A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a

king King is the title given to a male monarch in a variety of contexts. The female equivalent is queen, which title is also given to the consort of a king. *In the context of prehistory, antiquity and contemporary indigenous peoples, the ...

, grand prince, and

grand duke Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. In status, a grand duke traditionally ranks in order of precedence below an emperor, as an approxi ...

) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often

hereditary Heredity, also called inheritance or biological inheritance, is the passing on of traits from parents to their offspring; either through asexual reproduction or sexual reproduction, the offspring cells or organisms acquire the genetic inform ...

, in some

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a subcontinent of Eurasia and it is located enti ...

an states. The female equivalent is a princess. The English word derives, via the

French word French ( or ) is a Romance language of the Indo-European family. It descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire, as did all Romance languages. French evolved from Gallo-Romance, the Latin spoken in Gaul, and more specifically in Nor ...

''prince'', from the

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power ...

noun , from (first) and (head), meaning "the first, foremost, the chief, most distinguished, noble ruler, prince".

Historical background

Cicerón denuncia a Catilina, por Cesare Maccari

The

word (older Latin *prīsmo-kaps, literally "the one who takes the first lace/position), became the usual title of the informal leader of the

Roman senate The Roman Senate ( la, Senātus Rōmānus) was a governing and advisory assembly in ancient Rome. It was one of the most enduring institutions in Roman history, being established in the first days of the city of Rome (traditionally founded in ...

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 The term ''Dominion'' is used to refer to one of several self-governing nations of the British Empire. "Dominion status" was first accorded to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, South Africa, and the Irish Free State at the 1926 ...

. 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 a member of a family that ruled by hereditary right (such as the House of Sverre in

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...

) or to non-reigning descendants, the title referring to sovereigns, former sovereigns'

descendant Descendant(s) or descendent(s) may refer to: * Lineal descendant, a consanguinous (i.e. biological) relative directly related to a person ** Collateral descendant, a relative descended from a brother or sister of an ancestor Books * "The Descen ...

s as descendants of King Haakon V) 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 A dynasty is a sequence of rulers from the same family,''Oxford English Dictionary'', "dynasty, ''n''." Oxford University Press (Oxford), 1897. usually in the context of a monarchical system, but sometimes also appearing in republics. A ...

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

Andorra , image_flag = Flag of Andorra.svg , image_coat = Coat of arms of Andorra.svg , symbol_type = Coat of arms , national_motto = la, Virtus Unita Fortior, label=none ( Latin)"United virtue is str ...

, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Mingrelia,

Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word ...

, Waldeck and Pyrmont, Wallachia, etc. * Also substantively, the title was granted by

pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

s 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, ''viz'' the Princes de Beauvau-Craon, von Bismarck, Colonna, von Dohna-Schlobitten, von Eulenburg, de Faucigny-Lucinge, von Lichnowsky, von

Pless Pleß or Pless may refer to: Places *Pleß, a municipality in the district of Unterallgäu in Bavaria, Germany * Pszczyna (German: Pleß), a town in southern Poland ** Duchy of Pless, a historic territory in Silesia * Pleß (mountain), a mounta ...

, 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 Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, t ...

) were sometimes also authorized to use the princely title, e.g. von Carolath-Beuthen, de

Broglie Broglie is a commune of the Eure département, in France Broglie may further refer to: * The House of Broglie, a noble French family with many notable members, including: ** Maurice-Jean de Broglie (1766–1821), French aristocrat and bishop ** Al ...

, Demidoff di San Donato, Lieven, de

Merode Merode may refer to: People * House of Merode, a princely dynasty belonging to the Belgian nobility ** Jean Philippe Eugène de Mérode (1674–1732), Imperial Field Marshal ** Félix de Mérode (1791–1857), Belgian politician ** Xavier de Mé ...

, 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 Asturias (Spain), Grão Pará (Brazil, formerly), Orange (Netherlands), Viana (Navarre, formerly), Wales (U.K.), 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 English law, seignory or seigniory, spelled ''signiory'' in Early Modern English (; french: seigneur, lit=lord; la, senior, lit=elder), is the lordship (authority) remaining to a grantor after the grant of an estate in fee simple. ''Nulle terre ...

