Prince
, from French "Prince" (itself from the Latin root princeps
), is a general term for a monarch, for a member of a monarchs' or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in some members of Europe's highest nobility. The feminine equivalent is a princess.
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PRINCE TICKETS
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Historical background
The
Latin word
princeps
(older Latin *prismo-kaps, literally "the one who takes the first [place/position]"), became the usual title of the informal leader of the
Roman senate some centuries before the transition to
empire, the
princeps senatus
.
Emperor Augustus established the formal position of monarch on the basis of
principate
, not
dominion
. He also tasked his grandsons as summer rulers of the city when most of the government were on holiday in the country or attending religious rituals, and, for that task, granted them the title of
princeps
.
The title has generic and substantive meanings:
- generically, prince
refers to members of a family that ruled by hereditary right, the title being used to refer either to sovereigns or to cadets of a sovereign's family. The term may be broadly used of persons in various cultures, continents or eras. In Europe, it is the title legally borne by dynastic cadets in monarchies, and borne by courtesy by members of formerly reigning dynasties.
- as a substantive title, a prince
was a monarch of the lowest rank in post-Napoleonic Europe, e.g. Princes of, respectively, Andorra, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Mingrelia, Monaco, Waldeck and Pyrmont, Wallachia, etc.
- also substantively, the title was granted by popes and secular monarchs to specific individuals and to the heads of some high-ranking European families who, however, never exercised dynastic sovereignty and whose cadets are not entitled to share the princely title, e.g. de Beauvau-Craon, Colonna, von Bismarck, von Dohna-Schlobitten, von Eulenburg, de Faucigny-Lucinge, von Lichnowsky, von Pless, Ruffo di Calabria, (de Talleyrand) von Sagan, van Ursel, etc.
- generically, cadets of some non-sovereign families whose head bears the non-dynastic title of prince (or, less commonly, duke) were sometimes also authorized to use the princely title, e.g. von Carolath-Beuthen, de Broglie, Demidoff di San Donato, Lieven, de Mérode, Pignatelli, Radziwill, von Wrede, Yussopov, etc.
- substantively, the heirs apparent in some monarchies use a specific princely title associated with a territory within the monarch's realm, e.g. the Princes of, respectively, Asturias (Spain), Grao Para (Brazil, formerly), Orange (Netherlands), Viana (Navarre, formerly), Wales (UK), etc.
- substantively, it became the fashion from the 17th century for the heirs apparent of the leading ducal families to assume a princely title, associated with a seigneurie
in the family's possession. These titles were borne by courtesy and preserved by tradition, not law, e.g. the princes de
, respectively, Bidache (Gramont), Marcillac (La Rochefoucauld), Tonnay-Charente (Mortemart), Poix (Noailles), Léon (Rohan-Chabot),
Prince as generic for ruler
The original, but now less common use of the word, originated in the application of the Latin word
princeps
, from
Roman, more precisely
Byzantine law, and the classical system of government that was the European
feudal society. In this sense, a prince is a ruler of a territory which is
sovereign, or
quasi-sovereign, i.e., exercising substantial (though not all) prerogatives associated with monarchs of independent nations, as was common, for instance, within the historical boundaries of the
Holy Roman Empire. In
medieval and
Early Modern Europe, there were as many as two hundred such territories, especially in
Italy and
Germany. In this sense, "prince" is used of any and all rulers, regardless of actual title or precise rank. This is the
Renaissance use of the term found in
Niccolò Machiavelli famous work,
Il Principe
.
[1]
As a title, by the end of the medieval era,
prince
was borne by rulers of territories that were either substantially smaller than or exercised fewer of the rights of sovereignty than did emperors and kings. A
lord of even a quite small territory might come to be referred to as a
prince
before the 13th century, either from translations of a native title into the Latin
princeps
(as for the hereditary ruler of
Wales), or when the lord's territory was
allodial. The lord of an
allodium owned his lands and exercised prerogatives over the subjects in his territory absolutely, owing no feudal homage or duty as a vassal to a
liege lord, nor being subject to any higher jurisdiction. Most small territories designated as principalities during feudal eras were allodial, e.g. the
Princedom of Dombes.
