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The nobility in Occident

Origins

The nobility of the Ancien Mode is resulting from several traditions.

The Indo-European companies live on the tripartite division of the company, between a sacerdotal function, a warlike function, and a function of production. The Church was made the promotrice of this trifonctionnelle organization of the company, between those which request, those which fight and those which work.

The Roman Aristocratie ancient is called patriciat. This nobility will lose the capacity with the O C and will be replaced by another type of nobility called Nobilitas which goes perdurer until the disappearance of the Roman Empire of Occident. The terms of Rex , Dux , Comes are at the origins of the titles of the Western nobility and recut quite different realities.

Cruel people, as many indigenous populations to the provinces of the empire knew a form of nobility, but this nobility does not seem defined by criteria as strict as those of the Roman nobilitas .

Evolution of the nobility in Occident

The franque time employs the terms of nobiles viri or illustri viri (“famous men”), which proves that the Roman heritage was integrated, but also of the terms such as proceres (“the large ones”).

Initially the noble francs are removable holders of loads to goodwill sovereigns, comparable with senior officials. However starting from 877, by the capitulary of Quierzy-on-Oise, the heredity of the fields (the “Honor S”) and of the loads is set up, giving birth gradually to the Féodalité. The capacity disaggregating the nobility ends up being identified with the local lord, the miles .

The nobility knows with the Middle Ages a ceaseless renewal because of the wars. In Brittany, of the 34 families having taken part in the Bataille of Bouvines (1214) only 4 to 5 still exist with second half of the 17th century.

The Flemish wars of Philippe Beautiful the at the end of the 13th century will carry a first shade to the military function of this nobility by its defeats against the Flemish communal troops, such as the battles of Courtrai known as “Battle of the gold Spurs” (July 11th 1302) where by derision Flemish exhibèrent like trophies the spurs of the killed French knights.

At the 14th century, the French nobility is seriously started by important military defeats (Poitiers, Azincourt) and is not long in being raised against the noble ones only it populates it judges inefficient, movements called Jacquerie. The war becomes more and more the business of professionals and mercenaries. Whereas the noble ones avoid entretuer with the combat to draw a ransom from their prisoners, the mercenaries are not encumbered any more of the “chivalrous” values.

At the 15th century the army professionnalise still more with the creation of the Companies of ordinance, and the call with the Round of applause and the Arrière-ban is done rare. Many small noble becomes Gentilhomme S countrymen whose newspaper of Gilles de Gouberville gives idea of the lifestyle.

Apart from the farm, more or less tolerated according to the provinces, the only activities not dérogeantes are the Verrerie and the activity of ironmaster. The Brittany authorizes the nobility known as “dormant”, the noble one can put to side its nobility, sometimes on several generations, to remake a financial health, a simple declaration is enough to find the integrity of its rights. To attract the nobility in the Compagnies of the Indies the king had to promulgate edicts of exemption.

In parallel the nobility between always more in the functions and loads with the service of the State. Remunerative functions and loads since the small offices of notary in the campaigns with the high positions in the Parliaments where at the Court.

As from the 16th century, in front of the needs for money of monarchy, a certain number of loads are opened with the Roturier S with a Anoblissement with the key - they were described as “cake of soap to unpleasant” (as the loads of secretary of the King). From this system was born the nobility known as of dress (the dress of the magistrates, in opposition to the old nobility - soldiers -).

The French nobility with the Middle Ages:

Of the feudal aristocracy to the nobility of Old Mode.

The difficulty of defining the nobility comes owing to the fact that social realities, policies and cultural of this population evolved/moved, changing the contents of the nobility, without changing nature it: an aristocracy dominating and framing the company and enjoying various privileges.

However, the idea that one is done of the nobility today is largely conditioned by the company of Old Mode, heiress of the medieval nobility. It is called the old nobility. However, if the second comes well from the first, the medieval company is not the Société of Old Mode, and the nobility cannot be defined in the Middle Ages as it is defined at the time modern.