'' 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), etc.

Prince as generic for ruler

The original but now less common use of the word was the application of the Latin word ', from late Roman law and the classical system of government that eventually gave way to the European feudal society. In this sense, a prince is a ruler of a territory that is sovereign or quasi-sovereign, i.e., exercising substantial (though not all) prerogatives associated with monarchs of independent nations, such as the immediate states within the historical boundaries of the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...

. In

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

and Early Modern Europe, there were as many as two hundred such territories, especially in Italy, Germany, and

Gaelic Ireland Gaelic Ireland ( ga, Éire Ghaelach) was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late prehistoric era until the early 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Normans ...

. In this sense, "prince" is used of any and all rulers, regardless of actual title or precise rank. This is the

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) , from , with the same meanings. is a period in European history marking the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and covering the 15th and 16th centuries, characterized by an effort to revive and surpass id ...

use of the term found in Niccolò Machiavelli's famous work, ''

Il Principe ''The Prince'' ( it, Il Principe ; la, De Principatibus) is a 16th-century political treatise written by Italian diplomat and political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli as an instruction guide for new princes and royals. The general theme of ''T ...

''."Fürst - Origins and cognates of the title", 2006, webpage
EFest-Frst
. 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 ' (as for the hereditary ruler of

Wales Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the Wales–England border, east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the ...

) or when the lord's territory was

allodial Allodial title constitutes ownership of real property (land, buildings, and fixtures) that is independent of any superior landlord. Allodial title is related to the concept of land held "in allodium", or land ownership by occupancy and defense ...

. 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 Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New Yor ...

or higher. This is attested in some surviving styles for e.g., British earls, marquesses, and

s 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 (e.g., Germany), all legitimate agnates had an equal right to the family's hereditary titles. While offices such as emperor,

, and

elector Elector may refer to: * Prince-elector or elector, a member of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Holy Roman Emperors * Elector, a member of an electoral college ** Confederate elector, a member of ...

could only be legally occupied by one dynast at a time, holders of such other titles as

, margrave,

landgrave Landgrave (german: Landgraf, nl, landgraaf, sv, lantgreve, french: landgrave; la, comes magnus, ', ', ', ', ') was a noble title used in the Holy Roman Empire, and later on in its former territories. The German titles of ', ' (" margrave"), ...

count palatine A count palatine ( Latin ''comes palatinus''), also count of the palace or palsgrave (from German ''Pfalzgraf''), was originally an official attached to a royal or imperial palace or household and later a nobleman of a rank above that of an o ...

, and prince could only differentiate themselves by adding the name of their appanage to the family's original title. This tended to proliferate unwieldy titles (e.g. Princess Katherine of Anhalt-Zerbst; Karl, Count Palatine of Zweibrücken-Neukastell-Kleeburg; or

Prince Christian Charles of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön-Norburg Duke Christian Charles of Schleswig-Holstein-Sonderburg-Plön-Norburg (20 August 1674 – 23 May 1706 in Sonderburg) was an officer in the Brandenburg-Prussian army. Life Christian Charles was the younger son of Duke Augustus of Schleswig-Hols ...

) and, as 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. Both and ' 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 into the 19th century) for dynasties headed by a '' Fürst'' in Germany. The custom spread through the

Continent A continent is any of several large landmasses. Generally identified by convention rather than any strict criteria, up to seven geographical regions are commonly regarded as continents. Ordered from largest in area to smallest, these seven ...

to such an extent that a renowned imperial general who belonged to a

cadet branch In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets—realm, ti ...

