Prince

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(Redirected from
Prince regnant
)
"Princes" redirects here. Not to be confused with Princess. For other uses, see Prince (musician), Prince (disambiguation), Princes (disambiguation), and Princess (disambiguation).
Part of a series on
Imperial, royal, noble,
gentry and chivalric ranks in Europe

A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. Prince is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The female equivalent is a princess. The English word derives, via the French word prince, from the Latin noun prīnceps, from primus (first) and caput (head), meaning "the first, foremost, the chief, most distinguished, noble ruler, prince".[1]

Historical background

Cicero attacks Catiline in the Senate of the Roman Republic.

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:

Prince as generic for ruler

The original but now less common use of the word was the application of the Latin word

medieval and early modern Europe, there were as many as two hundred such territories, especially in Italy, Germany, and Gaelic Ireland. 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's famous work, Il Principe.[2] It is also used in this sense in the United States Declaration of Independence
.

As a title, by the end of the medieval era, prince was borne by rulers of territories that were either substantially smaller than those of 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 prīnceps (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

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

agnatic primogeniture gradually became the norm in the Holy Roman Empire by the end of the 18th 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 for cadets in all German dynasties except in the grand duchies of Mecklenburg and Oldenburg.[3]
Both Prinz and Fürst are translated into English as "prince", but they reflect not only different but mutually exclusive concepts.

This distinction had evolved before the 18th century (although Liechtenstein long remained an exception, with 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 other

House of La Tour d'Auvergne's sovereign duchy bears the title Prince de Bouillon, but he would record in 1728 that the heir's La Tour cousin, the Count of Oliergues, is "known as the Prince Frederick" ("dit le prince Frédéric").[4]

The post-medieval rank of

minting of money; the muster of military troops and the right to wage war and contract treaties; local judicial authority and constabulary enforcement; and the habit of inter-marrying with sovereign dynasties. By the 19th century, cadets of a Fürst
would become known as Prinzen.

Princes consort and princes of the blood

Main article:
Prince du Sang
Louis de Bourbon, Prince de Condé, was the premier prince du sang during his lifetime (painted by Joost van Egmont).

The husband of a

crown matrimonial, sharing their consorts' regnal title and rank jure uxoris
.

However, in cultures which allow the ruler to have several wives (e.g., four in

Imperial China, Ottoman Empire, Thailand, KwaZulu-Natal), these women, sometimes collectively referred to as a harem
, often have specific rules determining their relative hierarchy and a variety of titles, which may distinguish between those whose offspring can be in line for the succession or not, or specifically who is mother to the heir to the throne.

To complicate matters, the style His/Her (Imperial/Royal) Highness, a

Prince d'Orléans-Braganza
).

Although the arrangement set out above is the one that is most commonly understood, there are also different systems. Depending on country, epoch, and translation, other usages of "prince" are possible.

Foreign-language titles such as Italian: principe, French: prince, German: Fürst, German: Prinz (non-reigning descendant of a reigning monarch),[5][6] Russian: князь, romanized: knyaz, etc., are usually translated as "prince" in English.

Some princely titles are derived from those of national rulers, such as

Ypsilanti
).

Specific titles

José, Prince of Brazil, Duke of Braganza, died before he could ascend to the throne of Portugal.

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. Infante was borne by children of the monarch other than the heir apparent in all of the Iberian monarchies. Some monarchies used a specific princely title for their heirs, such as Prince of Asturias in Spain and Prince of Brazil in Portugal.

Sometimes a specific title is commonly used by various dynasties in a region, e.g.

Hill States
(lower Himalayan region in British India).

European dynasties usually awarded

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 was the source of their pre-eminence.

For the often specific terminology concerning an heir apparent, see Crown prince.

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. The family's possession of prerogatives or properties in that territory might be long past. Such were most of the "princedoms" of France's

Saint-Simon. These included the princedoms of Arches-Charleville, Boisbelle-Henrichemont, Chalais, Château-Regnault, Guéménée, Martigues, Mercœur, Sedan, Talmond, Tingrey, and the "kingship" of Yvetot,[7]
among others.

Prince as a reigning monarch

A prince or princess who is the

form of government
is a reigning prince.

Extant principalities

The current princely monarchies include:

Micronations

In the same tradition, some self-proclaimed monarchs of so-called micronations style themselves as princes:

Prince exercising head of state's authority

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 may not be reserved legally for members of the ruling dynasty, in some traditions they are filled by dynasts, a fact which may be reflected in the style of the office, e.g. "prince-president" for Napoleon III as French head of state but not yet emperor, or "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 favour 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

Coat of arms of Otto, prince of Bismarck (German Empire).