Lords who exercised lawful authority over territories and people within a feudal hierarchy were also sometimes regarded as
princes
in the general sense, especially if they held the rank of
count or higher. This is attested in some surviving
styles for e.g., British earls,
marquesses, and
dukes are still addressed by the
Crown on
ceremonial occasions as
high and noble princes
(cf.
Royal and noble styles).
In parts of the Holy Roman Empire in which
primogeniture did not prevail (i.e. Germany), all legitimate
agnates had an equal right to the family's hereditary titles. While this meant that offices, such as
emperor,
king, and
elector could only be legally occupied by one dynast at a time, holders of such other titles as
duke,
margrave,
landgrave,
count palatine, and prince could only differentiate themselves by adding the name of their
appanage to the family's original title. Not only did this tend to proliferate unwieldy titles (e.g.
Princess Katherine of Anhalt-Zerbst ane
Karl, Count Palatine of Zweibrucken-Neukastell-Kleeburg), but as
agnatic primogeniture gradually became the norm in the Holy Roman Empire by the end of the eighteenth century, another means of distinguishing the monarch from other members of his dynasty became necessary. Gradual substitution of the title of
Prinz
for the monarch's title of
Fürst
occurred, and became customary in all German dynasties except in the grand duchies of
Mecklenburg and
Oldenburg.
[2] Both
Prinz
and
Fürst
are translated into English as "prince", but they reflect not only different but mutually exclusive terms.
This distinction had evolved before the eighteenth century (in most families: Liechtenstein long remained an exception, cadets and females using
Fürst/Fürstin
into the 19th century) for dynasties headed by a
Fürst
in Germany. The custom spread through the
Continent to such an extent that a renowned imperial general who belonged to a
cadet branch of a reigning ducal family, remains best known to history by the generic dynastic title,
Prince Eugene of Savoy
. Note that the princely title was used as a prefix to his Christian name, which also became customary.
Cadets of France's
princes étrangers
began to affect similar usage but when, for example, the
House of La Tour d'Auvergne's ruling dukes of
Bouillon, attempted to use the same style, it was initially resisted by historians such as
Père Anselme -- who, however, willingly recognized use of territorial titles, i.e. he accepts that the ducal heir apparent is known as
prince de Bouillon
, but would record in 1728 only that the heir's cousin, the comte d'Oliergues was "
known as
the Prince Frederick" ("
dit
le prince Frédéric").
[3]
The post-medieval rank of
gefürsteter Graf
(princely count) embraced but elevated the German equivalent of the intermediate French, English and Spanish nobles. In Germany, these nobles rose to dynastic status by preserving from the Imperial crown (
de jure
after the
Peace of Westphalia in 1648) the exercise of such sovereign prerogatives as the
minting of money; the
muster of military troops and the right to wage war and contract
treaties; local judicial authority and
constabular enforcement; and the habit of inter-marrying with sovereign dynasties. Eventually, these titles came to be more highly valued than that of
Fürst
itself, and by the 19th century, their cadets would become known as
Prinzen
.
Prince of the blood
The husband of a
queen regnant is usually nowadays titled prince or
prince consort, whereas the wives of male monarchs take the female equivalent of their husbands' title—the same as is used when a female mounts the throne in her own right, such as
empress or queen. In Brazil, Spain and Portugal, however, the husband of a female monarch was accorded the masculine equivalent of her title—at least after she bore him a child. In previous epochs, husbands of queens regnant often shared their
consorts' regnal title and rank.
But in cultures which allow the ruler to have several wives (e.g. four in
Islam) and/or official
concubines, for these women sometimes collectively referred to as
harem there are often specific rules determining their hierarchy and a variety of titles, which may distinguish between those whose offspring can be in line for the succeesion or not, or specifically who is mother to the heir to the throne.
