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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 tit ...
,
grand prince Grand prince or great prince (feminine: grand princess or great princess) ( la, magnus princeps; Greek: ''megas archon''; russian: великий князь, velikiy knyaz) is a title of nobility ranked in honour below emperor, equal of king or ...
, 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 Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
(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 Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...
an states. The female equivalent is a
princess Princess is a regal rank and the feminine equivalent of prince (from Latin ''princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or for the daughter of a king or prince. Princess as a subst ...
. The English word derives, via the French word ''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 of the ...
noun , from (first) and (head), meaning "the first, foremost, the chief, most distinguished, noble
ruler A ruler, sometimes called a rule, line gauge, or scale, is a device used in geometry and technical drawing, as well as the engineering and construction industries, to measure distances or draw straight lines. Variants Rulers have long ...
, prince".


Historical background

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 of 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 An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
, the ''
princeps senatus The ''princeps senatus'' ( ''principes senatus'') was the first member by precedence on the membership rolls of the Roman Senate. Although officially out of the ''cursus honorum'' and possessing no ''imperium'', this office conferred prestige on t ...
''.
Emperor Augustus Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian, was the first Roman emperor; he reigned from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. He is known for being the founder of the Roman Pri ...
established the formal position of monarch on the basis of
principate The Principate is the name sometimes given to the first period of the Roman Empire from the beginning of the reign of Augustus in 27 BC to the end of the Crisis of the Third Century in AD 284, after which it evolved into the so-called Dominate. ...
, 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 The House of Sverre ( no, Sverreætten) was a royal house or dynasty which ruled, at various times in history, the Kingdom of Norway, hereunder the kingdom's realms, and the Kingdom of Scotland. The house was founded with King Sverre Sigurdsson ...
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' descendants as descendants of King
Haakon V Haakon V Magnusson (10 April 1270 – 8 May 1319) ( non, Hákon Magnússon; no, Håkon Magnusson, label=Modern Norwegian) was king of Norway from 1299 until 1319. Biography Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, Kin ...
) 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 d ...
cadets in monarchies, and borne by courtesy by members of formerly reigning dynasties. * As a
substantive title A substantive title is a title of nobility or royalty acquired either by individual grant or inheritance. It is to be distinguished from a title shared among cadets, borne as a courtesy title by a peer's relatives, or acquired through marriage. ...
, a ''prince'' was a monarch of the lowest
rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * H ...
in post-
Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...
ic 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 stro ...
,
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen ( en, Nothing without God) , national_anthem = , common_languages = German , religion = Roman Catholic , currency = , title_leader = Prince , leader1 ...
,
Mingrelia Mingrelia ( ka, სამეგრელო, tr; xmf, სამარგალო, samargalo; ab, Агырны, Agirni) is a historic province in the western part of Georgia, formerly known as Odishi. It is primarily inhabited by the Mingrelian ...
,
Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
,
Waldeck and Pyrmont The County of Waldeck (later the Principality of Waldeck and Principality of Waldeck and Pyrmont) was a state of the Holy Roman Empire and its successors from the late 12th century until 1929. In 1349 the county gained Imperial immediacy and in 1 ...
,
Wallachia Wallachia or Walachia (; ro, Țara Românească, lit=The Romanian Land' or 'The Romanian Country, ; archaic: ', Romanian Cyrillic alphabet: ) is a historical and geographical region of Romania. It is situated north of the Lower Danube and so ...
, 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 A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may no ...
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 The House of Colonna, also known as ''Sciarrillo'' or ''Sciarra'', is an Italian noble family, forming part of the papal nobility. It was powerful in medieval and Renaissance Rome, supplying one pope (Martin V) and many other church and politica ...
, von Dohna-Schlobitten, von Eulenburg, de Faucigny-Lucinge, von
Lichnowsky The House of Lichnowsky or House of Lichnovský is the name of an influential Czech aristocratic family of Silesian and Moravian origin, documented since the 14th century. History The noble family first appeared in the Duchy of Pless (Pszczyna) ...
, von Pless, Ruffo di Calabria, (de Talleyrand) von Sagan, van
Ursel Ursel is a Flemish surname: Place Ursel, town in Flanders, part of Knesselare. Name * Noble house d'Ursel, Duke of Ursel, see too: D'Ursel Castle. ** Lancelot II of Ursel ** Charles-Joseph, 4th Duke d'Ursel ** Marie Joseph Charles, 6th Duke d ...
, 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 royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
) were sometimes also authorized to use the princely title, e.g. von Carolath-Beuthen, de Broglie, Demidoff di San Donato,
Lieven The House of Lieven ( lv, Līveni; russian: Ливен) is one of the oldest aristocratic families of Baltic Germans. History The family claims descent from Caupo of Turaida (Latvian, ''Kaupo''), the Livonian ''quasi rex'' who converted to Ch ...
