what is an earl and countess

Full Answer

What is the difference between a child of an earl and Countess?

There is no difference between the courtesy titles given to the children of earls and the children of countesses in their own right, provided the husband of the countess has a lower rank than she does. If her husband has a higher rank, their children will be given titles according to his rank.

Why is a countess called a count?

Because in other European countries outside of Britain, a count is the equivalent to an earl title. Ah, count and countess, now we get it. When it comes to the word countess, its origins are largely attached to the word “county,” as in an estate or a vast amount of land.

What is the difference between an earl and a viscount?

An Earl is the nobility ranking that lies between a Marquess and a Viscount. A feminine form of Earl never developed so instead, Countess is used. The title Viscount ranks between an Earl and a Baron. Viscounts and Viscountess are generally referred to as “Lord” or “Lady” when they are spoken to.

What is another name for an earl or count?

Alternative names for the rank equivalent to "earl" or "count" in the nobility structure are used in other countries, such as the hakushaku (伯爵) of the post-restoration Japanese Imperial era . In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. [3]

Is an earl royalty?

Earls originally functioned essentially as royal governors, in charge of collecting taxes and with authority over their own regions or shires, often grouped together into earldoms. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, William the Conqueror modified the traditional system to his own liking and earldoms disappeared.

What rank is an earl?

third rankEARL. Earl is the third rank of the Peerage, standing above the ranks of viscount and baron, but below duke and marquess. Before King Canute (c. 994-1035) an 'ealdorman' administered a shire or province for the king.

What is a earl's wife called?

countessThe wife of an earl is a countess; she is "Right Honourable" and is styled "My Lady."

What does an earl do?

Earls were governors or viceroys, ruling in the king's name, keeping the peace, dispensing justice, and raising armies. Like the earlier ealdormen, they received the third penny from their jurisdictions. There were, however, limitations on their authority.

What are the royal titles in order?

What Do The Main Titles of The Royal Family Mean?1 - King / Queen. These titles correspond to the heads of state of the monarchy. ... 2 - Queen consort. ... 3 - Prince / Princess of Wales. ... 4 - Prince / Princess. ... 5 - Duke / Duchess. ... 6 - Count / Countess. ... 7 - Viscount / Viscountess.

How do earls get their titles?

Unlike others, earl titles are handed down from father to son and cannot be bestowed upon an individual. So, the only way to really become an earl is to be passed the title from one generation to the next.

What is a son of a duke called?

A duke's eldest son and heir is often a marquess, though he can also be an earl, viscount, or baron. The title given to the heir is a lesser title of the peer, usually the next highest peerage he holds.

What is the daughter of a duke called?

The daughter of a duke, marquess or earl is called Lady Firstname Surname from birth, eg Lady Lara King. When she marries, either someone with a title or without, she retains Lady Lara and takes her husband's surname (if he is a commoner, he remains Mr). No other rank of woman is Lady Firstname Surname.

What is the mother of a duke called?

The peerage holder is the present Duke; his wife is the Duchess. The Duke's mother, who died in September, was the Dowager Duchess, as the widow of the previous holder of the title.

How do you address an earl's son?

The younger sons of a duke or marquess have the courtesy style of "Lord" before their forename and surname. The younger sons of an earl, and all sons of a viscount or baron and daughters of a viscount or baron have the courtesy style of "The Hon" before their forename and surname.

Is a duke higher than a prince?

The title duke is typically bestowed to a male member of the monarchy, often identifying him as a ruler of a territory known as a duchy. In some cases, a prince can also hold the title of duke, but prince is usually the higher-ranking position.

Is an earl higher than a Lord?

peerage, Body of peers or titled nobility in Britain. The five ranks, in descending order, are duke, marquess, earl (see count), viscount, and baron. Until 1999, peers were entitled to sit in the House of Lords and exempted from jury duty.

Is an earl higher than a Lord?

peerage, Body of peers or titled nobility in Britain. The five ranks, in descending order, are duke, marquess, earl (see count), viscount, and baron. Until 1999, peers were entitled to sit in the House of Lords and exempted from jury duty.

Do Earls still exist in England?

There are only 24 non-Royal Dukes (22 of whom own land) and 34 Marquesses (14 of whom own land in England). But according to Debrett's, there are currently 191 Earls, 115 Viscounts, and 435 Barons – some 800 peers in total.

What is the daughter of an earl called?

LadyThe younger sons of an earl, and all sons of a viscount or baron and daughters of a viscount or baron have the courtesy style of "The Hon" before their forename and surname. The daughters of a duke, marquess or earl have the courtesy title of "Lady" before their forename and surname.

How do you address an earl?