To complicate matters, the style
His Royal Highness
, a
prefix normally accompanying the title of a dynastic prince, of royal or imperial rank, that is, can be awarded separately (as a compromise or consolation prize, in some sense).
Although the definition above is the one that is most commonly understood, there are also different systems. Depending on
country,
epoch, and
translation, other meanings of prince are possible.
Over the centuries foreign-language titles such as
Italian principe
,
French prince
,
German Prinz
(son of a king or emperor)
Fürst
(peer),
Russian kniaz
, etc., are usually translated as prince in
English.
Some princely titles are derived from that of national rulers, such as
tsarevich from
tsar. Other examples are (e)
mirza(da),
khanzada,
nawabzada,
sahibzada, shahzada,
sultanzada (all using the Persian patronymic suffix
-zada
, meaning
son, descendant
).
However, some princely titles develop in unusual ways, such as adoption of a style for dynasts which is not pegged to the ruler's title, but rather continues an old tradition (e.g.
grand duke
in
Romanov Russia), claims dynastic succession to a lost monarchy (e.g.
prince de Tarente
for the
La Trémoïlle heirs to the
Neapolitan throne, or is simply assumed by
fiat (e.g.
prince Français
by the
House of Bonaparte).
Specific titles
In some dynasties, a specific style other than prince has become customary for dynasts, such as
fils de France
in the
House of Capet, and
infante
in
Spain,
Portugal, and
Brazil (
infante
was borne by children of the monarch other than the
heir apparent, for whom each realm did use a unique princely title, viz, "Prince Imperial" in Brazil, "Prince of Brazil" in Portugal until 1822, and "Prince of Asturias" in Spain).
Sometimes a specific title is commonly used by various dynasties in a region, e.g.
Mian in various of the Punjabi princely
Hill States (lower Himalayan region in British India).
European dynasties usually awarded
apanages to princes of the blood, typically attached to a feudal noble title, such as Britain's
royal dukes , the
Dauphin
in France, the Count of Flanders in Belgium, and the Count of Syracuse in
Sicily. Sometimes appanage titles were princely, e.g.
Prince of Achaia (Courtenay),
prince de Condé
(Bourbon),
Prince of Carignan (Savoy), but it was the fact that their owners were of princely
rank
rather than that they held a princely
title
which ensured their prominence.
*For the often specific terminology concerning a probable future successor, see Crown Prince and links there.
Prince as a substantive title
Other princes derive their title not from dynastic membership as such, but from inheritance of a title named for a specific and historical territory, although the family's possession of prerogatives or properties in that territory may be long past. Such are most of the "princedoms" of France's
ancien régime
so resented for their pretentiousness by
St-Simon. These include the princedoms of , among others.
Prince as a reigning monarch
A prince or princess who is the
head of state of a territory that has a
monarchy as a
form of government is a
reigning prince.
Nominal principalities
The current princely monarchies include:
- the co-principality of Andorra (current reigning princes are the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and HE Joan Enric Vives Sicília)
- The emirate of Kuwait (current reigning emir is Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah)
- The principality of Liechtenstein (current reigning prince is Hans-Adam II)
- The principality of Monaco (current reigning prince is Albert II)
- The Emirate of Qatar (Emir Hamad bin Khalifa)
- The member emirtes of the federation in the United Arab Emirates (United Arab Principalities
):
- * Abu Dhabi (Emir Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also president of the UAE.)
