A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a

king King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally appointed by and ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. T ...

(often highest), often hereditary, in some

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

an states. The female equivalent is a

princess Princess is a title used by a female member of a regnant monarch's family or by a female ruler of a principality. The male equivalent is a prince (from Latin '' princeps'', meaning principal citizen). Most often, the term has been used for ...

. The English word derives, via the French word ''prince'', from the

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

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

ruler A ruler, sometimes called a rule, scale, line gauge, or metre/meter stick, is an instrument used to make length measurements, whereby a length is read from a series of markings called "rules" along an edge of the device. Usually, the instr ...

, prince". In a related sense, now not commonly used, all more or less sovereign rulers over a state, including kings, were "princes" in the language of international politics. They normally had another title, for example king or duke. Many of these were Princes of the Holy Roman Empire.

Historical background

The

word (older Latin *prīsmo-kaps, ), became the usual title of the informal leader of the

Roman senate The Roman Senate () was the highest and constituting assembly of ancient Rome and its aristocracy. With different powers throughout its existence it lasted from the first days of the city of Rome (traditionally founded in 753 BC) as the Sena ...

some centuries before the transition to

empire An empire is a political unit made up of several territories, military outpost (military), outposts, and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a hegemony, dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the ...

, the '' princeps senatus''. Emperor Augustus established the formal position of monarch on the basis of

principate The Principate was the form of imperial government 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 Dominate. The principate was ch ...

, not

dominion A dominion was any of several largely self-governance, self-governing countries of the British Empire, once known collectively as the ''British Commonwealth of Nations''. Progressing from colonies, their degrees of self-governing colony, colon ...

. 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 () was a royal house or dynasty which ruled, at various times in history, the Kingdom of Norway (872–1397), Kingdom of Norway, hereunder the kingdom's realms, and the Kingdom of Scotland. The house was founded with King S ...

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...

) or to non-reigning descendants, the title referring to sovereigns, former sovereigns' descendants (Such as descendants of King

Haakon V Haakon V Magnusson (10 April 1270 – 8 May 1319) (; ) was King of Norway from 1299 until 1319. Biography Haakon was the younger surviving son of Magnus the Lawmender, King of Norway, and his wife Ingeborg of Denmark. Through his mother ...

) 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 cadets in monarchies, and borne by courtesy by members of formerly reigning dynasties. * As a

substantive title A substantive title, in the United Kingdom, is a title of nobility which is owned in its own right, as opposed to titles shared among cadets, borne as a courtesy title by a peer's relatives, or acquired through marriage. Current monarchies * ...

, a ''prince'' was a monarch of the lowest rank in post-

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

ic Europe, e.g. Princes of Andorra, Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen, Mingrelia, Monaco, Waldeck and Pyrmont, Wallachia, etc. * Also substantively, the title was granted by

pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...

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, 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 above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...

) were sometimes also authorized to use the princely title, e.g. von Carolath-Beuthen, de Broglie, Demidoff di San Donato, Lieven, de Merode, 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 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 Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...

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, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...

. In

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

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 mid 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 () was the Gaelic political and social order, and associated culture, that existed in Ireland from the late Prehistory of Ireland, prehistoric era until the 17th century. It comprised the whole island before Anglo-Norman invasi ...

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

Renaissance The Renaissance ( , ) is a Periodization, period of history and a European cultural movement covering the 15th and 16th centuries. It marked the transition from the Middle Ages to modernity and was characterized by an effort to revive and sur ...

use of the term found in Niccolò Machiavelli's famous work, '' Il Principe''."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 Lord is an appellation for a person or deity who has authority, control, or power (social and political), power over others, acting as a master, chief, or ruler. The appellation can also denote certain persons who hold a title of the Peerage o ...

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

) or when the lord's territory was allodial. The lord of an allodium owned his lands and exercised prerogatives over the subjects in his territory absolutely, owing no feudal homage or duty as a vassal to a liege lord, nor being subject to any higher jurisdiction. Most small territories designated as principalities during feudal eras were allodial, e.g. the Princedom of Dombes. Lords who exercised lawful authority over territories and people within a feudal hierarchy were also sometimes regarded as ''princes'' in the general sense, especially if they held the rank of

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 (; ) 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 with the rank of a marquess or the wife (or wid ...

es, 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 titles such as

emperor The word ''emperor'' (from , via ) can mean the male ruler of an empire. ''Empress'', the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife (empress consort), mother/grandmother (empress dowager/grand empress dowager), or a woman who rules ...