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 affected similar usage under the

Bourbon Bourbon may refer to: Food and drink * Bourbon whiskey, an American whiskey made using a corn-based mash * Bourbon barrel aged beer, a type of beer aged in bourbon barrels * Bourbon biscuit, a chocolate sandwich biscuit * A beer produced by ...

kings. Always facing the scepticism of Saint-Simon and like-minded courtiers, these quasi-royal aristocrats' assumption of the princely title as a personal, rather than territorial, designation encountered some resistance. In writing ''Histoire Genealogique et Chonologique'', Père Anselme accepts that, by the end of the 17th century, the heir apparent to the 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"). The post-medieval rank of (princely count) embraced but elevated the German equivalent of the intermediate French, English and Spanish nobles. In the Holy Roman Empire, these nobles rose to dynastic status by preserving from the Imperial crown ( 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 constabulary enforcement; and the habit of inter-marrying with sovereign dynasties. By the 19th century, cadets of a ' would become known as '.

Princes consort and princes of the blood

The husband of a queen regnant is usually titled " prince consort" or simply "prince", whereas the wives of male monarchs take the female equivalent (e.g., empress, queen) of their husband's title. In Brazil, Portugal and Spain, however, the husband of a female monarch is accorded the masculine equivalent of her title (e.g., emperor, king), at least after he fathered her heir. In previous epochs, husbands of queens regnant were often deemed entitled to the crown matrimonial, sharing their consorts' regnal title and rank . However, in cultures which allow the ruler to have several wives (e.g., four in Islam) or official concubines (e.g., Imperial China,

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...

Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...

, KwaZulu-Natal), these women, sometimes collectively referred to as a

harem Harem ( Persian: حرمسرا ''haramsarā'', ar, حَرِيمٌ ''ḥarīm'', "a sacred inviolable place; harem; female members of the family") refers to domestic spaces that are reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A har ...

, 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 prefix often accompanying the title of a dynastic prince, may be awarded/withheld separately (as a compromise or consolation prize, in some sense, e.g., Duke of Cádiz, Duchess of Windsor, Princesse de Réthy, 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 , , , (non-reigning descendant of a reigning monarch), Duden; Definition of the German title ''Fürst'' (in German)

Duden; Definition of the German title ''Prinz'' (in German)

russian: князь, knyaz, etc., are usually translated as "prince" in English. Some princely titles are derived from those of national rulers, such as tsarevich from tsar. Other examples are (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., "

" in Romanov Russia or " archduke" in Habsburg Austria), claims dynastic succession to a lost monarchy (e.g. for the La Trémoïlle heirs to the Neapolitan throne), or descends from a ruler whose princely title or sovereign status was not de jure hereditary, but attributed to descendants as an international courtesy, (e.g., Bibesco-Bassaraba de Brancovan, Poniatowski, Ypsilanti).

Specific titles

In some dynasties, a specific style other than prince has become customary for dynasts, such as in the House of Capet, and . was borne by children of the monarch other than the

heir apparent An heir apparent, often shortened to heir, is a person who is first in an order of succession and cannot be displaced from inheriting by the birth of another person; a person who is first in the order of succession but can be displaced by the b ...

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. Mian in various of the Punjabi princely Hill States (lower Himalayan region in British India). European dynasties usually awarded appanages to princes of the blood, typically attached to a feudal noble title, such as

Prince of Orange Prince of Orange (or Princess of Orange if the holder is female) is a title originally associated with the sovereign Principality of Orange, in what is now southern France and subsequently held by sovereigns in the Netherlands. The title ...

in the Netherlands, Britain's royal dukes, the in France, the Count of Flanders in Belgium, and the Count of Syracuse in

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

. Sometimes appanage titles were princely, e.g.

Prince of Achaia The Prince of Achaea was the ruler of the Principality of Achaea, one of the crusader states founded in Greece in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade (1202–1204). Though more or less autonomous, the principality was never a fully independent s ...

(Courtenay), (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 was the source of their pre-eminence. For the often specific terminology concerning an heir apparent, see

Crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wife ...

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 ''

ancien régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for " ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...

'', so resented for their pretentiousness in the memoirs of 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, among others.

Prince as a reigning monarch

A prince or princess who is the

head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state (polity), state#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international p ...

of a territory that has a

monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, is head of state for life or until abdication. The political legitimacy and authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutional monarchy ...

as a form of government is a reigning prince.