- * Ajman (Emir Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi)
- * Dubai (Emir Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, also Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE)
- * Fujairah (Emir Hamad bin Mohammed Al Sharqi)
- * Ras al-Khaimah (Emir Saqr bin Mohammad al-Qassimi)
- * Sharjah (Emir Sultan III bin Muhammad al-Qasimi)
- * Umm al-Quwain (Emir Saud bin Rashid Al Mu'alla)
Micronations
In the same tradition some self-proclaimed monarchs of so-called
micronations establish themselves as virtual princes:
- Roy Bates calls himself Prince Roy of the Principality of Sealand
- Leonard George Casley calls himself Prince Leonard I of the Principality of Hutt River (enclave in Australia)
Princes as representants of a reigning monarch
Various monarchies provide for different modes in which princes of the dynasty can temporarily or permanently share in the style and / or office of the Monarch, e.g. as
Regent or
Viceroy.
Though these offices must not be reserved for members of the ruling dynasty, in some traditions they are, possibly even reflected in the style of the office, e.g.
prince-lieutenant in
Luxembourg repeatedly filled by the
Crown prince before the grand duke's abdication, or in form of
consortium imperii.
Some monarchies even have a practice in which the Monarch can formally abdicate in favor of his heir, and yet retain a kingly title with executive power, e.g.
Maha Upayuvaraja
(
Sanskrit for
Great Joint King
in
Cambodia), though sometimes also conferred on powerful regents who exercised executive powers.
Non-dynastic princes
France and the Holy Roman Empire
In several countries of the
European continent, e.g. in
France, prince can be an aristocratic title of someone having a high rank of
nobility in chief of a geographical place, but no actual territory and without any necessary link to the
royal family, which makes comparing it with e.g. the
British system of royal princes difficult.
The kings of France started to bestow the style of prince, as a title among the nobility, from the 16th century onwards. These titles were created by elevating a
seigneurie
to the nominal status of a principality—although prerogatives of sovereignty were never conceded in the letters patent. These titles held no official place in the hierarchy of the nobility, but were often treated as ranking just below dukedoms, since they were often inherited (or assumed) by ducal heirs:
- French titles of prince recognized by the king
- * Holy Roman Empire States annexed by France
- ** Arches-Charleville : in the Ardennes region, near the border with the Empire.
- ** Château-Renaud : near Arches-Charleville.
- ** Dombes : on the east bank of the Rhône.
- ** Orange.
- ** Sedan : principalty part of the Duchy of Bouillon.
- * Ancient principalties seated in the Kingdom of France
- ** Boisbelle, later Henrichemont : in the Berry region, a sovereign principalty recognized in 1598.
- ** Luxe : in the Béarn region, also styled Sovereign Count.
- ** Yvetot : in the Normandy region, recognized as King of Yvetot.
- * Principalties created by the King
- ** Château-Porcien : in the Ardennes region, created in 1561 in the House of Croÿ.
- ** Guéméné : in Brittany, created in 1667 in the House of Rohan. Used at times for the heir of the Duke of Montbazon or form the Duke himself.
- ** Joinville : in the Champagne region, created in 1552 in the house of Lorraine.
- ** Martigues : in the Provence region, created XVIth century in the House of Lorraine.
- ** Mercœur : in the Auvergne region, created in 1563 in the House of Lorraine, later a duchy. Recreated in 1719.
- ** Tingry : in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, created in 1587 in the House of Luxemburg.
- * The princes of Condé and Conti, cadets of the french royal house, used recognized princely titles, but the lordships of Condé and Conti were never formally created principalties by the King.
- Unrecognized titles of Prince
- * Aigremont
- * Anet : used by the Dukes of Vendôme, then the Dukes of Penthièvre.
- * Antibes : claimed by the de Grasse familiy.
- * Bédeille : in Béarn.
- * Bidache : in Béarn used by the House of Gramont, but the heir was usually styled Count of Guiche rather than Prince of Bidache.
- * Carency : in Artois. Originally a lordship of the House of Bourbon. It was inherited by the Counts of La Vauguyon, who used the style of Prince of Carency for the heir.
- * Chabanais : in Angoumois. Reduced to a marquessate in 1702
- * Chalais : in Périgord. Inherited by the elder branch of the House of Talleyrand. Grandeeship of Sapin annexed to the title in 1714.