In several countries of the European continent, such as France, prince can be an aristocratic title of someone having a high rank of nobility or as lord of a significant fief, but not ruling any actual territory and without any necessary link to the royal family, which makes it difficult to compare with the British system of royal princes.

France and the Holy Roman Empire

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. Princely titles self-assumed by the

ducal peerages
, since they were often inherited (or assumed) by ducal heirs:

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:

Spain, France and Netherlands

Coat of arms of the princes of Waterloo (the Netherlands).

In other cases, such titular princedoms are created in chief of an event, such as a treaty or a victory. Examples include:

  • The Spanish minister Manuel Godoy was created Principe de la Paz ("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
    Napoleon I Bonaparte at Waterloo
    in 1815.
  • Joseph Bonaparte conferred the title "Prince of Spain" to be hereditary on his children and grandchildren in the male and female line.

Eastern Europe

Sanguszko-Lubartowicz
(Poland).

In the former

The Princely Houses of Poland
.

Coat of arms of the princes Youssoupoff

In the Russian system, князь (

Grand Princes of Muscovy, who became Tsars and, under the House of Romanov
, Emperors of Russia.

Title 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 territory 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 language family; some even fail to follow the same logic for certain other aristocratic titles):

Romance languages

  • Languages (mostly
    Latin
    root prīnceps:
    • 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: Prinţ/Prinţesă, Principe/Principesă
    • Spanish: Príncipe/Princesa, Príncipe/Princesa
    • Venetian: Principe/Principessa, Principe/Principessa

Celtic languages

Germanic languages

  • Languages (mainly Germanic) that use (generally alongside a prīnceps-derivate for princes of the blood) an equivalent of the German Fürst:
    • English: Prince/Princess, Prince/Princess
    • Afrikaans: Prins
    • Danish: Fyrste/Fyrstinde, Prins/Prinsesse
    • Dutch: Vorst/Vorstin, Prins/Prinses
    • Faroese: Fúrsti/Fúrstafrúa/Fúrstinna, Prinsur/Prinsessa
    • West 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
    • Old English: Ǣðeling/Hlæfdiġe
    • Swedish: Furste/Furstinna, Prins/Prinsessa

Slavic languages

  • Slavic:
    • Belarusian: Karalevich/Karalewna, Prynts/Pryntsesa, Knyazhych/Knyazhnya
    • Bosnian: Кнез/Кнегиња (Knez/Kneginja), Краљевић/Краљевна (Kraljević/Kraljevna), Принц/Принцеза (Princ/Princeza)
    • Bulgarian (phonetically spelt): Knyaz/Knyaginya, Prints/Printsesa
    • Croatian: Knez/Kneginja, Kraljević/Kraljevna, Princ/Princeza
    • Czech: Kníže/Kněžna, Kralevic, Princ/Princezna
    • Macedonian: Knez/Knegina, Princ/Princeza
    • Polish: Książę/Księżna, Królewicz/Królewna
    • Russian: Князь/Княгиня (Knyaz/Knyagina/Knyazhna), Tsarevich/Tsarevna, Korolyevich/Korolyevna, Prints/Printsessa
    • Serbian: Кнез/Кнегиња (Knez/Kneginja), Краљевић/Краљевна (Kraljević/Kraljevna), Принц/Принцеза (Princ/Princeza)
    • Slovak: Knieža/Kňažná, Kráľovič, Princ/Princezná
    • Slovene: Knez/Kneginja, Princ/Princesa, Kraljevič/Kraljična
    • Ukrainian: Княжич/Кяжна (Kniazhych/Kniazhna), Королевич/Королівна (Korolevych/Korolivna), Принц/Принцеса (Prynts/Pryntsesa), Гетьманич/Гетьманівна (Hetmanych/Hetmanivna)

Other Western languages

  • Albanian: Princ/Princeshë, Princ/Princeshë
  • Estonian: Vürst/Vürstinna, Prints/Printsess
  • Finnish: Ruhtinas/Ruhtinatar, Prinssi/Prinsessa
  • Georgian: თავადი/Tavadi, უფლისწული/"Uplists'uli" ("Child of the Lord")
  • Greek (Medieval, formal): Πρίγκηψ/Πριγκήπισσα (Prinkips/Prinkipissa)
  • Greek (Modern, colloquial): Πρίγκηπας/Πριγκήπισσα (Prinkipas/Prinkipissa)
  • Hungarian (Magyar): Herceg/Hercegnő or Fejedelem/Fejedelemnő if head of state
  • Latvian: Firsts/Firstiene, Princis/Princese
  • Lithuanian: Kunigaikštis/Kunigaikštienė, Princas/Princese
  • Maltese: Prinċep/Prinċipessa, Prinċep/Prinċipessa
  • Persian : Shahzade (both genders), Shahpour (King's son in general)
  • Turkish: Prens/Prenses, Şehzade

Title in various Islamic traditions and languages

Georgian prince, Tavadi.

In Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Russia, Spain and Hungary the title of prince has also been used as the highest title of nobility (without membership in a ruling dynasty), above the title of duke, while the same usage (then as Fürst) has occurred in Germany and Austria but then one rank below the title of duke and above count.[9]

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.

  • 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.
  • In Saudi Arabia the title of Emir is used in role of prince for all members of the House of Saud.
  • In Iraq, the direct descendants of previous Emirs from the largest tribes, who ruled the kingdoms before modern statehood, use the title of Sheikh or Prince as the progeny of royalty.[10]
  • 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, were given the style Şehzade.
  • 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 (
    Mirza
    ", diminutive of "Amir Zadeh" (King's Son).
  • In Indian Muslim dynasties, the most common titles were
    Sahibzada
     were also given to younger blood princes.
  • In
    tore, another name for the clan, (ru:Торе (род)) for ordinary members of a ruling dynasty.[11]

Title in other traditions and languages

Prince 'Abdul Mateen of Brunei, holds the title of Pengiran Muda (Prince) as he's the son of Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah
.

Brunei

Main article: Malay styles and titles

It's crucial to use the proper title while speaking to members of the royal family because Brunei is an absolute monarchy, and inappropriate use might be uncomfortable.[12] The heir apparent and crown prince, styled as Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri (His Royal Highness), is officially known as Pengiran Muda Mahkota (Crown Prince); A blood prince is officially known as Pengiran Muda (Prince); their names are styled differently: If they do not have additional titles, the Sultan's sons are addressed as Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri (His Royal Highness); The Pengiran Muda Mahkota's sons are addressed as Yang Teramat Mulia (His Royal Highness).

China

Before

Western Jin
, the Wang rank was divided into two ranks, Qin Wang (親王, lit. King of the Blood) and Jun Wang (郡王, lit. King of the Commandery). Only family of the Emperor can be entitled Qin Wang, so prince is usually translated as Qin Wang, e.g. 菲利普親王 (Prince Philip). For the son of the ruler, prince is usually translated as Huang Zi (皇子, lit. Son of the Emperor) or Wang Zi (王子 lit., Son of the King), e.g. 查爾斯王子 (Prince Charles).

As a title of nobility, prince can be translated as Qin Wang according to tradition, Da Gong (大公, lit., Grand Duke) if one want to emphasize that it is a very high rank but below the King (Wang), or just Zhu Hou (诸侯, lit. princes) which refers to princes of all ranks in general. For example, 摩納哥親王 (Prince of Monaco).

Japan

In Japan, the title Kōshaku (公爵) was used as the highest title of Kazoku (華族 Japanese modern nobility) before the present constitution. Kōshaku, however, is more commonly translated as "Duke" to avoid confusion with the following royal ranks in the Imperial Household: Shinnō (親王 literally, Prince of the Blood); Naishinnō (内親王 lit., Princess of the Blood in her own right); and Shinnōhi 親王妃 lit., Princess Consort); or Ō (王 lit., Prince); Jyo-Ō (女王 lit., Princess (in her own right)); and Ōhi (王妃 lit., Princess Consort). The former is the higher title of a male member of the Imperial family while the latter is the lower.

Korea

In the

Joseon Dynasty
, the title "Prince" was used for the king's male-line descendants. There were generally the divisions of princedom: the king's legitimate son used the title daegun (대군, 大君, literally "grand prince"). A son born of a concubine as well as the great-great-grandsons of the king used the title gun (군, 君, lit. "prince"). But the title of gun wasn't limited to the royal family. Instead, it was often granted as an honorary and non-hereditory title. As noble titles no longer exist in modern Korea, the English word "Prince" is now usually translated as wangja (왕자, 王子, lit. "king's son"), referring to princes from non-Korean royal families. Princes and principalities in continental Europe are almost always confused with dukes and duchies in Korean speech, both being translated as gong (공, 公, lit. "duke") and gongguk (공국, 公國, lit. "duchy").

Sri Lanka

The title 'Prince' was used for the King's son in Sinhalese generation in Sri Lanka.