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

margrave Margrave was originally the Middle Ages, medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or a monarchy, kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain Feudal ...

, landgrave,

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 or ...

, 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) 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 geographical regions. Continents are generally identified by convention (norm), convention rather than any strict criteria. A continent could be a single large landmass, a part of a very large landmass, as ...

to such an extent that a renowned imperial general who belonged to a cadet branch of a reigning ducal family, remains best known to history by the generic dynastic title, " Prince Eugene of Savoy". Note that the princely title was used as a prefix to his Christian name, which also became customary. Cadets of France's other affected similar usage under the Bourbon 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 A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air c ...

'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 A queen regnant (: queens regnant) is a female monarch, equivalent in rank, title and position to a king. She reigns ''suo jure'' (in her own right) over a realm known as a kingdom; as opposed to a queen consort, who is married to a reigning ...

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 is an Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic monotheistic religion based on the Quran, and the teachings of Muhammad. Adherents of Islam are called Muslims, who are estimated to number Islam by country, 2 billion worldwide and are the world ...

) or official concubines (e.g.,

Imperial China The history of China spans several millennia across a wide geographical area. Each region now considered part of the Chinese world has experienced periods of unity, fracture, prosperity, and strife. Chinese civilization first emerged in the Y ...

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

Thailand Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

, the Zulu monarchy), these women, sometimes collectively referred to as a

harem A harem is a domestic space that is reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A harem may house a man's wife or wives, their pre-pubescent male children, unmarried daughters, female domestic Domestic worker, servants, and other un ...

, 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)

Ukrainian language, Ukrainian and , etc., are usually translated as "prince" in English. Some princely titles are derived from those of national rulers, such as

tsarevich Tsarevich (, ) was a title given to the sons of tsars. The female equivalent was ''tsarevna''. Under the 1797 Pauline Laws, Pauline house laws, the title was discontinued and replaced with ''tsesarevich'' for the heir apparent alone. His younger ...

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

Sicily Sicily (Italian language, Italian and ), officially the Sicilian Region (), is an island in the central Mediterranean Sea, south of the Italian Peninsula in continental Europe and is one of the 20 regions of Italy, regions of Italy. With 4. ...

. Sometimes appanage titles were princely, e.g. Prince of Achaia (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, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''Crown prince ...

Prince as a substantive title

Other princes derive their title not from dynastic membership as such, but from inheritance of a title named for a specific and historical territory. The family's possession of prerogatives or properties in that territory might be long past. Such were most of the "princedoms" of France's '' ancien régime'', 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 is the public persona of a sovereign state.#Foakes, Foakes, pp. 110–11 " he head of statebeing an embodiment of the State itself or representative of its international persona." The name given to the office of head of sta ...

of a territory that has a

monarchy A monarchy is a form of government in which a person, the monarch, reigns as head of state for the rest of their life, or until abdication. The extent of the authority of the monarch may vary from restricted and largely symbolic (constitutio ...

as a form of government is a reigning prince.

Extant principalities

* The co-principality of Andorra (current reigning princes are the French President

Emmanuel Macron Emmanuel Jean-Michel Frédéric Macron (; born 21 December 1977) is a French politician who has served as President of France and Co-Prince of Andorra since 2017. He was Ministry of Economy and Finance (France), Minister of Economics, Industr ...

and HE Josep-Lluís Serrano Pentinat) * The

emir Emir (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...

ate of

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

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

Liechtenstein Liechtenstein (, ; ; ), officially the Principality of Liechtenstein ( ), is a Landlocked country#Doubly landlocked, doubly landlocked Swiss Standard German, German-speaking microstate in the Central European Alps, between Austria in the east ...

(current reigning prince is Hans-Adam II) * The principality of Monaco (current reigning prince is Albert II) * The Sovereign Military Order of Malta (current prince and Grand Master is John T. Dunlap) * The emirate of

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

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

federation A federation (also called a federal state) is an entity characterized by a political union, union of partially federated state, self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a #Federal governments, federal government (federalism) ...

in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

(''United Arab Principalities''): ** Abu Dhabi (Emir Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also President of the UAE) ** Ajman (Emir Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi) **

Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...

(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 Monaco (1297).

