessin ( or Bayeux ) which was in St. Pierre-du-Bois, and Blondel may have had territory in the Fief of Ansquetil.. Thus, Blondel is one of the only fiefs which has territory in all of the great fiefs

The holders of the property title of the Fief Blondel territory were Counts or Viscounts of Contentin and Bessin. The definition of a vicomte is a French nobleperson, ranked just above a baron.

AD 1179 - We find Legal Reference of Lord Seigneur of Thomas Blondel, a noble fief, in a charter of 1179AD when he is witnessing a grant to St. Michael's Mount. He is Robert Malmarchie (Thomas Blondel).

1204 AD - Fief  Blondel and other Ancient Fiefs were Forfeited to the Crown with separation of Guernsey from France and Normandy and given to loyal Seigneurs and Dames who were Feudal Lords to the Sovereign of the UK Crown.

1200's AD - The Parish of St. Andrew in which Thomas Blondel lies contained a group of four late 12 century ecclesiastical Fiefs, one held by the Bishop of Countances, the second held by the Abbot of Cormery, Tours, the third held by the Abbot of La Croix St. Lewfroy, Evreux, and the fourth held by the Abbess of Trinity, Caen. The Fief Thomas Blondel derives its name, as we have already observed from the family of Malmarcher or Malmarchy who are recorded in the charters as existing in Guernsey in the 12th Century. Today, The region of The Fief de Thomas Blondel lies in both St Pierre du Bois (St. Peter of the Wood) and of the Parish of Notre Dame de Torteval along with the Blondel Dependency Fief de l'Eperon of Torteval Parish of the Island of Guernsey.

In 1270, on the death of Sir Henry Le Canelly, the great Guernsey fief Fief Au Canelly was divided between his daughters. Guilemette, the wife of Henry de Saint Martin obtained a considerable part of the island originating  the Fiefs of Janin Besnard, Jean du Gaillard, Guillot Justice and Thomas Blondel. This was confirmed by the tenants and officers of the Fief in letters patent issued by Guernsey's Royal Court under the Bailiwick Seal in 1463. The original noble, Thomas Blondel was a jurat of Guernsey’s Royal Court from 1421-45. The Blondel family has given several jurats to the island. Later the Columbines and Fiotts were the holders of the title. For a time, the rights over the Fief were divided in two.

In 12th Century Kingdom of France, the term baronnie or Baron was generally applied to all lords or seigneurs possessing an important fief, but later in the 13th century the title of Baron meant that the holder held his  Fief directly from the Crown and was thus more important than a count since counts were typically vassals.

• France Held Guernsey 1338-1345 - The islands were invaded by the French in 1338, who held some territory until 1345.  
• Edward III of England granted a Charter in July 1341 to Jersey, Guernsey, Sark and Alderney, confirming their customs and laws to secure allegiance to the English Crown.  
• 1378 Guernsey Charter Liberties and Tax Treatment - The young King Richard II of England reconfirmed in 1378 the Charter rights granted by his grandfather, followed in 1394 with a second Charter granting, because of great loyalty shown to the Crown, exemption for ever, from English tolls, customs and duties  

A 1440 Record of the Fiefdom Deed of the Fief of Thomas Blondel which the deed is still at University Leeds, shows the parishes of St Peter of the Wood and Torteval, Guernsey, made by Janet Blondel to Thomas de la Court. attested by Jean Bonamy and Jacques Guille, jurats. According to the Deed, the Fief Blondel further includes the: Fief Blondel territory in the parishes of St Pierre du Bois (St. Peter of the Wood) and of Notre Dame de Torteval along with the Fief de l'Eperon of Torteval, the Bouvée Phlipot Pain, lying in the said parish of St Pierre duBois, and the Bouvée Torquetil and Bouvée Bourgeon lying in the said parish of Torteval.

1848 - French Nobility and Titles are eliminated while the Fief Seigneurs of Guernsey continue to exist under Ancient British Norman Laws.

1919 - Nobility eliminated in Germany and Austria. Since 1919 nobility is no longer legally recognized in Germany. Under the Law on the Abolition of Nobility, Austria eliminated its noble classes in 1919. However in Guernsey, the ancient property titles of Fief Seigneur or Free Lord of a Fief continued to exist.