, de Merode, Pignatelli, Radziwill, von
Wrede Wrede is a surname that includes two different noble families, the German princely one and Finnish-Swede noble family "von Wrede" that originated from Westphalia. It may refer to: People *Carolus Wrede (1860–1927), Finnish industrialist *Caspar ...
, Yussopov, etc. * Substantively, the
heirs 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 some monarchies use a specific princely title associated with a territory within the monarch's
realm A realm is a community or territory over which a sovereign rules. The term is commonly used to describe a monarchical or dynastic state. A realm may also be a subdivision within an empire, if it has its own monarch, e.g. the German Empire. Etym ...
, 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 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 ...
of the leading
ducal Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
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 Late may refer to: * LATE, an acronym which could stand for: ** Limbic-predominant age-related TDP-43 encephalopathy, a proposed form of dementia ** Local-authority trading enterprise, a New Zealand business law ** Local average treatment effect, ...
law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
and the classical system of government that eventually gave way to the European
feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was the combination of the legal, economic, military, cultural and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a wa ...
society. In this sense, a prince is a ruler of a territory that is
sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title which can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin , meaning 'above'. The roles of a sovereign vary from monarch, ruler or ...
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 Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...
. 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, post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with t ...
and
Early Modern Europe Early modern Europe, also referred to as the post-medieval period, is the period of European history between the end of the Middle Ages and the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, roughly the late 15th century to the late 18th century. Histori ...
, 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 co ...
. 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 ideas ...
use of the term found in
Niccolò Machiavelli Niccolò di Bernardo dei Machiavelli ( , , ; 3 May 1469 – 21 June 1527), occasionally rendered in English as Nicholas Machiavel ( , ; see below), was an Italian diplomat, author, philosopher and historian who lived during the Renaissance. ...
'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 philosophy, political theorist Niccolò Machiavelli as an instruction guide for new princes and royals. The g ...
''."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 The United States Declaration of Independence, formally The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen States of America, is the pronouncement and founding document adopted by the Second Continental Congress meeting at Pennsylvania State House ...
. 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 Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the peerage in the United Kingdom, or ar ...
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 defens ...
. The lord of an
allodium In the law of the Middle Ages and early Modern Period and especially within the Holy Roman Empire, an allod (Old Low Franconian ''allōd'' ‘fully owned estate’, from ''all'' ‘full, entire’ and ''ōd'' ‘estate’, Medieval Latin ''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 Homage (from Medieval Latin , lit. "pertaining to a man") in the Middle Ages was the ceremony in which a feudal tenant or vassal pledged reverence and submission to his feudal lord, receiving in exchange the symbolic title to his new position (inv ...
, 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 York: ...
or higher. This is attested in some surviving styles for e.g., British earls,
marquess A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...
es, and
duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
s are still addressed by the
Crown A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...
on
ceremonial A ceremony (, ) is a unified ritualistic event with a purpose, usually consisting of a number of artistic components, performed on a special occasion. The word may be of Etruscan language, Etruscan origin, via the Latin ''Glossary of ancient Rom ...
occasions as ''high and noble princes'' (cf.
Royal and noble styles Styles represent the fashion by which monarchs and noblemen are properly addressed. Throughout history, many different styles were used, with little standardization. This page will detail the various styles used by royalty and nobility in Europe ...
). In parts of the Holy Roman Empire in which
primogeniture Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...
did not prevail (e.g., Germany), all legitimate
agnates Patrilineality, also known as the male line, the spear side or agnatic kinship, is a common kinship system in which an individual's family membership derives from and is recorded through their father's lineage. It generally involves the inheritan ...
had an equal right to the family's hereditary titles. While offices such as
emperor An emperor (from la, imperator, via fro, empereor) is a monarch, and usually the sovereignty, sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), ...
,
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 tit ...
, 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
duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ran ...
,
margrave Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Emp ...
,
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"), a ...
,
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 ord ...
, and prince could only differentiate themselves by adding the name of their