EarlBeginning of email/letter... Dear Lord X.End of email/letter... Yours sincerely.Envelope... The (Rt Hon.* the) Earl (of) X.

In Speech

-Formally addressed as ‘Lord Courtesy’ and ‘Lady Courtesy’.

In Writing - Formally

My LordI have the honour to be Your Lordship’s obedient servant,Envelope: The Right Hon. the Earl of CourtesyMadamI have the honour to be Your Lady...

In Writing - Less Formally

My Lord Yours faithfullyEnvelope: The Earl of CourtesyMadamYours faithfullyEnvelope: The Countess of Courtesy

In Writing - Socially

Dear Lord Courtesy or Dear CourtesyYours sincerelyEnvelope: The Earl of CourtesyDear Lady CourtesyYours sincerelyEnvelope: The Countess of Courtesy

Who are the royals of Wessex?

Royal titles: The Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise (Image: GETTY) Royal titles: The Earl and Countess of Wessex with their children James, Viscount Severn and Lady Louise (Image: GETTY)

What is the name of the woman who is together with the Duke?

A Duchess is a woman who is together with the Duke, and is the highest rank below the monarch.

What are the royal titles?

Royal titles: Duke, Duchess, Earl, Countess and Viscount – A guide to British royal titles. ROYAL TITLES can be confusing with a long list of various terms used for Britain’s noblemen and noblewomen. Here Express.co.uk explains the royal titles in the UK.

What are the titles of the royal family?

In the Royal Family especially, there is a flurry of complicated titles including Duke, Earl, Marquess and Viscount. Here’s how the royal peerage system works. In Britain, titles and roles are given to the members of the Royal Family, either by inheritance or by marriage. Some titles like Prince and Princess are reserved for men or women who are ...

What is the lowest rank in peerage?

The lowest rank of the peerage system is Baron and Baroness. The titles can either be hereditary or given out. Being styled a Baron or Baroness has origins in the English feudal system and is a rank of nobility and title of honour.

What are the titles that can be inherited?

Ranked from highest to lowest, these are: Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount, and Baron. For women it’s Duchess, Marchioness, Countess, Viscountess, and Baroness.

Where did the term "marshall" come from?

Originating from the Old French marchis the title originally described a nobleman responsible for a defending a frontier territory called a “march”.

How to become an Earl?

So, the only way to really become an earl is to be passed the title from one generation to the next.

What are the names of the males in the peerage system?

Ranked from highest to lowest, they include duke, marquess, earl, viscount and baron. So, while an earl is slightly less fancy then a duke or a marquess , it falls somewhere in the middle of the royal hierarchy. Not to mention, it’s actually the oldest title in the entire peerage system. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with special perks other than the name.

Who is the Queen's daughter in law?

Queen Elizabeth’s daughter-in-law, Sophie, who was given the title Countess of Wessex when she married Prince Edward (more on that later), is probably the most well-known countess of the royal family. Like we mentioned before, as a countess, Sophie has taken on quite a number of royal duties (especially since Meghan Markle and Prince Harry gave up their royal roles). In fact, she and the queen have also built a very close personal relationship.

Is a count the same as an Earl title?

Because in other European countries outside of Britain, a count is the equivalent to an earl title. Ah, count and countess, now we get it. When it comes to the word countess, its origins are largely attached to the word “county,” as in an estate or a vast amount of land.

Is an Earl the oldest title in the royal hierarchy?

So, while an earl is slightly less fancy then a duke or a marquess, it falls somewhere in the middle of the royal hierarchy. Not to mention, it’s actually the oldest title in the entire peerage system. Unfortunately, it doesn’t come with special perks other than the name. That said, it is still pretty impressive.

As nouns the difference between earl and countess

is that earl is a british nobleman next in rank above a viscount and below a marquess; equivalent to a european count a female using the style is termed a countess while countess is the wife of a count or earl.

English

A British nobleman next in rank above a viscount and below a marquess; equivalent to a European count. A female using the style is termed a countess.

What is the difference between Earl's children and the children of countesses?

If her husband has a higher rank, their children will be given titles according to his rank.

What is an earl in Britain?

In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of earl never developed; instead, countess is used.

What did the Earls do?

In Anglo-Saxon England (5th to 11th centuries), earls had authority over their own regions and right of judgment in provincial courts, as delegated by the king. They collected fines and taxes and in return received a " third penny ", one-third of the money they collected. In wartime they led the king's armies. Some shires were grouped together into larger units known as earldoms, headed by an ealdorman or earl. Under Edward the Confessor ( r. 1042–1066) earldoms like Wessex, Mercia, East Anglia and Northumbria —names that represented earlier independent kingdoms—were much larger than any individual shire.