Certain historians of the Middle Ages regard as noble any person carrying the titles of knight or rider (see Philippe Contamine). However the knighthood which appears around the 12th century, is in the beginning a population with the service of the big families heiresses of the Carolingian aristocracy and owner of land vast domains.

With 13th one observes a progressive fusion of the chivalrous and aristocratic values, in particular through the courtly romance. But this literature also testifies to social frustrations of the knights, still considered as servants of the aristocracy.

At the same time, files allowing to know the population " noble" or aristocratic of ecclesiastical origin and are written in Latin. The militate of the files are regarded as noble. The singular miles means Latin soldier. The nobility is thus primarily related to the feudal army. When at the 14th century, of the files seigneuriales reach us, the majority written in French, one also finds many lords. But they are definitely more numerous than in the Latin files of the previous century. Thus, one counts in Low-Maine (Mayenne) 13 families of miles at the 13th century, against more than 130 with 14th and 15th centuries.

Is it necessary to see there a major revival of the feudal aristocracy at this period?

In fact, one can distinguish among these lords various sociological nuances:

the " noble and powerful seigneur" is the heir to the miles Latin files.
the " lord of… " , rider or knight does not find an equivalent clear in the Latin files. It is however clearly a framework of feudality, enjoying the privilege the weapons, combatant in Poitiers (1356) or Orleans (1429). But can one qualify it the noble one?

If one cannot distinguish a nobility structured by a precise sociology, the medieval right can, undoubtedly, light us. The definition of the privileges of the nobility appears only under Louis XI after 1440. It is only at this moment that the crown regulates the access terms with the nobility and the privileges which she enjoys. Before that, the nobility is an irrefutable fact, a place in a company conferred by a row in the feudal hierarchy, and/or the proximity with a king through the combatant service, administrative or political. The cities of the north of France count many families as well enjoying the middle-class privileges and municipal functions, as of an aristocratic and feudal statute. The middle-class is not a statute derogating from the nobility up to that point. In addition, one finds, in many areas of France, families of peasants who, by the access to the land and buildings, reach at the end of one or two generations with the feudal aristocracy and thus with the combatant service. Philippe Contaminates, which considers that with 14th and 15th centuries any person is noble carrying the title of knight or rider, based its work on primarily military files. However, knight or rider is the titles of the feudal army. These riders and these knights are members of the feudal aristocracy. Is the feudal aristocracy noble? The sources of the seigneuriaux chartriers show that is not always true for this period. This is why, except for some very big families, the use of the noble term is very delicate for the medieval period and it is to better prefer that of aristocracy, while specifying ecclesiastical, feudal, military, etc to him

Another case does not leave ambiguity on the character peerage-book of a person, they are the cases of annoblissement by royal letter. In reward of rendered services certain members of the entourage of the king see anoblis, and this before even as the crown clearly defined the privileges of the nobility. The majority are originating middle-class families and, having been able to study the right, entered to the service of the king, more or less important loads. Their nobility is not always transmitted, because the following generations must be able to live noblement, i.e. to have strongholds, and to take part in the feudal army and/or the service of the king. Thus in the same way that one could become noble, while living noblement, one could lose his nobility while ceasing living noblement. The statute peerage-book or aristocratic is thus less one legal status, that a relatively moving social status.

The medieval world does not have sociological geography as clearly definite as the company of Old Mode. But it is well this feudal aristocracy, which, essentially and by a major worship of the chivalrous values, and service with the king constitutes the matrix first of the nobility of Old Mode.

The nobility of Old Mode

The failure of the Sling (1648-1658) mark end of the revolts peerage-books and the " domestication" the noble ones. However, the king always wants to be the " first gentleman of France" and the guard of the privileges of his subjects. The checking of the titles of nobility by Colbert (1662) mark the fence of the " second ordre" which one will not be able to reach any more but by one ennoblement in due form (up to that point, to live " noblement" was a sufficient criterion). The nobility is characterized by its special fiscal advantages (exemption of the size), policies (access to the assemblies of the provincial States), of career (in the army in particular), honorary (to surround the king at the Court; precedence) and legal (it is judged by a specific court: Parliament).