appanage An appanage, or apanage (; french: apanage ), is the grant of an estate, title, office or other thing of value to a younger child of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture. It was common in much o ...
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 Primogeniture ( ) is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn legitimate child to inherit the parent's entire or main estate in preference to shared inheritance among all or some children, any illegitimate child or any collateral relativ ...
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 ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German word for a ruler and is also a princely title. ' were, since the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ruled over states of ...
'' occurred, and became customary for cadets in all German dynasties except in the grand duchies of
Mecklenburg Mecklenburg (; nds, label=Low German, Mękel(n)borg ) is a historical region in northern Germany comprising the western and larger part of the federal-state Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. The largest cities of the region are Rostock, Schwerin ...
and
Oldenburg Oldenburg may also refer to: Places *Mount Oldenburg, Ellsworth Land, Antarctica *Oldenburg (city), an independent city in Lower Saxony, Germany **Oldenburg (district), a district historically in Oldenburg Free State and now in Lower Saxony *Olde ...
. 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 ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German word for a ruler and is also a princely title. ' were, since the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ruled over states of ...
'' 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, title ...
of a reigning ducal family, remains best known to history by the generic dynastic title, "
Prince Eugene of Savoy Prince Eugene Francis of Savoy–Carignano, (18 October 1663 – 21 April 1736) better known as Prince Eugene, was a Generalfeldmarschall, field marshal in the army of the Holy Roman Empire and of the Austrian Habsburg dynasty during the 17th a ...
". 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 Bras ...
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 Anselm de Guibours (born 1625) (Father Anselm of the Blessed Mary, O.A.D., french: Père Anselme de Sainte-Marie, or simply ''Père Anselme'') was a French Discalced Augustinian friar and noted genealogist. Biography He was born Pierre de Guibour ...
accepts that, by the end of the 17th century, the heir apparent to the
House of La Tour d'Auvergne La Tour d'Auvergne () was a noble French dynasty. Its senior branch, extinct in 1501, held two of the last large fiefs acquired by the French crown, the counties of Auvergne and Boulogne, for about half a century. Its cadet branch, extinct in 1802, ...
'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 The Peace of Westphalia (german: Westfälischer Friede, ) is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought pea ...
in 1648) the exercise of such sovereign prerogatives as the
minting Minting is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. The village is situated south from the A158 road. The population (including Gautby) at the 2011 census was 286. Minting Priory was located here. Mi ...
of money; the muster of military troops and the right to wage war and contract
treaties A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal perso ...
; local judicial authority and
constabulary Constabulary may have several definitions: *A civil, non-paramilitary (police) force consisting of police officers called constables. This is the usual definition in the United Kingdom, in which all county police forces once bore the title (and som ...
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 A queen regnant (plural: queens regnant) is a female monarch, equivalent in rank and title to a king, who reigns ''suo jure'' (in her own right) over a realm known as a "kingdom"; as opposed to a queen consort, who is the wife of a reignin ...
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 Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic Monotheism#Islam, monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God in Islam, God (or ...
) or official
concubine Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubi ...
s (e.g.,
Imperial China The earliest known written records of the history of China date from as early as 1250 BC, from the Shang dynasty (c. 1600–1046 BC), during the reign of king Wu Ding. Ancient historical texts such as the '' Book of Documents'' (early chapte ...
,
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 bo ...
,
KwaZulu-Natal KwaZulu-Natal (, also referred to as KZN and known as "the garden province") is a province of South Africa that was created in 1994 when the Zulu bantustan of KwaZulu ("Place of the Zulu" in Zulu) and Natal Province were merged. It is locate ...
), 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 hare ...
, 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 A prefix is an affix which is placed before the Word stem, stem of a word. Adding it to the beginning of one word changes it into another word. For example, when the prefix ''un-'' is added to the word ''happy'', it creates the word ''unhappy'' ...
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 The Dukedom of Cádiz is a title of Spanish nobility. Its name refers to the Andalusian city of Cádiz. History Rodrigo Ponce de León was a Castilian military leader who was granted the title of Duke of Cádiz in 1484. After the death of the f ...
,
Duchess of Windsor Wallis, Duchess of Windsor (born Bessie Wallis Warfield, later Simpson; June 19, 1896 – April 24, 1986), was an American socialite and wife of the former King Edward VIII. Their intention to marry and her status as a divorcée caused a ...
, 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 The Duden () is a dictionary of the Standard High German language, first published by Konrad Duden in 1880, and later by Bibliographisches Institut GmbH. The Duden is updated regularly with new editions appearing every four or five years. , i ...
; Definition of the German title ''Fürst'' (in German)