Extant principalities

The current princely monarchies include: * The co-principality of

(current reigning princes are the French President

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France since 2017 French presidential election, 2017. ''Ex officio'', he is also one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra. Prior to his presidency, M ...

and HE Joan Enric Vives Sicília) * The

emir Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cer ...

ate of

Kuwait Kuwait (; ar, الكويت ', or ), officially the State of Kuwait ( ar, دولة الكويت '), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated in the northern edge of Eastern Arabia at the tip of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to the no ...

(current reigning emir is Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah) * The principality of

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein (german: link=no, Fürstentum Liechtenstein), is a German language, German-speaking microstate located in the Alps between Austria and Switzerland. Liechtenstein is a semi-constit ...

(current reigning prince is Hans-Adam II) * The principality of

(current reigning prince is Albert II) * The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (currently vacant following the death of Giacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto,

John T. Dunlap Fra' John Timothy Dunlap (born 1957) is the Lieutenant of the Grand Master and head of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta since 13 June 2022. Education and career Dunlap was born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He received a Bachelor of Arts degr ...

is Lieutenant of the Grand Master and acting head of the order. The election of a permanent successor has been delayed due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identified ...

) * The emirate of

Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it ...

(current reigning emir is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani) * The member emirates of the federation in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at ...

(''United Arab Principalities''): ** Abu Dhabi (Emir

Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ( ar, مُحَمّد بِن زَايد آل نَهيَان, Moḥamed bin Zāyed Āl Nahyān; born 11 March 1961), colloquially known by his initials as MBZ, is the third president of the United Arab Emirates ...

, also President of the UAE) ** Ajman (Emir

Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi was the Ruler of Ajman, one of the Trucial States which today form the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from 1838–1841, when he was deposed by his brother, Abdelaziz bin Rashid Al Nuaimi. Humaid ruled from Abdelaziz' d ...

) **

Dubai Dubai (, ; ar, دبي, translit=Dubayy, , ) is the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the capital of the Emirate of Dubai, the most populated of the 7 emirates of the United Arab Emirates.The Government and Politics ...

(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 Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi) ** Sharjah (Emir Sultan III bin Muhammad al-Qasimi) ** Umm al-Quwain (Emir Saud bin Rashid Al Mualla) File:Coat of arms of Andorra.svg, Coat of arms of the principality of Andorra (1607). File:Staatswappen-Liechtensteins.svg, Coat of arms of the principality of

(1719). File:Great coat of arms of the house of Grimaldi.svg, Coat of arms of the principality of

(1297).

Micronations

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

Roy Bates Patrick Roy Bates (29 August 1921 – 9 October 2012), also known as Prince Roy of Sealand, was a British pirate radio broadcaster and micronationalist, who founded the Principality of Sealand.Strauss, Erwin. ''How to Start Your Own Country'', ...

titled himself "Prince Roy" of the Principality of Sealand * Leonard George Casley titled himself "Prince Leonard I" of the Principality of Hutt River (enclave in Australia)

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 A regent (from Latin : ruling, governing) is a person appointed to govern a state ''pro tempore'' (Latin: 'for the time being') because the monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge the powers and duties of the monarchy, ...

viceroy A viceroy () is an official who reigns over a polity in the name of and as the representative of the monarch of the territory. The term derives from the Latin prefix ''vice-'', meaning "in the place of" and the French word ''roy'', meaning "k ...

. 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 Napoleon III (Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was the first President of France (as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte) from 1848 to 1852 and the last monarch of France as Emperor of the French from 1852 to 1870. A neph ...

as French

but not yet emperor, or "prince-lieutenant" in

Luxembourg Luxembourg ( ; lb, Lëtzebuerg ; french: link=no, Luxembourg; german: link=no, Luxemburg), officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, ; french: link=no, Grand-Duché de Luxembourg ; german: link=no, Großherzogtum Luxemburg is a small land ...

, repeatedly filled by the

crown prince A crown prince or hereditary prince is the heir apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. The female form of the title is crown princess, which may refer either to an heiress apparent or, especially in earlier times, to the wife ...

before the grand duke's abdication, or in form of . 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 Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominalization, nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cul ...

for ''Great Joint King'' in

Cambodia Cambodia (; also Kampuchea ; km, កម្ពុជា, UNGEGN: ), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochinese Peninsula in Southeast Asia, spanning an area of , bordered by Thailan ...