Where did the Earldom originate?

The oldest earldoms in Scotland (with the exception of the Earldom of Dunbar and March) originated from the office of mormaer, such as the Mormaer of Fife, of Strathearn, etc.; subsequent earldoms developed by analogy. The principal distinction between earldom and mormaer is that earldoms were granted as fiefs of the King, while mormaers were virtually independent. The earl is thought to have been introduced by the anglophile king David I. While the power attached to the office of earl was swept away in England by the Norman Conquest, in Scotland earldoms retained substantial powers, such as regality throughout the Middle Ages.

What title does the eldest son of an earl use?

The eldest son of an earl, though not himself a peer, is entitled to use a courtesy title, usually the highest of his father's lesser titles (if any). For instance, the eldest son of The Earl of Wessex is styled as James, Viscount Severn. The eldest son of the eldest son of an earl is entitled to use one of his grandfather's lesser titles, normally the second-highest of the lesser titles. Younger sons are styled The Honourable [ Forename] [ Surname ], and daughters, The Lady [ Forename] [ Surname] ( Lady Diana Spencer being a well-known example).

What is the title of the Earl of X?

An earl has the title Earl of [X] when the title originates from a placename, or Earl [X] when the title comes from a surname. In either case, he is referred to as Lord [X], and his wife as Lady [X].

What does the name Earl mean?

Earl ( / ɜːrl, ɜːrəl /) is a rank of the nobility in Britain. The title originates in the Old English word eorl, meaning "a man of noble birth or rank". The word is cognate with the Scandinavian form jarl, and meant " chieftain ", particularly a chieftain set ...

What is a countess?

A countess is a member of nobility who ranks below marquess/marchioness in the British peerage system. The term is the third of the five noble classes, which include duke/duchess, marquess/marchioness, earl/countess, viscount/viscountess and baron/baroness.

What is the male equivalent of a countess?

The male equivalent of a countess is (you guessed it) a count. And no, we aren’t talking about Count Chocula (although, we do love his cereal). As we mentioned earlier, like a countess, a count, is someone who falls in the middle of the social hierarchy—not quite at the level of a king or queen, but still fairly high in ranking.

How do countesses get their titles?

Most countesses receive their title from being married to an earl (again, in the U.K.) or a count (in other European countries). For example, Sophie Countess of Wessex was given her title when she married Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex. However, there are some who are countesses in their own right. In the U.K., this usually means that they are old Scottish titles which could be inherited by women. An example of this is the present Countess of Mar who is the senior earl in the peerage of Scotland.

How to address Queen Elizabeth?

You’ve heard a variety of names and references when referring to members of the royal family. Your Majesty is probably the most well-known considering that’s the proper way to address Queen Elizabeth. However, you would never refer to a countess as such. In addition to her official title, there are actually a few ways to address a countess if you ever have the opportunity to meet one. Etiquette dictates that you would refer to a count or a countess as Your Excellency. According to the English Manner, if you’re addressing a countess in a formal speech or writing, you could also refer to her by Lady Courtesy (whatever that means) or Madam.

Where did the word countess come from?

When it comes to the word countess, its origins are largely attached to the word “county,” meaning an estate or a vast amount of land. Back in the old days, counts and countesses were among the wealthy who owned land, which is fittingly where the name came from.

Who is Queen Elizabeth's daughter in law?

Queen Elizabeth’s daughter-in-law, Sophie , the Countess of Wessex, is probably the most well-known countess of the royal family. Sophie was born in Oxford and went on to study at West Kent College.

Do British have count?

Turns out, the British don’t have counts at all. Instead, the equivalent of a count is actually an earl, the oldest title in the system. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, who is the only member of the royal family who holds the prince and earl titles, is probably the most well-known. An earl title is handed down from father to son and cannot be bestowed upon an individual.

What is a count and a countess?

What Is a Count and Countess? A count is a man who has the rank of count in certain European countries. A countess is the female equivalent of a count. During the Middle Ages, counts oversaw sections of land for the king or a duke. The term county, used to denote divisions of land within states, comes from this arrangement between ...

Who bestowed the title of count on individuals?

In Italy, the pope bestowed the title of count on individuals. Count vs. Earl. Counts and earls have the same ranking. Countries in continental Europe like France and Germany used the term count. In England, this position had the title of earl. An earl's wife is called a countess.

What was the role of the count in the feudal era?

As feudalism spread across Europe, counts transitioned into the role of vassals who still oversaw land but had less power. This was most obvious in France and part of the reason English earls lost their authority in the 11th century. By the 10th century, counts in Germany enjoyed a hereditary title.

What is the proper address for a count?