Micronations

In the same tradition, some self-proclaimed monarchs of so-called

micronation A micronation is a polity, political entity whose representatives claim that they belong to an independent nation or sovereign state, but which lacks legal recognition by any sovereign state. Micronations are classified separately from list o ...

s 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 In a monarchy, a regent () is a person appointed to govern a state because the actual monarch is a minor, absent, incapacitated or unable to discharge their powers and duties, or the throne is vacant and a new monarch has not yet been dete ...

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 Anglo-Norman ''roy'' (Old Frenc ...

. Though these offices may not be reserved legally for members of the ruling dynasty, in some traditions they are filled by dynasts, a fact which may be reflected in the style of the office, e.g. " prince-president" for Napoleon III as French

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

Luxembourg Luxembourg, officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, is a landlocked country in Western Europe. It is bordered by Belgium to the west and north, Germany to the east, and France on the south. Its capital and most populous city, Luxembour ...

, 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, crown princess, is held by a woman who is heir apparent or is married to the heir apparent. ''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 Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

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

or as lord of a significant fief, but not ruling any actual territory and without any necessary link to the royal family, such as Andora, 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 The Dombes (; ) is an area in eastern France, once an independent municipality, formerly part of the provinces of France, province of Burgundy (region), Burgundy, and now a district comprised in the department of France, department of Ain, and b ...

: on the east bank of the Rhône *** Orange *** Sedan: held by the Dukes of Bouillon ** 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 (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

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 ( ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the north-west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica in Roman Gaul. It became an Kingdom of Brittany, independent kingdom and then a Duch ...

, 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 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 cadet branches 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 Louis VI (1 December 1081 – 1 August 1137), called the Fat () or the Fighter (), was List of French monarchs, King of the Franks from 1108 to 1137. Like his father Philip I of France, Philip I, Louis made a lasting contribution to centralizing ...

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

, used by the heir of the Bourbon Duke of Penthièvre ** Lambesc: in Provence, 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: in Angoumois, used by the heir of the Duke de La Rochefoucauld ** Maubuisson: in

Île-de-France The Île-de-France (; ; ) is the most populous of the eighteen regions of France, with an official estimated population of 12,271,794 residents on 1 January 2023. Centered on the capital Paris, it is located in the north-central part of the cou ...

, 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 Aquitaine (, ; ; ; ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''Aguiéne''), archaic Guyenne or Guienne (), is a historical region of southwestern France and a former Regions of France, administrative region. Since 1 January 2016 it has been part of the administ ...

, used by the Dukes of Richelieu ** Poix: in Picardy, used by various families, twice raised to a duchy ** Pons: in Saintonge, used by cadets of the House of Guise ** Rochefort: used by cadets of the House of Rohan ** 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

, style of Prince de Turenne used by cadets of the house 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 Otto, Prince of Bismarck, Count of Bismarck-Schönhausen, Duke of Lauenburg (; born ''Otto Eduard Leopold von Bismarck''; 1 April 1815 – 30 July 1898) was a German statesman and diplomat who oversaw the unification of Germany and served as ...

was created 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, Duke of Wellington after his defeat of Napoleon I Bonaparte at Waterloo in 1815. * Joseph Bonaparte conferred the title "Prince of Spain" to be hereditary on his children and grandchildren in the male and female line.

Eastern Europe

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. 1597 Bielski Rus Voivodship

In Ukraine, landlords and rulers of

Kievan Rus' Kievan Rus', also known as Kyivan Rus,. * was the first East Slavs, East Slavic state and later an amalgam of principalities in Eastern Europe from the late 9th to the mid-13th century.John Channon & Robert Hudson, ''Penguin Historical At ...

were called князь ('' knjazʹ''), translated as "prince". Similarly, foreign titles of "prince" were translated as ''knyaz'' in Ukrainian (e. g. Ivan Mazepa, "knyaz of Holy Roman Empire"). Princes of Rurik Dynasty obeyed their oldest brother, who was taking the title of Grand Prince of Kiev. In 14th their ruling role was taken by Lithuanian princes, which used the title of Grand Prince of Lithuania and Ruthenia. With the rise of cossacks, many former Ukrainian princes were incorporated into the new Cossack nobility. In the Russian system, ''knyaz was'' 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 that spanned most of northern Eurasia from its establishment in November 1721 until the proclamation of the Russian Republic in September 1917. At its height in the late 19th century, it covered about , roughl ...

, were also accorded the title of '—sometimes after first being allowed to use the higher title of

(e.g. the Princes Gruzinsky and Sibirsky).

