Duke | Duchess
Marquess | Marchioness
Earl | Countess
Viscount | Viscountess
Baron | Baroness
The sovereign is considered the “fount of honour” and has the exclusive right of conferring titles. All ranks must first meet his or her approval.
Duke
- created in 1337
- from Latin word dux, meaning leader
- conferred by fastening of a ceremonial sword to a belt or girdle (cincture)
- since 1615, it was only conferred by letters patent under the Great Seal (which represents sovereign's authority)
- traditionally, the duke was the sovereign ruler of a duchy or dukedom (a large swath of land) and the title is frequently, but not always, given to a member of the royal family
Marquess
- created in 1385
- from German word mark, meaning borderland
- conferred by letters patent under the Great Seal (which represents sovereign's authority)
- traditionally given to a duke-like noble who oversaw a Welsh or Scottish march, or border territory
-like a duke, a marquess held responsibility over a large mass of land, but unlike a duke, a marquess had the extra responsibility of defending this frontier from invaders
Earl
- created before 1036
- from Old Norse word jarl, meaning noble man
- conferred by fastening of a ceremonial sword to a belt or girdle (cincture)
- through time, a ceremonial cape and golden circlet were added to the ceremony
- since 1615, it was only conferred by letters patent under the Great Seal (which represents sovereign's authority)
- originally, an earl was a do-it-all governor-judge-cop-taxman
- he could be the administrator of a shire, province, or county
- he might also be responsible for collecting taxes and fines and playing the part of judge or sheriff
- he was often entitled to receive every “third penny”—that is, one third—of all judicial revenues
Viscount
- created in 1440
- from Latin word vicicomes, meaning deputy or lieutenant of a count
- conferred by letters patent under Great Seal, which represents the sovereign's authority
- the title is often given to the children of earls, however the rank may overlap with other titles
- a handful of dukes and earls pull double-duty as viscount
Baron
- created in 1066
- from Old Germanic word baro, meaning freeman or landlord
- conferred by means of royal writ summoning the person to the counsel or parliament
- since 1440, it was conferred by letters patent under the Great Seal, which represents the sovereign's authority
- acted as the sovereign's "tenant-in-chief" and possessed a number of fiefs—basically a subdivision of a county