- * Commercy : lordship of Lorraine. Younger sons of the House of Lorraine used the style of Prince of Commercy.
- * Courtenay : the House of Courtenay descended from Louis VI of France but was never recognized as Princes of the Blood by the King. The last branch of the house used the style of Prince of Courtenay from the XVIIth century. The style passed to the Dukes of Bauffremont.
- * Elbeuf : lordship of Normandy. Younger sons of the House of Lorraine used the style of Prince of Elbeuf ; later a duchy.
- * Lamballe : in Brittany, used by the heir of the Duke of Penthièvre.
- * Lambesc : in Provence, used by various cadets of the House of Lorraine, notably by the heirs of the Dukes of Elbeuf.
- * Léon : viscountcy of Brittany. The heirs of the Dukes of Rohan used the style of Prince of Léon.
- * Listenois : in Franche-Comté, used by the Dukes of Bauffremont after the Courtenay inheritance.
- * Marsillac : in Angoumois, used by the heir of the Duke of La Rochefoucauld.
- * Maubuisson : in Île-de-France, used by the Dukes of Rohan-Rohan.
- * Montauban : in Brittany, used by various cadets of the House of Rohan.
- * Montbazon : a duchy of the House of Rohan, style of Prince of Montbazon used by various cadets of the House.
- * Mortagne : in Aquitaine, used by the Dukes of Richelieu.
- * Poix : in Picardy, used by various houses, raised two times to a duchy.
- * Pons : in Saintonge, used by cadets of the House of Lorraine.
- * Rochefort : used by cadets of the House of Rohan.
- * Soubise : used by cadets of the House of Rohan, also Dukes of Rohan-Rohan.
- * Soyons : in Dauphiné, used by cadets of the Dukes of Uzès.
- * Talmond : in Vendée, used by the Dukes of La Trémoïlle.
- * Tonnay-Charente : used by the heirs of the Dukes of Mortemart.
- * Turenne : sovereign viscountcy on the House of La Tour d'Auvergne, style of Prince of Turenne used by cadets of the house.
This can even occur in a monarchy within which an identical but real and substantive feudal title exists, such as Fürst in German. An example of this is:
- Otto von Bismarck was called Prince of Bismarck in the empire of reunited Germany, under the Hohenzollern dynasty.
Spain and France
In other cases, such titular princedoms are created in chief of an event, such as a treaty of a victory. An example of this is:
- The Spanish minister Manuel Godoy was created Principe de la Paz
or Prince of Peace
by his king for negotiating the 1795 double peace-treaty of Basilea, by which the revolutionary French republic made peace with Prussia and with Spain.
- The triumphant generals who led their troops to victory often received a victory title from Napoleon, both princely and ducal.
- King William I of the Netherlands bestowed the victory title of prince of Waterloo upon Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington after his victory over Napoleon I Bonaparte at Waterloo in 1815.
Poland and Russia
In
Poland specifically, the titles of prince dated either to the times before the
Union of Lublin or were granted to Polish nobles by foreign kings, as the law in Poland forbade the king from dividing nobility by granting them hereditary titles. For more information, see
The Princely Houses of Poland.
In the
Russian system,
knyaz
, translated as "prince", is the highest degree of official nobility. Members of older dynasties that were eventually subjected to the
Russian imperial dynasty were also accorded the title of
knyaz
-- sometimes after first being allowed to use the higher title of
tsarevich (e.g. the Princes
Gruzinsky and
Sibirsky.