), though sometimes also conferred on powerful regents who exercised executive powers.

Non-dynastic princes

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 to the nominal status of a principality—although prerogatives of sovereignty were never conceded in the letters patent. Princely titles self-assumed by the and by the were generally tolerated by the king and used at the royal court, outside the Parlement of Paris. These titles held no official place in the hierarchy of the nobility, but were often treated as ranking just below ducal peerages, 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: held by the

Dukes of Bouillon The Duchy of Bouillon (french: Duché de Bouillon) was a duchy comprising Bouillon and adjacent towns and villages in present-day Belgium. The state originated in the 10th century as property of the Lords of Bouillon, owners of Bouillon Cas ...

** Ancient principalities seated in the Kingdom of France *** Boisbelle, later Henrichemont: in the Berry region, a sovereign principality recognized in 1598 *** Luxe: in the Béarn region, also styled ''Sovereign Count'' ( cf. Princely Count) *** Yvetot: in the

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

region, recognized, nominally, as ''King of Yvetot'' ** Principalities created by the King *** Château-Porcien: in the Ardennes region, created in 1561 for the House of Croÿ *** Guéméné: in

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period o ...

, created in 1667 for the House of Rohan (title borne by the Duke of Montbazon or his heir) *** Joinville: in the Champagne region, created in 1552 for the House of Lorraine *** Martigues: in the

Provence Provence (, , , , ; oc, Provença or ''Prouvènço'' , ) is a geographical region and historical province of southeastern France, which extends from the left bank of the lower Rhône to the west to the France–Italy border, Italian border ...

region, created 16th century for cadets of the House of Lorraine *** Mercœur: in the Auvergne region, created in 1563 for cadets of the House of Lorraine, later a duchy; recreated in 1719 *** Tingry: in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, created in 1587 for the House of Luxemburg ** The princes of Condé and Conti, heads of

es of the French royal House of Bourbon: used recognized princely titles, but the lordships of Condé and Conti were never formally created principalities 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 family ** Bédeille: in Béarn ** Bidache: in Béarn used by the Dukes 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 marquisate in 1702 ** Chalais: in Périgord (inherited by the elder branch of the Talleyrand family; Spanish Grandeeship attached to the title in 1714) ** Commercy: lordship of Lorraine (cadets of the House of Lorraine used the style of Prince of Commercy) ** Courtenay: the House of Courtenay legitimately descended from Louis VI of France but was not recognized as by France's kings. The last branch of the house used the style of Prince of Courtenay from the 17th century. The style passed to the Dukes of Bauffremont. ** Elbeuf: lordship of

(younger sons of the

House of Guise The House of Guise (pronunciation: �ɥiz Dutch: ''Wieze, German: Wiese'') was a prominent French noble family, that was involved heavily in the French Wars of Religion. The House of Guise was the founding house of the Principality of Joinv ...

used the style of ; later a duchy) ** Lamballe: in

, used by the heir of the

Duke of Penthièvre ** Lambesc: in

, used by various cadets of the House of Guise, notably by the heirs of the Dukes of Elbeuf ** Léon: viscountcy of

(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 **

Marcillac Marcillac (; oc, Marcilhac) is a former commune in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune Val-de-Livenne.Angoumois, used by the heir of the Duke de La Rochefoucauld ** Maubuisson: in

Île-de-France The Île-de-France (, ; literally "Isle of France") is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France. Centred on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the country and often called the ''Région parisienne'' (; en, Pa ...

, 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 families, twice raised to a duchy **

Pons The pons (from Latin , "bridge") is part of the brainstem that in humans and other bipeds lies inferior to the midbrain, superior to the medulla oblongata and anterior to the cerebellum. The pons is also called the pons Varolii ("bridge of ...

: in Saintonge, used by cadets of the House of Guise **

Rochefort Rochefort () may refer to: Places France * Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, in the Charente-Maritime department ** Arsenal de Rochefort, a former naval base and dockyard * Rochefort, Savoie in the Savoie department * Rochefort-du-Gard, in the Ga ...

