Born in the purple
Traditionally, born in the purple[1] (sometimes "born to the purple") was a category of members of royal families born during the reign of their parent. This notion was later loosely expanded to include all children born of prominent or high-ranking parents.[2] The parents must be prominent at the time of the child's birth so that the child is always in the spotlight and destined for a prominent role in life. A child born before their parents became prominent would not be "born in the purple". This color purple came to refer to Tyrian purple, restricted by law, custom, and the expense of creating it to royalty.
Porphyrogénnētos (Greek: Πορφυρογέννητος, lit. 'purple-born'), Latinized as Porphyrogenitus, was an honorific title in the Byzantine Empire given to a son, or daughter (Πορφυρογέννητη, Porphyrogénnētē, Latinized Porphyrogenita), born after the father had become emperor.[3]
Both imperial or Tyrian purple, a dye for cloth, and the purple stone porphyry were rare and expensive, and at times reserved for imperial use only. In particular there was a room in the imperial Great Palace of Constantinople entirely lined with porphyry, where reigning empresses gave birth.
Porphyrogeniture
Porphyrogeniture is a system of political succession that favours the rights of sons born after their father has become king or emperor, over older siblings born before their father's ascent to the throne.
Examples of this practice include
The concept of porphyrogénnētos (literally meaning "born in the purple") was known from the sixth century in connection with growing ideas of
Etymology
The Byzantines themselves ascribed it either to the fact that the child was born to parents bearing the
The
Diplomacy
In Imperial diplomacy a porphyrogénnēta bride was sometimes sent to seal a bargain, or a foreign princess may have gone to Constantinople to marry a porphyrogénnētos.[
Limitations
To be "born in the purple" is often seen as a limitation to be escaped rather than a benefit or a blessing.[9] Rarely, the term refers to someone born with immense talent that shapes their career and forces them into paths they might not otherwise wish to follow. An obituary of the British composer Hubert Parry complains that his immense natural talent (described as being "born in the purple") forced him to take on teaching and administrative duties that prevented him from composing in the manner that might have been allowed to someone who had to develop their talent.[10]
In this sense, the parents' prominence predetermines the child's role in life. A royal child, for instance, is denied the opportunity to an ordinary life because of their parents' royal rank.
Compare this with his grandfather, the old Emperor, who, if he had not been born in the purple, could only have been a soldier, and not, it must be added, one who could have held very high commands. Compare him again with his father; the Emperor Frederick, if he had not been born in the purple, though he certainly showed greater military capacity than the old Emperor, nevertheless would probably not have been happy or successful in any private station other than that of a great moral teacher.[11]
The classic definition restricted use of the category specifically to the legitimate offspring born to reigning monarchs after they ascended to the throne.[12] It did not include children born prior to their parents' accession or, in an extremely strict definition, their coronation.[13]
See also
- Crown prince
- Divine right of kings
- Dynasty
- Nepotism
- Royal and noble styles
- Royal prerogative
- Silver spoon
References
- ^ "Purple". Webster's Dictionary. 1913. Archived from the original on February 22, 2006. Retrieved 2008-10-19. At the bottom of the first definition of the word "purple."
- ^ "Purple". Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) based on Random House Unabridged Dictionary. 1996. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
- ISBN 9780521297325.
- ISBN 9780300098297.
- ISBN 0-14-044958-2.
- ^ "Liudprand of Cremona - a diplomat?" by Constanze M.F. Schummer in Shepard J. & Franklin, Simon. (Eds.) (1992) Byzantine Diplomacy: Papers from the Twenty-fourth Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies, Cambridge, March 1990. Aldershot: Variorum, p. 197.
- ISBN 0195046528
- ^ "Dom Pedro and Brazil" (PDF). The New York Times. 1891. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ Legge, Robin H. "Charles Hubert Hastings Parry". The Musical Times. 1918. Archived from the original on 2008-10-09. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ a b Anonymous, "The Empress Frederick, A Memoir". James Nesbit and Company, London. 1913. Archived from the original on 2002-11-16. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ "Born in the Purple". in E. Cobham Brewer, Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 1898. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
- ^ "The Unfading Light Of Charity Grand Duchess Olga As A Philanthropist And Painter". Historical Magazine: Gatchina Through The Centuries. 2004. Retrieved 2008-10-19.
Further reading
- Gilbert, Paul. Born in the Purple: The Private World of the Children of Tsar Nicholas II, (hardcover, Nicholas II of Russiawho were all born after his accession.
- Jensen, Lloyd B. (April 1963). "Royal Purple of Tyre". S2CID 161424526.