Rurikid branches used the
knyaz
title also after they were succeeded by the
Romanovs as the Russian imperial dynasty. An example of this is:
- Grigori Aleksandrovich Potemkin who was made Prince Potemkin
The title of prince in various Western traditions and languages
In each case, the title is followed (when available) by the female form and then (not always available, and obviously rarely applicable to a prince of the blood without a principality) the name of the territorial associated with it, each separated by a slash. If a second title (or set) is also given, then that one is for a Prince of the blood, the first for a principality. Be aware that the absence of a separate title for a prince of the blood may not always mean no such title exists; alternatively, the existence of a word does not imply there is also a reality in the linguistic territory concerned; it may very well be used exclusively to render titles in other languages, regardless whether there is a historical link with any (which often means that linguistic tradition is adopted)
Etymologically, we can discern the following traditions (some languages followed a historical link, e.g. within the Holy Roman Empire, not their linguistic family; some even fail to follow the same logic for certain other aristocratic titles):
Romance languages
- Languages (mostly Romance) only using the Latin root princeps
:
- *Catalan: Príncep /Princesa - Príncep /Princesa
- *French: Prince /Princesse - Prince /Princesse
- *Friulian: Princip /Principesse - Princip /Principesse
- *Italian: Principe /Principessa - Principe /Principessa
- *Latin (post-Roman): Princeps/*Princeps/*
- *Monegasque: Principu /Principessa - Principu /Principessa
- *Occitan: Prince /Princessa - Prince /Princessa
- *Portuguese: Príncipe /Princesa - Príncipe /Princesa
- *Rhaeto-Romansh: Prinzi /Prinzessa - Prinzi /Prinzessa
- *Romanian: Print /Printesa - Principe /Principesa
- *Spanish: Príncipe /Princesa - Príncipe /Princesa
- *Venetian: Principe /Principessa - Principe /Principessa
Celtic languages
- *Breton: Priñs /Priñsez
- *Irish: Prionsa /Banphrionsa - Flaith /Banfhlaith
- *Scottish Gaelic: Prionnsa /Bana-phrionnsa - Flath /Ban-fhlath
- *Welsh: Tywysog /Tywysoges - Prins /Prinses
Germanic languages
- Languages (mainly Germanic) that use (generally alongside a princeps-derivate for princes of the blood) an equivalent of the German Fürst
:
- *Old English: ?ðeling /Hlæfdige
- *English:Prince /Princess - Prince /Princess
- *Danish: Fyrste /Fyrstinde - Prins /Prinsesse
- *Dutch: Vorst /Vorstin- Prins /Prinses
- *Estonian [Finno-Ugric family]: Vürst /Vürstinna - Prints /Printsess
- *Faroese: Fúrsti /Fúrstafrúa, Fúrstinna - Prinsur /Prinsessa
- *Frisian: Foarst /Foarstinne - Prins /Prinsesse
- *German: Fürst /Fürstin - Prinz /Prinzessin
- *Icelandic: Fursti /Furstynja - Prins /Prinsessa
- *Luxembourgish: Fürst /Fürstin - Prënz /Prinzessin
- *Norwegian: Fyrste /Fyrstinne - Prins /Prinsesse
- *Swedish: Furste /Furstinna - Prins /Prinsessa
Slavic and Baltic languages
- Slavic and Baltic languages:
- *Belarusian: Tsarevich, Karalevich, Prynts /Tsarewna, Karalewna, Pryntsesa
- *Bulgarian: (phonetically pronounced) Knyaz /Knaginya, Kral, Prints /Printsesa
- *Bosnian: ????/??????? or Knez/Kneginja, ????????/???????? or Kraljevic/Kraljevna, ?????/???????? or Princ/Princeza
- *Croatian: Knez/Kneginja, Kraljevic/Kraljevna, Princ/Princeza
- *Czech: Kníže /Knežna, Princ/Princezna
- *Latvian: Firsts /Firstiene - Princis /Princese
- *Lithuanian: Kunigaikštis /Kunigaikštiene - Princas /Princese
- *Macedonian: Knez /Knezhina, Tsarevich, Kralevich, Prints /Tsarevna, Kralevna, Printsesa
- *Polish: Ksiaze /Ksiezna, Ksiaze, Królewicz /Ksiezna, Królewna
- *Russian: Knyaz /Knyagina Knyazhyna, Tsarevich, Korolyevich, Prints /Tsarevna, Korolyevna, Printsessa
- *Serbian: ????/??????? or Knez/Kneginja, ????????/???????? or Kraljevic/Kraljevna, ?????/???????? or Princ/Princeza
- *Slovak: Knieža /Knažná, Královic, Princ /Princezná
- *Slovene: Knez /Kneginja, Kraljevic, Princ /Kraljicna, Princesa
- *Ukrainian: Knyaz /Knyazhnya, Tsarenko, Korolenko, Prints /Tsarivna, Korolivna, Printsizna
Other languages
- Albanian: Princ /Princeshë - Princ /Princeshë
- Afrikaans: Prins
- Arabic: Emir /Emira - Prince /Princess
- Estonian: Vürst /Vürstinna - Prints /Printsess
- Finnish: Ruhtinas /Ruhtinatar - Prinssi /Prinsessa
- Georgian: ?????? / Tavadi
- Greek (Medieval, formal): Prigkips, ???????