Duden The Duden () is a dictionary of the Standard High German language, first published by Konrad Duden in 1880, and later by Bibliographisches Institut GmbH. The Duden is updated regularly with new editions appearing every four or five years. , i ...
; Definition of the German title ''Prinz'' (in German)

russian: князь,
knyaz , or ( Old Church Slavonic: Кнѧзь) is a historical Slavic title, used both as a royal and noble title in different times of history and different ancient Slavic lands. It is usually translated into English as prince or duke, dependi ...
, etc., are usually translated as "prince" in English. Some princely titles are derived from those of national rulers, such as
tsarevich Tsarevich (russian: Царевич, ) is a Slavic title given to tsars' sons. Under the 1797 Pauline house law, the title was discontinued and replaced with ''Tsesarevich'' for the heir apparent alone. His younger brothers were called '' Velik ...
from
tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East Slavs, East and South Slavs, South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''Caesar (title), caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" i ...
. Other examples are (all using the
Persian Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
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., "
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 ...
" in
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 th ...
Russia or "
archduke Archduke (feminine: Archduchess; German: ''Erzherzog'', feminine form: ''Erzherzogin'') was the title borne from 1358 by the Habsburg rulers of the Archduchy of Austria, and later by all senior members of that dynasty. It denotes a rank within ...
" 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 The House of Poniatowski (plural: ''Poniatowscy'') is a prominent Polish family that was part of the nobility of Poland. A member of this family, Stanisław Poniatowski, was elected as King of Poland and reigned from 1764 until his abdicatio ...
, Ypsilanti).


Specific titles

In some dynasties, a specific style other than prince has become customary for dynasts, such as in the
House of Capet The House of Capet (french: Maison capétienne) or the Direct Capetians (''Capétiens directs''), also called the House of France (''la maison de France''), or simply the Capets, ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328. It was the most s ...
, 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 Prince or Princess of Asturias ( es, link=no, Príncipe/Princesa de Asturias; ast, Príncipe d'Asturies) is the main substantive title used by the heir apparent or heir presumptive to the monarchy of Spain, throne of Spain. According to the Sp ...
in Spain and
Prince of Brazil Prince of Brazil ( pt, Príncipe do Brasil) was the title held by the heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Portugal, from 1645 to 1815. Tied with the title of Prince of Brazil was the title Duke of Braganza and the various subsidiary titles of the Du ...
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 The Hill States of India were princely states lying in the northern border regions of the British Indian Empire. History During the colonial Raj period, two groups of princely states in direct relations with the Province of British Punja ...
(lower Himalayan region in British India). European dynasties usually awarded
appanage An appanage, or apanage (; french: apanage ), is the grant of an estate, title, office or other thing of value to a younger child of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture. It was common in much o ...
s 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 duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranke ...
s, 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 (Courtenay), (Bourbon),
Prince of Carignan The House of Savoy-Carignano ( it, Savoia-Carignano; french: Savoie-Carignan) originated as a cadet branch of the House of Savoy. It was founded by Thomas Francis of Savoy, Prince of Carignano (1596–1656), an Italian military commander who was ...
(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 wif ...
.


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 Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
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 A government is the system or group of people governing an organized community, generally a state. In the case of its broad associative definition, government normally consists of legislature, executive, and judiciary. Government is a ...
is a reigning prince.