India

Main article:
Princely State
Indian Prince And Parade Ceremony (by Edwin Lord Weeks)

In the former

Monarch of the United Kingdom and the Dominions. They acknowledged the Emperor as their imperial sovereign till the empire's dissolution in 1947 and subsequently acceded to the newly formed Union of India and the Dominion of Pakistan
between 1947 and 1949.

Indochina

See Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos

Philippines

See

Principalia, the Sultanate of Maguindanao and the Sultanate of Sulu
.

Thailand

In

Mom Chao
 (หม่อมเจ้า), abbreviated as M.C. (or ม.จ.).

African traditions

A Western model was sometimes copied by emancipated colonial regimes (e.g. Bokassa I's short-lived

Zulu Royal Family. Nominally ministerial chiefly titles, such as the Yoruba Oloye and the Zulu InDuna
, still exist as distinct titles in kingdoms all over Africa.

Title in religion

Saint Robert Cardinal Bellarmine was a prince of the Roman Catholic Church during his lifetime.

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).

Christianity

Certain religious offices may be considered of princely rank, or imply comparable temporal rights. The Prince-Popes,

Princes of the Church
.

Also, in

Prince of the Apostles
.

Islam

Sunni Islam

The title Prince is used in

Muhammadzai rule in Afghanistan on the occasion of the Saur Revolution.[27][28]

Shia Islam

In Shia Islam the title Prince is also used as an address for the Agha Khan the leader of the Nizari ismaili Shiite community. The title Prince is – similar as for the House of Hazrat Ishaan[citation needed] – prevailing as a custom on the occasion of its long use as members of the Qajar royal family and in regards to their responsibility of leading Ismaili Shiite Islam. The international legal ground is an accreditation made by Elizabeth II in the 1950s[29][30]

See also

References

  1. ^ Cassell's Latin Dictionary, ed. Marchant & Charles, 260th thousand
  2. ^ "Fürst - Origins and cognates of the title", 2006, webpage: EFest-Frst Archived 2011-08-28 at the Wayback Machine.
  3. ^ Almanach de Gotha (Gotha: Justus Perthes, 1944), pages 14–131.
  4. Père Anselme
    (1728). "Ducs de Bouillon". Histoire Genealogique et Chronologique de la Maison Royale de France (in French). Paris: Compagnie des Libraires. pp. 543, 545.
  5. ^ Duden; Definition of the German title Fürst (in German). [1] Archived 2014-04-13 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Duden; Definition of the German title Prinz (in German). [2] Archived 2014-04-13 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ Velde, Francois. "The Rank/Title of Prince in France". Archived from the original on 24 March 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2016.
  8. ^ "Name focus". Archived from the original on 2011-05-07. Retrieved 2008-04-08.
  9. Bonniers
    konversationslexikon I     1937 pp. 82-86
  10. ISBN 9781447286264
    .
  11. OCLC 944246657. Archived from the original on 2023-01-17. Retrieved 2022-10-23.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link
    )
  12. ^ US Department of State. "Brunei Department of State Background". Infoplease.com. Retrieved 22 July 2021.
  13. Jesus Christ
    (among others) given in Isaiah 9:6.
  14. Jesus Christ
    given in Daniel 8:25.
  15. Jesus Christ
    given in Daniel 11:22.
  16. Jesus Christ
    given in Acts 3:15.
  17. Jesus Christ
    given in Revelation 1:5.
  18. ^ Milton, John (1667). Paradise Lost (1st ed.). London: Samuel Simmons. Archived from the original on 2018-01-08. Retrieved 2018-01-08.
  19. ^ A title for Satan given in John 12:31.
  20. ^ A title for Satan given in John 14:30.
  21. ^ A title for Satan given in John 16:11.
  22. ^ A title for Satan given in Ephesians 2:2.
  23. ^ A title for Satan given in Matthew 9:34.
  24. ^ A title for Satan given in Matthew 12:24.
  25. ^ A title for Satan given in Mark 3:22.
  26. Jesus Christ
    is given in Roman 8:17.
  27. ^ Subh E Noor, Programm 19th Jan 2019, 92NewsHD; recorded and published on YouTube
  28. ^ Tazkare Khwanadane Hazrat Eshan(genealogy of the family of Hazrat Eshan)(by author and investigator:Muhammad Yasin Qasvari Naqshbandi company:Edara Talimat Naqshbandiyya Lahore)
  29. ^ "Table of Personal Salutes, 11 Gun Salutes". The India Office and Burma Office List for 1945: 43. 1945. Table of Personal Salutes, Salutes of 11 Guns
  30. ^ "Who is Prince Karim al Husseini Aga Khan?". ABC News. Archived from the original on 2022-03-02. Retrieved 2022-03-02.

External links

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