: used by cadets of the House of Rohan **

Siles, Spain Siles is a Spanish town and municipality in the province of Jaén, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, located in the region of Sierra de Segura, bordering the province of Albacete. It has a population of 2,451 inhabitants according to the l ...

: used by the head of the House of Siles ** Soubise: used by head of the second branch of the House of Rohan, also Dukes of Rohan-Rohan **

Soyons Soyons (; oc, Soions) is a commune in the Ardèche department in southern France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territori ...

: 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: viscounty of the House of La Tour d'Auvergne, style of Prince de Turenne used by cadets of the house ** Villegas, Province of Burgos: used by the head of the House of Villegas This can even occur in a monarchy within which an identical but real and substantive feudal title exists, such as ' in German. An example of this is: * Otto von Bismarck was created Prince von Bismarck in the empire of reunited Germany, under the Hohenzollern dynasty. Spain, France and Netherlands Duke of Wellington Arms

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

William I of the Netherlands William I (Willem Frederik, Prince of Orange-Nassau; 24 August 1772 – 12 December 1843) was a Prince of Orange, the King of the Netherlands and Grand Duke of Luxembourg. He was the son of the last Stadtholder of the Dutch Republic, who w ...

bestowed the victory title of Prince of Waterloo upon Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington after his defeat of Napoleon I Bonaparte at

Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, a battle on 18 June 1815 in which Napoleon met his final defeat * Waterloo, Belgium, where the battle took place. Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Antarctica *King George Island (S ...

in 1815. *

Joseph Bonaparte it, Giuseppe-Napoleone Buonaparte es, José Napoleón Bonaparte , house = Bonaparte , father = Carlo Buonaparte , mother = Letizia Ramolino , birth_date = 7 January 1768 , birth_place = Corte, Corsica, Republic ...

conferred the title "Prince of Spain" to be hereditary on his children and grandchildren in the male and female line. Eastern Europe Herb Pogon Litewska

In the former Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the titles of prince dated either to the times before the Union of Lublin or were granted to Polish nobles by foreign monarchs, as the law in Poland forbade the king from dividing nobility by granting them hereditary titles: see The Princely Houses of Poland. Armoiries de la famille Iousoupov (1799)

Armoiries de la famille Iousoupov (1799)

In the Russian system, (), translated as "prince", is the highest degree of official nobility. Members of older dynasties, whose realms were eventually annexed to the

Russian Empire The Russian Empire was an empire and the final period of the List of Russian monarchs, Russian monarchy from 1721 to 1917, ruling across large parts of Eurasia. It succeeded the Tsardom of Russia following the Treaty of Nystad, which ended th ...

, were also accorded the title of '—sometimes after first being allowed to use the higher title of tsarevich (e.g. the Princes Gruzinsky and Sibirsky). The many surviving branches of the Rurik dynasty used the ' title before and after they yielded sovereignty to their kinsmen, the Grand Princes of Muscovy, who became Tsars and, under the

House of Romanov The House of Romanov (also transcribed Romanoff; rus, Романовы, Románovy, rɐˈmanəvɨ) was the reigning imperial house of Russia from 1613 to 1917. They achieved prominence after the Tsarina, Anastasia Romanova, was married to t ...

, 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 Romance) only using the

root ': **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

Celtic language The Celtic languages (usually , but sometimes ) are a group of related languages descended from Proto-Celtic. They form a branch of the Indo-European language family. The term "Celtic" was first used to describe this language group by Edwar ...

s: **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 '-derivate for princes of the blood) an equivalent of the German '' Fürst'': **Anglo-Teutonic: King's Thane **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-Norwegian - Konningers Thienner (Prince) **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 **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 (Knyazhych/Knyazhnya), Королевич/Королівна (Korolevych/Korolivna),Принц/Принцеса (Prints/Printzesa), 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 other traditions and languages

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''. 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 Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد; 570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monot ...