Extant principalities

The current princely monarchies include: * The
co-principality A coregency is the situation where a monarchical position (such as prince, princess, king, queen, emperor or empress), normally held by only a single person, is held by two or more. It is to be distinguished from diarchies or duumvirates such ...
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 stro ...
(current reigning princes are the
French President The president of France, officially the president of the French Republic (french: Président de la République française), is the executive head of state of France, and the commander-in-chief of the French Armed Forces. As the presidency is ...
Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France since 2017. ''Ex officio'', he is also one of the two Co-Princes of Andorra. Prior to his presidency, Macron served as Minister of Econ ...
and HE Joan Enric Vives Sicília) * The emirate of Kuwait (current reigning emir is Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah) * The principality of Liechtenstein (current reigning prince is Hans-Adam II, Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-Adam II) * The principality of
Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
(current reigning prince is Albert II, Prince of Monaco, Albert II) * The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (currently vacant following the death of Giacomo dalla Torre del Tempio di Sanguinetto, John T. Dunlap 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 emirate of Qatar (current reigning emir is Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani) * The member emirates of the federation in the United Arab Emirates (''United Arab Principalities''): ** Abu Dhabi (Emir Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also President of the UAE) ** Ajman (Emir Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi III, Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi) ** Dubai (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) ** Emirate of Sharjah, Sharjah (Emir Sultan bin Muhammad Al-Qasimi, 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 Liechtenstein (1719). File:Great coat of arms of the house of Grimaldi.svg, Coat of arms of the principality of
Monaco Monaco (; ), officially the Principality of Monaco (french: Principauté de Monaco; Ligurian: ; oc, Principat de Mónegue), is a sovereign city-state and microstate on the French Riviera a few kilometres west of the Italian region of Lig ...
(1297).


Micronations

In the same tradition, some self-proclaimed monarchs of so-called micronations style themselves as princes: * Roy Bates 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 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. "Napoleon III#Prince-President (1848–51), prince-president" for Napoleon III as French
head of state A head of state (or chief of state) is the public persona who officially embodies a state Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representatitve of its international persona." in its unity and l ...
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 . 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

In several countries of the European continent, such as France, prince can be an aristocratic title of someone having a high rank of
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
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 French peerage, 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 *** Principality of Orange, Orange *** Sedan, France, Sedan: held by the Duchy of Bouillon, Dukes of Bouillon ** Ancient principalities seated in the Kingdom of France *** Boisbelle, later Henrichemont: in the Berry (province), Berry region, a sovereign principality recognized in 1598 *** Luxe: in the Béarn region, also styled ''Sovereign Count'' (cf. Graf#Gefürsteter Graf, Princely Count) *** Yvetot: in the Normandy 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 *** Prince of Guéméné, Guéméné: in Brittany, created in 1667 for the House of Rohan (title borne by the Duke of Montbazon or his heir) *** Joinville, Haute-Marne, Joinville: in the Champagne, France, Champagne region, created in 1552 for the House of Lorraine *** Martigues: in the Provence region, created 16th century for cadets of the House of Lorraine *** Mercœur: in the Auvergne (province), 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 prince of Condé, Condé and prince of Conti, Conti, heads of
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, title ...
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, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Bédeille: in Béarn ** Bidache: in Béarn used by the Duke of Gramont, 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, Dordogne, 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 Normandy (younger sons of the House of Guise used the style of ; later a duchy) ** Lamballe: in Brittany, used by the heir of 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 Bras ...
Duke of Penthièvre ** Lambesc: in Provence, used by various cadets of the House of Guise, notably by the heirs of the Dukes of Elbeuf ** Kingdom of León, Léon: viscountcy of Brittany (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: in Angoumois, used by the heir of the Duc de La Rochefoucauld, Duke de La Rochefoucauld ** Maubuisson: in Île-de-France, 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-sur-Gironde, Mortagne: in Aquitaine, used by the Duke of Richelieu, Dukes of Richelieu ** Poix-de-Picardie, Poix: in Picardy, used by various families, twice raised to a duchy ** Pons: in County of Saintonge, Saintonge, used by cadets of the House of Guise ** Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, Rochefort: used by cadets of the House of Rohan ** Siles, Spain: used by the head of the House of Siles ** Soubise, Charente-Maritime, Soubise: used by head of the second branch of the House of Rohan, also Dukes of Rohan-Rohan ** Soyons: 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 of Bismarck, Prince von Bismarck in the empire of reunited Germany, under the Hohenzollern dynasty. Spain, France and 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 William I of the Netherlands bestowed the victory title of Prince of Waterloo upon Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of Wellington after his defeat of Napoleon I Bonaparte at Battle of Waterloo, 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 In the former Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, 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. 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, were also accorded the title of '—sometimes after first being allowed to use the higher title of
tsarevich Tsarevich (russian: Царевич, ) is a Slavic title given to tsars' sons. Under the 1797 Pauline house law, the title was discontinued and replaced with ''Tsesarevich'' for the heir apparent alone. His younger brothers were called '' Velik ...
(e.g. the Princes Gruzinsky and Sibirsky (surname), Sibirsky). The many surviving branches of the Rurik dynasty used the ' title before and after they yielded sovereignty to their kinsmen, the Grand Duchy of Moscow, 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 Romance languages, Romance) only using the Latin language, Latin 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 languages: **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 languages, Germanic) that use (generally alongside a '-derivate for princes of the blood) an equivalent of the German ''
Fürst ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German word for a ruler and is also a princely title. ' were, since the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ruled over states of ...
'': **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, Old-Norwegian - Konningers Thienner (Prince) **Old English: Ǣðeling/Hlæfdiġe **Swedish: Furste/Furstinna, Prins/Prinsessa


