Dame
A woman appointed to the grades of the Dame Commander or Dame Grand Cross of the
Women receive all their honours in the same fashion as men receiving decorations or medals, even if they are receiving a damehood, so there is no female word equivalent of being "knighted".
History
The Order of the Ermine, founded in France by John V, Duke of Brittany, in 1381, was the first order of chivalry to accept women; however, female knights existed for centuries in many places in the world prior to this.[8] Like their male counterparts, they were distinguished by the flying of coloured banners and generally bore a coat of arms.
One woman who participated in tournaments was Joane Agnes Hotot (born 1378), but she was not the only one.[9][10] Additionally, women adopted certain forms of regalia which became closely associated with the status of knighthood.[11]
Unlike the male
Formerly, a knight's wife was given the title of Dame before her name, but this usage was replaced by
The title of Dame as the official equivalent of a knight was introduced in 1917 with the introduction of the Order of the British Empire, and was subsequently extended to the Royal Victorian Order in 1936, the Order of St Michael and St George, and finally the Order of the Bath in 1971.[citation needed]
The youngest person to be appointed a Dame was sailor Ellen MacArthur[13] at the age of 28. The oldest had been actress Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies at the age of 100,[14] until Olivia de Havilland was appointed two weeks before her 101st birthday.[15]
Several high-profile figures have
The prefix is used with the holder's given name or full name but never with the surname alone; this follows the same usage customs as "Sir".[17]
In French Louisiana from the 17th through to the 19th centuries, Dame was the title accorded to a woman "of substance or position in the locality".[19] Similarly, in 1889 in France, it was reportedly "a title of honour which long distinguished high-born ladies from the wives of citizens and the commonalty in general" and a title of respect for a widow.[20][21]
Notes
- ^ "How to get a Knighthood or Damehood". Awards Intelligence. 2016. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
A knighthood, and the female equivalent, a damehood, is an award given by The Queen to an individual for a major, long-term, contribution in any activity, usually at a national or international level.
- ISBN 9783766708625.
- ISBN 9780752473628.
- ^ "Dame". Debretts. n.d. Archived from the original on 10 February 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ^ "Homepage of the St. Georgsorden". Archived from the original on 7 March 2021. Retrieved 28 February 2021.
- ^ "Knights Bachelor". Debretts. n.d. Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ^ "Ladies of the Garter and Ladies of the Thistle". Debretts. n.d. Archived from the original on 15 March 2015. Retrieved 16 January 2015.
- ^ Ackermann, G. A. (1855). Ordensbuch sämmtlicher in Europa blühender und erloschener Orden und Ehrenzeichen. Rudolph & Dieterici.
- ^ F.S.W. (1886) Dame Heraldry. Boston, MA: D. Lothrop and Company.
- ^ Starling, E. (1856). Noble Deeds of Woman. Phillips, Sampson.
- ^ a b c De Marly, D. (1986). Working dress: a history of occupational clothing. Holmes & Meier.
- ^ a b Kasparek, R. (2014). Knight of the Grail Code. WestBow Press.
- ^ "No. 57557". The London Gazette. 11 February 2005. p. 1713.
- ^ "Gwen Ffrangcon-Davies". Yahoo! Movies. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2013.
- ^ Mikelbank, Peter (17 June 2017). "Olivia de Havilland on Becoming the Oldest Person to Be Named a Dame: I'm 'Extremely Proud'". people.com. Archived from the original on 17 June 2017. Retrieved 18 June 2017.
- ^ Roxborough, S. (29 August 2018). "Venice Festival Honoree Vanessa Redgrave Explains Why She Turned Down Damehood". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- Debretts. n.d. Archived from the originalon 4 February 2014. Retrieved 2 February 2014.
- ^ Stanford, P. (2003). "Dame Felicitas Corrigan". UK Guardian. Retrieved 5 October 2023.
Dame Felicitas - the title Dame is given to English Benedictine nuns in preference to Sister ...
- ISBN 9785873562893. Retrieved 29 October 2023.
- ^ Chamber's Encyclopaedia. William and Robert Chambers, London. 1889. p. 665. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ^ Hanks, P. (2003). Dictionary of American Family Names. Oxford University. p. 406.
Dame..from Old French, Dame, 'Lady'...title of respect for a widow...