Upheaval of the nobility in Italy

Following the election of Mussolini the " says; duce" in Italy, and because this one feared not to have the support of the noble big families, the nobility undergoes a purification: it was indeed necessary to cooperate or undergo the consequences of them. Certain families, as that of the duchy of Piedmont cooperated but were forced to leave the country after the war, others, on the contrary, like the family del Fabbro, heiress of the throne of Italy and with the head of considerable fortunes, chose to leave the country and to however help resistance by financing it from France…, to date the majority could not find their imposing presences and titles of nobility…

The nobility elsewhere than in Occident

China

States of the Commonwealth

There exists a noble caste that certain castes (!) European also with usurpers of titles, those known as rehabilitated by purchase connect. That amounts acquiring of title (S) known as (S) fallen (S) in disuse commonly called title: Not having direct heir, the carrier of the title did not have a descent or that this one disappeared before or with him, title only recognized in all the Member States of the Commonwealth. Titrate acquired by administrative way and pécunière after searchs for possible descent not to risk an open conflict with respect to the possession of the title.

Japan

Polynesia

In Polynesia, the statute of tribal chief is often semi-hériditaire.

The nobility at the time contemporary in Europe

The situation of the nobility in France

Since the Revolution and thus the fall of the Old Mode, the nobility does not have any more specific rights in the authorities of the State and does not have any more any privilege, if not the right to carry the Titer of nobility which is an extension of the name, transmissible of wire father. By article 71 of the Charter, it is Louis XVIII itself which draws a feature on the Old Mode: “The old nobility, there reads one, takes again his titles. The new preserve them his. ” But this appearance of return to the past is accompanied by this precision: “The king makes the noble ones at will; but it grants only rows and honors to them, without any exemption of the loads and the duties of the company. ” Even the majorat created by Napoleon is initially removed (before being restored in 1817), because it is about a privilege whereas the Charter does not recognize any.

One can note that at the time of the official receptions, the presidency of the Republic honors its noble hosts their titles on the invitation cards, “privilege” only removed during the septennate of Valery Giscard d'Estaing.

Hierarchy of the titles of nobility

There was not a true hierarchy of the titles itself under the Old Mode. Were distinguished the royal family (king, queen, children and grandchildren of France) and the princes from blood. The only real distinction is then between “titrated” nobility known as - the title being that of Duc, when it is accompanied by the dignity of par by France and not titrated nobility. The titrated nobility was entitled to protocolar precedences of the other noble ones, for example a stool for the duchesses. The moving category of the princes known as “foreign”, great initially foreign chalk-linings then “naturalized” in France house of Clèves, house of Own way, family of Rohan, etc, sometimes recut that of the dukes and pars, sometimes came to be intercalated between princes of blood and dukes and pars.

The hierarchy of the families was done in particular on the basis of criterion such as:

the seniority of family (unmemorable nobility, chivalrous nobility of extraction, etc)
the illustration (characters being distinguished during their life)
the alliances and the relationships (quality of the married noble families)
the services
the way of life
the possessions

However, Napoleon by recreating a nobility of Empire, which is connected besides more with one hereditary titulature that with a nobility of blood, introduced a hierarchy of the titles inspired by the English system and who was maintained under the Restoration. We find by order ascending since: Knight, baron, Viscount, Count, Marquis, Duke and prince; the titles of Viscount and marquis not existing under the Empire were recreated after its fall and were integrated in the hierarchy.