A few of these Guernsey fiefs are still registered directly with the Crown where a treizième or conge was paid in Royal Court to Her Majesty. A lawyer must be hired to register the fief in French. Conge is part of the feudal past when a due (representing one thirteenth of the property price) was charged on the property changing hands and was paid to the Seigneur of the fief upon which the property sat. It remains due and payable to the Receiver General in respect of the conveyance of fiefs. The owners of Fiefs maintain the legal right to be styled with the ancient title of: Seigneur or Dame.

In the case of the Fief Blondel, the fee was paid by the Seigneur of Fief Blondel directly to the Crown of the United Kingdom. There may be only a few legally recognized feudal fiefs in the world left at this time which are legally allowed or directly registered with a Sovereign King or Queen.

The Noble Fief of Blondel is one of the island's few "private fiefs" or" feudal titles" not held by the Queen.

The Feudal Lord's of Blondel - Approx. Chronology of FreeLords who Held the Norman Title.

• 1st Count of Normandy -The Viking Seigneur Duke Rollo 1179AD  ( comes Normanniae ) - Feudal Duke & Lord - Great Viking Chief Rollo Göngu-Hrólfr or Gaange Rolf  - Le Seigneur of the Noble Fief including Fief Blondel 1179 a Norman Freeholder Lord of property, region, and land rights over small palatinates.   Also known in Northern, Viking, & Scandanavian Countries as: Free Lord - Friherre  - The Fief Thomas Blondel 
• 2nd Duke Seigneur and Duke - William, Duke of Normandy 1066  (Viscount or comes Normanniae )
• 3rd Seigneur or Count - Vicomte de Cotentin - Néel de Saint-Sauveur was also known as: (Niel, Nigel) II (III) de Saint-Saveur, Vicomte de Cotentin born in 1016 and died around 1073. 
• 4thSeigneur - King John Duke of Normandy - 1204-5AD - Separation of Guernsey from Normandy, The loss of Normandy by King John in 1204 isolated the Channel Islands from mainland Europe where up to today, Guernsey  is an independent crown dependency. Self governing but loyal to the Crown of England 
• 5th Seigneur - King Henry 1254 AD - 
• 6th Seigneur Edward I - In 1254 Henry granted the Islands to his son, the future Edward I, but at the same time stipulated that the Islands were never to be separated from the English Crown. 
• 7th Seigneur of the Fief Blondel or Feudal-Free-Lord) Family Le Canellys until 1270  - Fief Blondel and other Fiefs are Forfeited to the Crown with separation from Normandy and given to loyal Seigneurs and Dames.  
• 8th Seigneur or Dames - In 1270AD , on the death of Sir Henry Le Canelly, the large Guernsey fief "Fief Au Canelly" was divided between his daughters. Guilemette, the wife of Henry de Saint Martin obtained a considerable part of the island which originated the fiefs of Janin Besnard, Jean du Gaillard, Guillot Justice and Thomas Blondel.  
• 9th  Seigneur of Fief Blondel - Sir William De Chesney 1284   - Sir William De Chesney     is named as the Seigneur of the Fief Thomas Blondel    in 1284 AD which is over 735 years ago    that this noble feudal fief has existed under the direct relationship with the Crown of England.  
• 10th Lord Seigneur  - Le Dame Janet Blondel and Blondel Family until 1440 
• 11th 1440 - Seigneur of Fief Blondel - Sieur Thomas De La Court under the protection of Prince & Duke of Gloucester, Lord of the Islands at the time.  