Title in various European traditions and languages

In the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Italy, Ukraine, Japan, Lithuania, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Belarus and Hungary the title of ''prince'' has also been used as the highest title of

(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''. 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 languages: ** Breton: Priñs/Priñsez ** Irish: Prionsa/Banphrionsa,

Flaith A (Irish language, Irish) or (Scottish Gaelic; plural ), in the Gaels, Gaelic world, could refer to any member in general of a powerful family enjoying a high degree of sovereignty, and so is also sometimes translated as lord or Aristocracy (c ...

/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'': ** English: Prince/Princess, Prince/Princess ** Afrikaans: Prins ** Danish: Fyrste/Fyrstinde, Prins/Prinsesse ** Dutch: Vorst/Vorstin, Prins/Prinses ** Faroese: Fúrsti/Fúrstafrúa/Fúrstinna, Prinsur/Prinsessa ** West Frisian: Foarst/Foarstinne, Prins/Prinsesse ** German: Fürst/Fürstin, Prinz/Prinzessin ** Icelandic: Fursti/Furstynja, Prins/Prinsessa ** Luxembourgish: Fürst/Fürstin, Prënz/Prinzessin ** Norwegian: Fyrste/Fyrstinne, Prins/Prinsesse ** Old English: Ǣðeling/Hlæfdiġe ** Swedish: Furste/Furstinna, Prins/Prinsessa

Slavic languages

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

Other Western languages

* Albanian: Princ/Princeshë, Princ/Princeshë * Estonian: Vürst/Vürstinna, Prints/Printsess * Finnish: Ruhtinas/Ruhtinatar, Prinssi/Prinsessa * Georgian: თავადი/''

Tavadi ''Tavadi'' ( ka, თავადი, "prince", lit. "head/chief" an from ka, თავი ''tavi'', "head", with the prefix of agent ''-di'') was a feudal title in Georgia (country), Georgia first applied in the Late Middle Ages usually trans ...

'', 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

Title in non-European traditions and languages

The below 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. 2023 Majlis Ramah Mesra Belait 108

Brunei

It's crucial to use the proper title while speaking to members of the royal family because Brunei is an absolute monarchy, and inappropriate use might be uncomfortable. The heir apparent and

, styled as ''Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri'' (His Royal Highness), is officially known as ''Pengiran Muda Mahkota'' (Crown Prince); A blood prince is officially known as ''Pengiran Muda'' (Prince); their names are styled differently: If they do not have additional titles, the Sultan's sons are addressed as ''Duli Yang Teramat Mulia Paduka Seri'' (His Royal Highness); The Pengiran Muda Mahkota's sons are addressed as ''Yang Teramat Mulia'' (His Royal Highness).

China

Before

Qin dynasty The Qin dynasty ( ) was the first Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China. It is named for its progenitor state of Qin, a fief of the confederal Zhou dynasty (256 BC). Beginning in 230 BC, the Qin under King Ying Zheng enga ...

, prince (in the sense of royal family member) had no special title. Princes of the Zhou dynasty were specifically referred to as ''Wangzi'' (王子) and ''Wangsun'' (王孫), which mean "son of the king" and "grandson of the king," while princes of the vassal states were referred to as ''Gongzi'' (公子) and ''

Gongsun Gongsun () is one of the few Chinese compound surnames. Famous people with this surname include: * Gongsun Xuanyuan, reputed name of the Yellow Emperor; other sources say his surname was Jī (surname), Ji * Gongsun Shu, emperor of Chengjia * Sha ...

'' (公孫), which mean "son of the lord" and "grandson of the lord," respectively. Sons of the vassals may receive nobility titles like Jun (君), Qing (卿), Daifu (大夫) and Shi (仕). Since

Han dynasty The Han dynasty was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China (202 BC9 AD, 25–220 AD) established by Liu Bang and ruled by the House of Liu. The dynasty was preceded by the short-lived Qin dynasty (221–206 BC ...

, 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 Joseon ( ; ; also romanized as ''Chosun''), officially Great Joseon (), was a dynastic kingdom of Korea that existed for 505 years. It was founded by Taejo of Joseon in July 1392 and replaced by the Korean Empire in October 1897. The kingdom w ...