Slavic languages

* 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 Persian may refer to: * People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language ** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples ** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
: 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 Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy (class), aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below Royal family, royalty. Nobility has often been an Estates of the realm, estate of the realm with many e ...
(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, 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. *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 (title), Khan) 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 (noble), Mirza", diminutive of "Amir Zadeh" (King's Son). *In Indian Muslim dynasties, the most common titles were ''Mirza (noble), Mirza'' (from ''Amirzada'') and ''Shah#Shahzada, 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), that gives them a right to be elected as khan (title), khan, as an experienced ruler; and an honorific ''Zhuz, tore'', another name for the clan, (:ru:Торе (род)) for ordinary members of a ruling dynasty.


Non-Islamic Asian traditions


China

Before Qin dynasty, prince (in the sense of royal family member) had no special title. Since Han dynasty, 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 Monarch, King's son in Sinhalese people, Sinhalese generation in Sri Lanka.


India

''See'' princely states for the often particular, mainly Hindu titles in former British Raj, British India, including modern Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, and Nepal.


Indochina

''See'' Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos


Philippines

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


Thailand

In
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 bo ...
(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 ''Thai royal ranks and titles#Chao Fa .28HRH Prince.29 .28HRH Princess.29, 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'' (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 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 colony, colonialist title of "tribal chief, chief", which does not particularly connote dynastic rank to Westerners, e.g. House of Dlamini, Swazi Royal Family and Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu#Children, Zulu Royal Family. Nominally Minister (government), ministerial chiefly titles, such as the Yoruba people, Yoruba ''Oba (ruler)#Oloye, Oloye'' and the Zulu people, 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, Hereditary Prince-Cardinals, Cardinal (Roman Catholic), Cardinals, Prince-Lord Bishops, Prince Bishops, Lord Bishops, Prince-Provost, and Prince-abbots are referred to as Prince of the Church, Princes of the Church. Also, in Christianity, 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 Saint Michael, 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 Imamate, Imams of Ahl al-Bayt, Prophet Muhammad´s family in Ishaani Sunni belief and supreme leaders of Naqshbandi, the Naqshbandi Sufi community as blood descendants of their grandpatriarch Baha' al-Din Naqshband, 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 Empire, Mughal and Kingdom of Afghanistan, 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 Kingdom of Afghanistan, Afghan monarchy on the occasion of Soviet–Afghan War, the Soviet Invasion in Afghanistan.


Shia Islam

In Shia Islam the title Prince is also used as an address for Aga Khan, the Agha Khan the leader of the Nizari Isma'ilism, 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 Iran, Qajar royal family and in regards to their responsibility of leading Isma'ilism, Ismaili Shiite Islam.


See also

*
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 wif ...
*Grand prince *British prince *Emir *''
Fürst ' (, female form ', plural '; from Old High German ', "the first", a translation of the Latin ') is a German word for a ruler and is also a princely title. ' were, since the Middle Ages, members of the highest nobility who ruled over states of ...
'' * Prince Charming *Prince consort and Princess consort *''Prince du sang'' *Prince-elector and Prince regent *Prince of the Church *Raja, Rajkumar *Taizi *Yuvraj *Principality and Princely state *List of fictional princes *:Lists of princes, Lists of princes


References


External links


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