Only one family member titrated: the elder one (that one names “chief of name and weapons”) has vocation to carry the family title. The juniors generally adopt the same title by intercalating their first name, between the title and the “name of ground” to which the title is attached. It is a title, known as “of courtesy”, deprived of value peerage-book legal and reserved for a society man use. Thus the count Hugues de Guitaut carries a title of courtesy, whereas the count de Guitaut carries the territorial title. Consequently, the relevant distinction relates to the nature of the title carried, knowing that the heading of the title does not prejudge of anything the dignity of the stronghold to which it is attached: a count of Toulouse was more powerful than a Duke of Anjou, and the Duke of Aquitaine was also Count de Poitiers…

Ring

Certain fields of the public life or economic are proportionally surreprésentés by people resulting from the nobility: many frameworks in the diplomatic corps, the army and other sectors of the administration, like in the high finance. One finds some as more as elsewhere in the public relations, certain cultural fields, like the conservation of the inheritance and even the fashion, where the port of an aristocratic name is regarded as an advantage and a pledge of good manners. The noble ones have sometimes a rich social life with an aim of supporting their networks of sociability and mutual aid. When they have financial means, they are often côtoient and are invited at the time of dinners, of balls or rally. Most crested of them evenings with the profit of a charity work organize, with an import duty very expensive and a tombola. There in addition exist associations open exclusively to noble people, as in France the ANF (Association of mutual aid of the French nobility), in Italy the CNI (Body of the Nobility Italian), in Spain the AHFE (Association of Hidalgos has Fuero de España), the ANRB (Association of the Nobility of the Kingdom of Belgium) in Belgium. Like some military orders of canonical right such as the Order of Malta or that of Holy Sepulchre.

The signet ring

It is carried to France by the men with annular of the left hand (with alliance if they are married), contrary to the use in other European countries where it is carried to auricular of the right hand (Great Britain, Belgium…) or left (Swiss and Belgium). On the other hand, the women always carry it to the auricular one.

There exist several models: oval, barrel, round, square, etc The armorial bearings of the family are represented there and “are stamped”, i.e. surmounted:

is of a crown if the family has a Titer of nobility (the shape of these crowns varies according to the title carried),
is of a heaume (helmet) of rider, symbol of the knighthood, for those which do not have a title of nobility. Nevertheless, much of them add today a crown to their weapons.

All the noble ones not-titrated are riders, but this “title” does not go. On the other hand, these noble not titrated is entitled to the obsolete name of “Lord” followed by the only patronym for the household head, and of the first name and the name for the other family members.

The Roturier S (nonnoble people) can have on their signet ring only one simple ecu or their initial under penalty of usurpation of nobility if they post a heaume or a crown. However, the rule according to which the heaume and it crown are reserved for the forever followed nobility. In the same way, usurpation of title really punished forever. In Switzerland all the citizens can carry surmounted armorial bearings of a heaume.

The signet ring can go in hand-kissing (point of the ecu towards the end of the fingers) or in brawls (point of the ecu towards the interior of the hand). It is increasingly current to carry it in brawls . However in France the noble families rather follow the tradition wanting that only the people whose heart is taken carry it thus, showing thus that they are not free.

And if to carry a signet ring is not pledge of nobility, not to carry some is not pledge of Roture, because much the noble ones do not carry from there, generally by discretion or refusal to be catalogued like such.

The particle

The particle is not a sign of nobility. Indeed, of the families “commoners” can have names with particle either since always, or by recent addition (in particular since the introduction of the Third Republic), and conversely of many noble families have names without particle (approximately 10% in France), although sometimes being titrated besides (for example the family Salmon exit of the nobility of Empire with the title of baron).

To be noble in France

It is advisable to recall that the particle is not the mark of a noble ascent, the majority of the names with particle are not noble even if 90% of noble carry a particle. In France, the individuals who recognize themselves noble retain neither row nor to be able of their ascent. They stick to mythical values which do not have authority.