, the title "Prince" was used for the king's male-line descendants. The title was divided into two: the king's legitimate son used the title ''daegun'' (대군, 大君, literally "grand prince"), but any other male royals used the title ''gun'' (군, 君, lit. "prince"). These included the descendants of the king up to the grandsons of illegitimate sons of the king and the crown prince, and up to the great grandsons of ''daegun''s, with other royals being able to be named ''gun'' if they reached the second rank. But the title of ''gun'' wasn't limited to the royal family. It was also granted as an honorary title to the king's father-in-law and to ''gongsin'' (공신, 功臣, lit. "servant of merit") and was only conditionally hereditary for ''gongsin''s. 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 generation in

Sri Lanka Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, also known historically as Ceylon, is an island country in South Asia. It lies in the Indian Ocean, southwest of the Bay of Bengal, separated from the Indian subcontinent, ...

India

In the former Empire of India, during the British Colonial Era, the title of a Prince was conferred upon by the Emperor to the hereditary Indian rulers of the numerous principalities of varying sizes in the empire called " princely states", who ruled their territories in the name of the Emperor of India, who was also simultaneously the Monarch of the United Kingdom and the

Dominion A dominion was any of several largely self-governance, self-governing countries of the British Empire, once known collectively as the ''British Commonwealth of Nations''. Progressing from colonies, their degrees of self-governing colony, colon ...

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

Indochina

''See'' Cambodia,

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

, and

Laos Laos, officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic (LPDR), is the only landlocked country in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by Myanmar and China to the northwest, Vietnam to the east, Cambodia to the southeast, and Thailand to the west and ...

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'' (: literally, "Male Celestial Lord"). Those born of a king and a commoner, or children of Chaofas and royal consorts, are tilted '' Phra Ong Chao'' (พระองค์เจ้า). The children of Chaofas and commoners, or 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 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 '' Oloye'' and the Zulu '' InDuna'', still exist as distinct titles in kingdoms all over Africa.

Title in religious traditions

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.

Pope The pope is the bishop of Rome and the Head of the Church#Catholic Church, visible head of the worldwide Catholic Church. He is also known as the supreme pontiff, Roman pontiff, or sovereign pontiff. From the 8th century until 1870, the po ...

, Hereditary Prince-Cardinals, Cardinals, Prince-Lord Bishops, Prince Bishops, Lord Bishops, Prince-Provost, and Prince-abbots are referred to as Princes of the Church. Also, in

Christianity Christianity is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion, which states that Jesus in Christianity, Jesus is the Son of God (Christianity), Son of God and Resurrection of Jesus, rose from the dead after his Crucifixion of Jesus, crucifixion, whose ...

Jesus Christ Jesus (AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many Names and titles of Jesus in the New Testament, other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Chris ...

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 The Pharisees (; ) were a Jews, Jewish social movement and school of thought in the Levant during the time of Second Temple Judaism. Following the Siege of Jerusalem (AD 70), destruction of the Second Temple in 70 AD, Pharisaic beliefs became ...

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 Michael may refer to: People * Michael (given name), a given name * he He ..., a given name * Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael Given name * Michael (bishop elect)">Michael (surname)">he He ..., a given nam ...

. 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

* Arabian tradition since the caliphate: In several monarchies it remains customary to use the title

sheikh Sheikh ( , , , , ''shuyūkh'' ) is an honorific title in the Arabic language, literally meaning "elder (administrative title), elder". It commonly designates a tribal chief or a Muslim ulama, scholar. Though this title generally refers to me ...

(in itself below princely rank) for all members of the royal family. In families (often reigning dynasties) which claim descent from

Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...

, 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 (; ' (), also Romanization of Arabic, transliterated as amir, is a word of Arabic language, Arabic origin that can refer to a male monarch, aristocratic, aristocrat, holder of high-ranking military or political office, or other person po ...

is used in role of prince for all members of the

House of Saud The House of Saud ( ) is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. It is composed of the descendants of Muhammad bin Saud, founder of the Emirate of Diriyah, known as the First Saudi State, (1727–1818), and his brothers, though the ruling ...

. * 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) 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 Genghis Khan (born Temüjin; August 1227), also known as Chinggis Khan, was the founder and first khan (title), khan of the Mongol Empire. After spending most of his life uniting the Mongols, Mongol tribes, he launched Mongol invasions and ...

), that gives them a right to be elected as khan, as an experienced ruler; and an honorific '' tore'', another name for the clan, ( :ru:Торе (род)) for ordinary members of a ruling dynasty.

References

External links

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