• 1481 - Papal Bull in 1481 directed against attacks on the islanders that had the effect, beneficial to trade, of making Guernsey protected by the Vatican . 
• 12th Seigneur of Fief Blondel -  Freeholder-Feudal-Lord & Friherre/Freiherr) George S. Le Couteur, Seigneur of Fief Thomas Blondel      
• 13th Lord Seigneurs or Freeholder-Feudal-Lord & Friherre or Freiherr) Seigneur Daniel Hardy & Le Dame Marie Guille in the 1700's.  
• 14th Lord) Seigneur Pierre Robillard of Maison de Pleinmont, Torteval, was the Seigneur of Fief de Thomas Blondel. The rights over the Fief again joined during the XIX century as shown in documents of 11/10/1800 (Reg Tome 26, p 420) and 19/05/1798 - Pierre Robilliard obtained the Fief from Daniel Hardy & Marie Guille. 1800  "Monsieur Pierre Robilliard, Seigneur des fiefs Thomas Blondel, Guillot Justice, Bouvee du Quemin, et fief La Cour Ricard, Decede au Seigneur. 
• 15th Seigneur - Mr. George S. Le Couteur bought and became Seigneur of fief Thomas Blondel. The other three fiefs remained to Dame Mary Robilliard, wife of M. Le P. Coquierre, and so passed to their daughter, Miss Le Coquierre. 
• 16th Seigneurs/Dames of the Fief Blondel -  Seigeur George S. Le Couteur  -Back to The   Le Couteur Family  
• Fief Blondel, Guernsey, occupied by Germany, 1940-1945.  
• 17th  Seigneur ( Count Marcov ) The rights of Fief Thomas Blondel acquired by (Count & Seigneur Dr. Marcov of Spain) from Sept.  2000 until December of 2017.      
• 18th Free Lord & Seigneur -  Commissioner & Counselor George Mentz JD MBA, Seigneur of  Fief of Blondel et L'Epersons ) on the island of (Dgèrnésiais - Guernsey French) in Dec. 2017, the rights of the Private Fief of Thomas Blondel were acquired by George Mentz, Esq of the United States. Acquired by conveyance and payment of: Duty, Treizième & Congé, and Jurats fee, and Fief Permission Fees to the HM/Crown and Receiver General, HM Clerk Greffier and Courts **   Mentz is an international lawyer who studied Common, Civil and French/Latin Law who has a keen interest in maintaining the Feudal Courts of the Fief Blondel because it is one of the oldest feudal courts in the world. Mentz is also the titular feudal Lord Baron of Ancient Longford-Westmeath in Ireland through acquisition from the original sale from Earl and Lord Westmeath.  The Seigneur of the Fief of Thomas Blondel also holds the ancient Fief of Spurs or The Fief à Eperon as a dependency. 
• George Mentz, Seigneur of Fief de Blondel (A Norman Fief) is a direct descendant of William the Conqueror and Rollo the Viking, 1st Duke of Normandy. Mentz traces his roots from the McConnells to the Flemings, Ker, Drummond Campbell and Stewart Families. From there up to the Kings and Queens of England to the Plantagenets.  George Mentz is also a direct descendent of  Henry V The Blondell (1216 – 24 December 1281) The Count of Luxembourg -  The Counts of Luxembourg are descendents of the Count of Arlon and Dukes of Limburg  which was a dynasty in present day Belgium and Luxembourg. 
• The Seigneury of the Fief of Blondel historically over the last 700 years contains about three bouvées of land called the Bouvée Phlipot Pain, lying in the said parish of St Pierre duBois, and the bouvées Torquetil and Bourgeon along with the Fief de l'Eperon lying in the said parish of Torteval and likewise all and such seigneuries, dignities, liberties, graces and franchises as to the aforesaid fiefs and each of them attach and belong with a certain dinner annually supplied by the fief of the Prior of Lihou.  