When speaking directly with an individual with the title of count, the proper address is "My Lord,” “Your Lordship” or “Lord” followed by the person's name. Countesses receive the same address using the terms “Lady” or “Ladyship.”.

What is the rank of a count?

Counts rank below those with the titles of Duke or Marquis. They rank above the viscounts. This rank dates back to the days of the Roman Empire when counts worked closely with the Emperor or military officials. The role eventually evolved into an overseer position, like a modern-day county commissioner.

When did Earls lose power?

Earls in England were, in fact, equal to the duke before the Norman invasion in 1066, when they lost much of their power. How to Address a Count or Countess. Although the customs for communicating with members of royalty or nobility vary between countries, it helps to understand some of the basic guidelines.

Do countesses have to bow to a count?

Countesses receive the same address using the terms “Lady” or “Ladyship.”. It’s not necessary to bow or curtsy to a count or countess. Individuals who want the title of count can purchase them from companies that sell titles. In exchange for a fee, they receive legal documents that indicate the new title.

How many Viscounts are there in England?

Right now there are 115 viscounts, the oldest of which goes back to 1478.

What is the peerage of the United Kingdom?

But first, a quick primer: All of the people holding the titles of duke/duchess , marquess/marchioness , earl/countess , viscount/viscountess, and baron/baroness are part of the “peerage” of the United Kingdom, and those titles get bestowed directly from the monarch or inherited from an ancestor. Early members of the peerage were vassals of the monarch, or “servants” who swore an oath of loyalty and received land and/or money in exchange. Over time, they became a class of powerful nobles that served as the beginning of the House of Lords.

How many marquesses are there in the world?

There are currently 34 marquesses, the most senior of which is the Marquess of Winchester, which was created in 1551. After marquesses come the earls, a title equivalent to that of a count in other parts of Europe (and the female version of an earl is called a countess ).

What is the lowest rank in peerage?

The lowest rank in the peerage is that of the baron/baroness, which originally referred to a land-holding nobleman. Starting in the thirteenth century, barons were called upon by the monarch to attend the Counsel or Parliament—and over time, the king began to summon the descendants of those barons to do the same thing. In Scotland, in fact, a baron is the same thing as a Lord of the Parliament. There are currently 426 hereditary barons/lords of Parliament and nine hereditary baronesses/ladies of Parliament. The oldest line in England goes back to 1264, and the oldest line in Ireland goes back to 1223.

When a prince gets married, is he called a duke?

Now, when a prince gets married, he’s usually named a duke; Prince William, for example, was made the Duke of Cambridge when he married Kate Middleton in 2011, and Prince Harry was made Duke of Sussex when he married Meghan Markle last year.

What is the highest ranking of the royal family?

The highest of the five rankings is that of the duke/duchess. The term comes from the Latin term “dux,” which means leader—and until 1337, when King Edward III made his son the Duke of Cornwall, the title actually referred to the sovereign. Now, when a prince gets married, he’s usually named a duke; Prince William, for example, was made the Duke of Cambridge when he married Kate Middleton in 2011, and Prince Harry was made Duke of Sussex when he married Meghan Markle last year. The other current royal dukes are the Queen’s first cousins, the Duke of Gloucester and the Duke of Kent, and there are also 24 non-royal dukes, with the oldest blood line going back to 1397.

What is the meaning of "earl" and "countess"?

An earl/countess is addressed in oral conversation as Lord (Name) / Lady (Name). Earl and countess are use only in written address, Someone might orally refer to the earl/countess by his or her title when speaking about the earl/countess to a third person such as in “the Earl of Richland will be here in 20 minutes.”.

When to use name one or two?

When an earldom has a compound name, ‘(name one)’ of/and ‘ (name two)’, use name one when (name) is specified and the full compound name when the (complete name) is specified.

Who are Lord Grantham and Lady Grantham?

See Below: The Earl and Countess of Grantham , from the PBS Series Downton Abbey were addressed as Lord Grantham and Lady Grantham. Earl and countess are not used in a salutation or conversation. Photo courtesy © Carnival Productions 2017.

Is the father the Marquess or the Viscount?

Actually the father is both the Marquess and the Viscount. He is addressed by his highest title and the lower title is not used. So the eldest son (who will be inheriting the titles) can use ‘Viscount’ — one of his father’s unused titles — during his father’s lifetime.

What Are Titles of The Monarchs?

Earls – The Nobility Title

• The Earl, also known as the Count, is the third most powerful among the nobility ranks. The rank of the Earl was lower than that of the Duke or the Marquess, but he could exert power over the Viscounts and Barons. The wife of the Earl was known as the Countess, as a feminine form of the title never emerged. The title has an Anglo-Saxon origin, that...

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