Let us recall that France, unlike the United Kingdom is a republic and that for this reason the nobility has existence only symbolic system, without privilege and legal status. For this reason, the concepts reported here define the vision of a body which still feels to exist according to the rules that it defines for itself. The titles as for them are always of use and when they are regular, they exist juridically like an extension of the name, although juridically they do not confer any privilege. Contrary to the proper names, they are not concerned with the reform of the civil code of 2005, because “ the title does not obey the rules of the civil code but the duty applicable to the act of creation of the title ”.

European monarchies

The titles of nobility exist still today in the European Monarchie S, either because they are attached to the history of the royal families, or like rewards for services rendered to the nation. Today one observes a distinction between the old nobility and the contemporary nobility: the first goes back sometimes to times known as “unmemorable”, second gained its titles (often hereditary as in Belgium or Spain) by its action in the army, high the Finance (Empain), the Politique (Thatcher), the Science S (Alexander Fleming, Dirk Frimout), the Art S (Dali, Ensor, Gros, Sean Connery, Elton John, Joaquín Rodrigo) or the Sport S (Eddy Merckx, Sebastian Coe , Ellen MacArthur). The sovereigns British, Spanish, Belgian, Dutch, Luxemburgish, Swedish, Danish, and Norwegian, as well as the families Imperial, Royal, Princely and Ducal not reigning, can still grant titles of nobility, and those are limited to the rank of knight, baron, Viscount, count or marquis (one does not create any more - except extremely rare exceptions of dukes or princes).

Nobility in Belgium

In the Kingdom of Belgium the titles of nobility are honorary. These titles are granted by the King under the terms of article 113 of the Constitution. The king grants these favors with the counter-signature and under the responsibility of a Minister. They do not give in right any favor, privilege or favors. The title has a bond with the patronymic name and is recorded years the instrument of the Civil statue.

The constitution nor the law do not specify the criteria used for the Anoblissement. However the AR of 1978 recognizes that the merits cumulated on several generations can found the attribution of a hereditary title.

It should be noted that at the time of the constitutional debates Sirs Seron and Jottrand explicitly questioned the founded good of the titles the noble ones and their hereditary feature. (Discussions of the National congress of Belgium 1830-1831)

Lawyers also blamed the democratic character of the titles of nobility insofar as they constitute an honorary accessory of the patronym and allow that which carries it to be located in a social hierarchy.

Blaise Pascal had written besides: “That the nobility is a great advantage which as of eighteen years puts a man on the way, known and respected as another could have deserved at fifty years. They is thirty years gained without sorrow.”

The sociological reflection of Pierre Bourdieu on the tastes and lifestyles published in its book the distinction 1972 also applies to a certain nobility. Distinction means the concept of refinement as much as that of separation. This sociological glance calling into question the mechanisms even of creation and survival of the nobility could not be readily accepted by the members of this microphone-company.

In practice the nobility enjoys nowadays a certain form of being able and tacit influence. In the years' 80, the journalist near the public office of French-speaking radio-television RTBF, Gerard de Selys Longchamps made a study on the presence of the nobility in the 3.500 principal Belgian companies. Ten percent of these companies were directed by people belonging to the nobility. It is about an high percentage, when it is known that the nobility accounts for only 0,2% of the total population of Belgium.

The baron Gerard de Selys Longchamp finds that the transmissibility of the titles of nobility is a biological ineptitude. “I find improper that an individual is, before even its birth, predestined to play a part in the fate of a nation. According to me, similar design takes part of theories pseudo-scientists which justify racism while being hung up again with the principle according to which certain people are genetically higher than others.”

The nobility says in addition it even as its state implies especially obligations. The noble ones defend and maintain with the honor values traditional morals. These values are the religion, the family, the King and the Fatherland, and the concern of the public property. Moreover they preach like ethical values: honesty, fidelity and respect of the word given, direction of the duty, help with next while starting with the family members, respect of the moral and material heritage transmitted by the parents and the ancestors.

To honor the favors peerage-books acquired or inherited and of to remain worthy, the noble ones must, in this vision, to tend towards a certain excellence. This prospect also requires that the noble one adopt an attitude of courtesy and modesty in the behavior and the words.