, 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 Emir (; ar, أمير ' ), sometimes transliterated amir, amier, or ameer, is a word of Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person possessing actual or cer ...

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. *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 (

Khan Khan may refer to: *Khan (inn), from Persian, a caravanserai or resting-place for a travelling caravan *Khan (surname), including a list of people with the name *Khan (title), a royal title for a ruler in Mongol and Turkic languages and used by ...

) 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). *In Indian Muslim dynasties, the most common titles were '' Mirza'' (from ''Amirzada'') and '' Shahzada''; while '' Nawabzada'' and '' Sahibzada'' were also given to younger blood princes. *In Kazakh Khanate the title Sultan was used for lords from a ruling dynasty (direct descendants of

Genghis Khan ''Chinggis Khaan'' ͡ʃʰiŋɡɪs xaːŋbr /> Mongol script: ''Chinggis Qa(gh)an/ Chinggis Khagan'' , birth_name = Temüjin , successor = Tolui (as regent) Ögedei Khan , spouse = , issue = , house = Borjigin ...

), that gives them a right to be elected as

khan Khan may refer to: *Khan (inn), from Persian, a caravanserai or resting-place for a travelling caravan *Khan (surname), including a list of people with the name *Khan (title), a royal title for a ruler in Mongol and Turkic languages and used by ...

, as an experienced ruler; and an honorific ''

tore Tore is a Scandinavian masculine name. It is derived from the Old Norse name ''Thórir'', which is composed of ''thorr'' which means thunder, and ''arr'' which means warrior. So Thunder Warrior or Thor's Warrior. The most famous person by this na ...

'', another name for the clan, ( :ru:Торе (род)) for ordinary members of a ruling dynasty.

Non-Islamic Asian traditions

China

Before

Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ; zh, c=秦朝, p=Qín cháo, w=), or Ch'in dynasty in Wade–Giles romanization ( zh, c=, p=, w=Ch'in ch'ao), was the first dynasty of Imperial China. Named for its heartland in Qin state (modern Gansu and Shaanxi), ...

, prince (in the sense of royal family member) had no special title. Since

Han dynasty The Han dynasty (, ; ) was an Dynasties in Chinese history, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC – 9 AD, 25–220 AD), established by Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang (Emperor Gao) and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by th ...

, royal family members were entitled ''Wang'' (, lit. King), the former highest title which was then replaced by ''Huang Di'' (, lit. Emperor). Since Western Jin, the ''Wang'' rank was divided into two ranks, ''Qin Wang'' (, lit. King of the Blood) and ''Jun Wang'' (, 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'' (, lit. Son of the Emperor) or ''Wang Zi'' ( 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'' (, 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'' () was used as the highest title of '' Kazoku'' ( 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'' ( literally, Prince of the Blood); ''Naishinnō'' ( lit., Princess of the Blood in her own right); and ''Shinnōhi'' lit., Princess Consort); or ''Ō'' ( lit., Prince); ''Jyo-Ō'' ( lit., Princess (in her own right)); and ''Ōhi'' ( 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 (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 (공국, 公國, lit. "duchy").

Sri Lanka

The title 'Prince' was used for the King's son in

Sinhalese Sinhala may refer to: * Something of or related to the Sinhalese people of Sri Lanka * Sinhalese people * Sinhala language Sinhala ( ; , ''siṁhala'', ), sometimes called Sinhalese (), is an Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan language prima ...

generation in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...

India

''See''

princely states A princely state (also called native state or Indian state) was a nominally sovereign entity of the British Indian Empire that was not directly governed by the British, but rather by an Indian ruler under a form of indirect rule, subject to ...

for the often particular, mainly Hindu titles in former

British India The provinces of India, earlier presidencies of British India and still earlier, presidency towns, were the administrative divisions of British governance on the Indian subcontinent. Collectively, they have been called British India. In one ...

, including modern

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

Bangladesh Bangladesh (}, ), officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world, with a population exceeding 165 million pe ...

Burma Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John C. Wells, Joh ...

, and

Nepal Nepal (; ne, नेपाल ), formerly the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal ( ne, सङ्घीय लोकतान्त्रिक गणतन्त्र नेपाल ), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is ma ...