2017 to Present Day - The Goverment's Court of Chief Pleas is an ancient Court and is constituted in the same way as a Full Court.  Nowadays it will typically sit only once per year. It is attended by the Full Court, the Law Officers of the Crown, Advocates and the Fief Seigneurs and Bordiers owing suit to the Court. The Feudal Lords of the Fief are recognized directly by registration with the crown and royal courts.  Many esteemed lawyers and officers are in attendance each year at Michaelmas which is a Christian festival observed in some Western liturgical calendars on 29 September. In some denominations a reference to a fourth angel, usually Uriel, is also added. Michaelmas has been one of the four quarter days of the financial, judicial, and academic year. Michaelmas annual Court in Guernsey is usually on the first Monday of October accompained by government meetings, roll calls, traditional march parade, and dinner of legal, governmental, and feudal dignitaries.

Fief Blondel Territory - Free Lords and Counts
The Fief territory itself is spread over areas in the parishes of St. Pierre-du-Bois and Torteval and contains within it ancient buildings, beachfront, foreshore, ocean access, & port lands of the island. The private Fief Blondel may be one of the few Legal Fiefs in the World that does not require or demand annual or periodic fealty or oaths to and from the Crown. Thus, it is an independent and free fiefdom and one of the oldest surviving fiefs and lordships in the world. The Lord of a Channel Island Fief would be called a Seigneur or Dame or in other languages a Feudal Lord, Lehnsherr (Germanic), Friherre (Viking/Danish), or føydalherren (Norwegian). As this free lordship direct from the Crown is Norman and predates typical baronial titles, it is one of the most ancient fief titles in continuous use in the world. The term baron was not used or created until 1387 by Richard II when he created Baron of Kidderminster and in 1433, the second baron was created "Baron Fanhope".

Ancient Feudal Court of Fief Blondel

The Chief Pleas of the Seignorial court of Seigneurial court of Fief Thomas Blondel were originally held annually at the mounting block or steps (perron) of the Church of St. Pierre-du-Bois.  Now the Cheif Pleas Annual Court is held at the Old Government House and is led by the Government of Guernsey where all of the Seigneurs and Bordiers attend and make procession in the streets of Guernsey as they have done for over hundreds of years.

The Fief Blondel is a private fief dating back to 1179 in the Crown Holding Island of Guernsey where the owners of a fief directly from the Crown are called a Seigneur according to present law.

Where is Fief Blondel

Fief Blondel – is a feudal area of land for which residents once paid fees or rendered services to the Lord Baron or Seigneur in return for the right to use the land in commerce. The Free Fief Blondel is in two parishes or counties of Torteval and St. Peter of the Wood. The Fief sits on the Eastern part of the island and includes areas in the North, Central and South East Sections of the Island including: beach, woods, buildings, common areas, sacred lands, and other commercial buildings and farm land along with potentially including small islands offshore of the fiefs beach and foreshore.  The Fief Blondel has foreshore in Roquaine Bay and Portelet Beach where " The Bissets " Rock Islands are considered part of the Fief Thomas Blondel.

Historically, fiefs and small baronnies of land, were granted as a form of over-lordship, giving the Free-Lord or Seigneurs the rights over the people and property on that land under the ancient Northman/Norman feudal system.

Style of Seigneur - As per the The Feudal Dues (Guernsey) Law, 1980 Style of Seigneur of a fief etc. Section 4. The foregoing provisions of this Law shall be without prejudice –
(a) to the right of any person to use, in the case of a male person, the style of Seigneur and, in the case of a female person, the style of Dame, of a fief,
(b) to the feudal relationship between Her Majesty and any person holding an interest in a private fief on or at any time after the commencement of this Law, or to the feudal relationship between any person holding an interest in any fief and any person holding an interest in a dependency of that fief, and
(c) to the right or obligation of any person by virtue of that person holding an interest in any fief which is not a right to which those provisions apply or any obligation correlative thereto.
www.guernseylegalresources.gg/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=71301&p=0

Most of the legal rights formerly enjoyed by the Seigneurs of fiefs having been abolished by law in 1966 but international law and custom still pertains to the rights of beaches, airwaves, underground, common areas, foreshore, and other rights such as hunting and fishing.

A fief owner does register the title in an act of legal title conveyance with Her Majesty's Receiver General much like the transfer of land rights, mineral rights or water rights and the fief buyer pays special consideration of Treizième & Congé fees to the CROWN for the transfer and rights. The Fief holder can be styled Seigneur (or Dame) du Fief de la .....

Generally speaking, the title is not normally used except in formal settings. A fief, in legal theory, is held directly from the Crown. However, this fief does not owe homage or any other services but does maintain rights to conduct customs and formalities such as creating honorific  Fief Officers and Courts or possibly representing the Fief in any unclaimed area of law such as foreshore, airwaves, water rights, hunting and fishing rights etc.

The International Court of Justice Addresses many issues of Normandy, The English Crown, and ownership of the Channel Island Fiefs in various cases.

English……... Free Lord or Baron of Feudal Baron
French……… Sgr. Seigneur or Dame
Italian………. Seignor/Barone Baronessa

German……. Frhr. Freiherr Freifrau
Swedish……. Frhr. Friherre Friherrinna
Norwegian…. Frhr. Friherre Friherrinna
Dutch………. Frhr. Vrijheer Vrijvrouw
Danish……… Frhr. Friherre Friherreinde