/Prigkipissa, ??????p?ssa
- Greek (Modern, colloquial): Prigkipas, ??????pa?
/Prigkipissa, ??????p?ssa
- Hindi: Rajkumar
(????????), Kuwar
(?????), both from Sanskrit raj
(royal) + kumara
(a boy)
- Hungarian (Magyar): Herceg
/ Hercegno
- Maltese: Princep /Principessa - Princep /Principessa
- Turkish: Prens /Prenses
- Malaysian: Putera / Puteri
- Urdu: Shahzada / Shahzadi - Prince /Princess
- Filipino: Prinsipe / Prinsesa - Prince / Princess
The title of prince in other traditions and languages
The above is essentially the story of European, Christian dynasties and other nobility, also 'exported' to their colonial and other overseas territories and otherwise adopted by rather westernized societies elsewhere (e.g. Haiti).
Applying these essentially western concepts, and terminology, to other cultures even when they don't do so, is common but in many respects rather dubious. Different (historical, religious...) backgrounds have also begot significantly different dynastic and nobiliary systems, which are poorly represented by the 'closest' western analogy.
It therefore makes sense to treat these per civilization.
Islamic traditions
- Arabian tradition since the caliphate - in several monarchies it remains customary to use the title Sheikh (in itself below princely rank) for all members of the royal family. In families (often reigning dynasties) which claim descent from Muhammad, this is expressed in either of a number of titles (supposing different exact relations): sayid, sharif; these are retained even when too remote from any line of succession to be a member of any dynasty.
- Malay countries
- In the Ottoman empire, the sovereign of imperial rank (incorrectly known in the west as (Great) sultan
) was styled padishah with a host of additional titles, reflecting his claim as political successor to the various conquered states. Princes of the blood, male and female, were given the style sultan (normally reserved for Muslim rulers)
- Persia (Iran) - Princes as members of a Royal family, are referred to by the title Shahzadeh
, meaning "descendant of the king". Since the word zadeh
could refer to either a male or female descendant, Shahzadeh
had the parallel meaning of "princess" as well. Princes can also be sons of provincial kings (Khan) and the title referring to them would be the title of Khanzadeh. Princes as people who got a title from the King are called "Mirza", diminutive of "Amir Zadeh" (King's Son).
East Asian traditions
In ancient
China, the title of prince developed from being the highest title of
nobility (synonymous with
duke) in the
Zhou Dynasty, to five grades of princes (not counting the sons and grandsons of the emperor) by the time of the fall of the
Qing Dynasty.The Chinese word for prince 'Wang' ? literally means King as Chinese believe the emperor 'huangdi'?? is the ruler of all kings. The most accurate translation of the English word 'prince' in Chinese is ??(son of the Emperor) or ?? (son of the King).