Indochina

''See''

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making it ...

, and Laos

Philippines

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

Thailand

(formerly Siam), the title of Prince was divided into three classes depending on the rank of their mothers. Those who were born of a king and had a royal mother (a queen or princess consort) are titled '' Chaofa Chai'' ( th, เจ้าฟ้าชาย: literally, "Male Celestial Lord"). Those born of a king and a commoner, or children of Chaofas, are tilted ''

Phra Ong Chao The precedence of Thai royalty follows a system of ranks known as ''thanandon'' ( th, ฐานันดร), which are accompanied by royal titles. The Sovereign There are two styles which can be used for a king in ordinary speech, depending on ...

'' (พระองค์เจ้า). The children of Phra Ong Chaos are titled '' 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

Central-African Empire From 4 December 1976 to 21 September 1979, the Central African Republic was officially known as the Central African Empire (french: Empire centrafricain), after military dictator (and president at the time) Marshal Jean-Bédel Bokassa declared h ...

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. Nominally ministerial chiefly titles, such as the

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba consti ...

'' Oloye'' and the Zulu '' InDuna'', still exist as distinct titles in kingdoms all over Africa.

Title 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).

Christianity

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

Pope The pope ( la, papa, from el, πάππας, translit=pappas, 'father'), also known as supreme pontiff ( or ), Roman pontiff () or sovereign pontiff, is the bishop of Rome (or historically the patriarch of Rome), head of the worldwide Cathol ...

, Hereditary Prince-Cardinals, Cardinals, Prince-Lord Bishops, Prince Bishops,

Lord Bishop "Lord Bishop" is a traditional form of address used for bishops since the Middle Ages, an era when bishops occupied the feudal rank of 'lord' by virtue of their office. Today it is sometimes still used in formal circumstances for any diocesan bis ...

s, Prince-Provost, and Prince-abbots are referred to as

Princes of the Church A cardinal ( la, Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae cardinalis, literally 'cardinal of the Holy Roman Church') is a senior member of the clergy of the Catholic Church. Cardinals are created by the ruling pope and typically hold the title for life. Col ...

. Also, in

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesu ...

, Jesus Christ is sometimes referred to as the ''Prince of Peace''. Other titles for Jesus Christ are ''Prince of Princes'', ''Prince of the Covenant'', ''Prince of Life'', and ''Prince of the Kings of the Earth''. Further, Satan is popularly titled the ''Prince of Darkness''; and in the Christian faith he is also referred to as the ''Prince of this World'' and the ''Prince of the Power of the Air''. 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''. ''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.

Islam

Sunni Islam

The title Prince is used in Sunni Islam for the descendants of Hazrat Ishaan, who are the Imams of Prophet Muhammad´s family in Ishaani Sunni belief and supreme leaders of the Naqshbandi Sufi community as blood descendants of their grandpatriarch Sayyid Bahauddin Naqshband. The title "Shahzada", "Amir", "Mir" and "Sardar" are all translated as Prince and are until today used to address the Hazrat Ishaans in regards to their relations to the

Mughal Mughal or Moghul may refer to: Related to the Mughal Empire * Mughal Empire of South Asia between the 16th and 19th centuries * Mughal dynasty * Mughal emperors * Mughal people, a social group of Central and South Asia * Mughal architecture * Mug ...

and Pashtun royal family and to pay tribute to their responsibility of leading Ishaani Sunni Islam. It is until today used as a strengthened custom that survived the abolishment of the Afghan monarchy on the occasion of the Soviet Invasion in Afghanistan.

Shia Islam

Shia Islam Shīʿa Islam or Shīʿīsm is the second-largest branch of Islam. It holds that the Islamic prophet Prophets in Islam ( ar, الأنبياء في الإسلام, translit=al-ʾAnbiyāʾ fī al-ʾIslām) are individuals in Islam who are ...

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 Hazrat Ishaan- 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.

References

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Princely States in British India and talaqdars in Oudh
* {{Authority control Court titles Feudalism Heads of state Royal titles Noble titles Positions of authority Men's social titles