It is estimated that in Belgium 20 to 25.000 people carry a title of nobility what accounts for 0,25% of the population. This distribution is however unequal between French-speaking people and Dutch-speaking. This disproportion and other considerations led to the installation into 1978 of a Commission of opinion on the favors peerage-books. (AR of January 31st, 1978) January 15th, 2002 a private bill was submitted to the Senate aiming at repealing various provisions relating to the nobility. It was null and void by dissolution of the rooms in April 2003.

There exist four modes of acquisition of the nobility: by descent, by concession, recognition and admission or incorporation. The titles are fixed by the law of 1838.

Descent: the children of noble will carry this title if they meet the conditions sometimes related to the title such as primogeniture and sex.
Concession: following the attribution of a favor peerage-book by the king
Recognition: by the validation of an old title to which the citizen can legitimately claim.
Admission: by recognition of a foreign title of nobility.

Each year the king annoblit a score of Belgians of various horizons of the company. In spite of a recent accent on the balance of the women and the men in these nominations, the last lists comprise less women. By postive discrimination the women are promoted with titles higher than the men. In addition the right of the nobility does not allow that the women transmit their state or titrates of nobility to their children. These principles dating from the Old Mode are still into force today and are disputed by the people and the authorities in load of the promotion of the equality of the women and the men. For a few decades it has seemed that a new attention is paid to recognize the merits. Whereas formerly the industrial activity, political, economic prevailed today of the achievements in the intellectual fields, artistic, sporting or social their authors qualify. Thus, by royal decree of December 20th, 2002, the personal capacity of Viscount was granted to the Lieutenant-colonel Aviator Frank De Winne, astronaut.

Since February 10th, 2003 it was instituted only one commission charged to submit to the king a list eligible names of people following exceptional services. It is about the Commission of opinion on the concessions of favors peerage-books and the granting of honorary distinctions of high rank. This commission functions under the responsibility of the Foreign Minister. The king however has the right to allot favors peerage-books apart from those proposed by the aforementioned commission. One can think that the title Count to concede in 1999 in Patrick, Raoul and Henri d' Udekem d' Acoz respectively father and paternal uncles of Mathilde, marries of prince Philippe concerns this right.

In practice the Protocol department of the Ministry for Foreign Affairs counts a cell P&S5 charged with the relative questions to the Belgian nobility and the matters relating to the National orders. It acts as secretary of the commission named higher like for the Council of the Belgian Nobility. The fourteen members of this commission (nine men and five women in 2007) are named for a four years renewable term once provided that the age limit 70 years is not exceeded. During their nomination, the members are classified in the French linguistic group or the Dutch linguistic group.

Each year, the commission tries to draw up in a “balanced” way a list of the possible recipients, by taking account of the language, the area, the community activities and the sex of the candidates. It also tries to arrive at a balance with regard to the gradation of the titles. The realization of this balance can certainly be spread out over several years.

The names of the people on whom a favor peerage-book is conferred are published each year with the Monitor, official journal of the Belgian state, before the national festival. A list of all the Belgians annoblis by the king is available on Wikipedia in Nééerlandais.

Between 1815 and 1957, there were in Belgium 1.277 more clans peerage-books. During the period of 1830 to 1857,469 families received a title. 104 of them are extinct. At the end of the years 1950 there were 788 more families noble. Since 1960 approximately 400 people and families received favors peerage-books.

There exists a directory of the Belgian Nobility, an Association of the Nobility of the Kingdom of Belgium (ANRB) and the Carnet Society man and High Life of Belgium of private initiatives which publish against payment or subscription the names and addresses and/or civil and festive events of the high society.

The version Dutchwoman of Wikipedia comprises

a good article on the Belgian nobility * a list of all the Belgians annoblis by the king:
a list of the noble families of Belgium:

See too

References

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