In
Japan, the title of prince (kôshaku
??) was used as the highest title of
kazoku (
?? Japanese modern nobility) before the present constitution. The title kôshaku, however, is more commonly translated as duke to avoid confusion with the royal ranks in the imperial household, shinnô (
?? literally king of the blood), female naishinnô (
??? literally queen (by herself) of the blood), and shinnôhi
??? literally consort of king of the blood), or ô (
? literally king); female, jyo-ôh (
?? literally queen (by herself)) and ôhi (
?? literally consort of king). The former is the higher title of a male member of the Imperial family and the latter is the lower.
- Korea
- See princely states for the (often particular, mainly Hindu) title on the Indian subcontinent in (former British) India (including modern Pakistan and Bangladesh) as well as Burma and Nepal.
- Indochina: Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos
- Thailand
- Philippines (Principalia)
African traditions
A Western model was sometimes copied by emancipated colonial regimes (e.g. Bokassa I's short-lived
Central-African Empire in Napoleonic fashion). Otherwise, most of the styles for members of ruling families do not lend themselves well to English translation. Nonetheless, in general the princely style has gradually replaced the
colonialist title of
chief, which does not particularly connote dynastic rank to Westerners, e.g.
Swazi Royal Family and
Zulu Royal Family.
The title of prince in religion
In states with an element of
theocracy, this can affect princehood in several ways, such as the style of the ruler (e.g. with a secondary title meaning son or servant of a named divinity), but also the mode of succession (even reincarnation and recognition).
Furthermore, certain religious offices may be considered of princely rank, and/or imply comparable temporal rights.
The
Pope,
Cardinals,
Prince Bishops,
Lord Bishops,
Prince-Provost, and
Prince-abbots are refferd to as
Princes of the Church. Also in
Christianity,
Jesus Christ is sometimes referred to as the
Prince of Peace
.
[4] Other likely titles for Jesus Christ are
Prince of Princes
[5] and
Prince of the Covenant
.
[6] Further,
Satan is often titled the
Prince of Darkness
; and in the
Christian faith he is also referred to as the
Prince of this World
[7] [8] [9] and the
Prince of the Power of the Air
.
[10] Another title for Satan, not as common today but apparently so in approximately 30 A.D. by the
Pharisees of the day, was the title
Prince of the Devils
.
[11] [12] [13] Prince of Israel
,
Prince of the Angels
, and
Prince of Light
are titles given to the Archangel
Michael. Some Christian churches also believe that since all Christians, like Jesus Christ, are children of God, then they too are princes and princesses of Heaven.
Saint Peter, a disciple of Jesus, is also known as the
Prince of the Apostles.
See also
- Auctoritas, Dominate, Potestas and Imperium
- Crown Prince, Grand Prince and Infante
- Fils de France and Petit-Fils de France
- First Prince of the Blood
- Fürst
- Grand Duchy, Grand duke and Grand duchess
- Heir apparent and Heir presumptive
- King consort and Queen consort
- King regnant and Queen regnant
- List of British princes and List of British princesses
- Monsieur and Madame Royale
- Nobility, Royalty and Royal and noble ranks
- Prince of the Apostles
- Prince consort and Princess consort
- Prince du Sang
- Prince-elector and Prince Regent
- Prince of the Church: Pope, Cardinal (Roman Catholic), Crown-cardinal, Prince-Bishop, Lord Bishop, Prince-Provost, and Prince-abbot
- Princess
- Principality and Princely state
References
- "Fürst - Origins and cognates of the title", 2006, webpage: EFest-Frst.
- ''Almanach de Gotha'' (Gotha: Justus Perthes, 1944), pages 14-131.
- Histoire Genealogique et Chronologique de la Maison Royale de France
- This is a title for Jesus Christ (among others) given in Isaiah 9:6.
- A title for Jesus given in Daniel 8:25.
- A title for Jesus given in Daniel 11:22.
- A title for Satan given in John 12:31.
- A title for Satan given in John 14:30.
- A title for Satan given in John 16:11.
- A title for Satan given in Ephesians 2:2.
- A title for Satan given in Matthew 9:34.
- A title for Satan given in Matthew 12:24.
- A title for Satan given in Mark 3:22.