Who is superior - a count or a prince? What is the difference between a prince and a count?

Progress in technology in a short time has changed our world very much. Many concepts that were in use a hundred years ago today are the property of the past. For example, the question: "Who is superior - a count or a prince?" Our ancestors would have answered without hesitation.

Nevertheless, many of us, he can pose a dead end. Indeed, the inhabitants of the 21st century are no stranger to getting entangled in noble titles, let alone explaining how the prince differs from the count.

The appearance of the estate nobility

The social structure of medieval society was clearly regulated. Each person from birth took a certain step in it, and the transition from one estate to another was practically impossible. At the same time, in the Middle Ages, there was a social hierarchy that regulated the way of life and relations within the estates.

The nobility appeared in Europe in the process of feudalism, when it became necessary to regularize the relations between the suzerains and their vassals. The duties of the latter were to protect the interests and life of the feudal lord, from whom they received possession of flax. Thus, a medieval nobleman is a warrior, ready at the call of the suzerain to join his army.

Over time, economic relations in society have changed, and with them the role of the nobility. For example, the earl - the title, which in the early Middle Ages denoted a major feudal ruler, who had full power in his county. However, after the formation of centralized states, possession of it indicated only a belonging to the higher aristocracy-the aristocracy.

Titled Medieval Europe's Noblemen

As already noted, each estate had a strict hierarchical structure. Thus, the nobility was divided into a paid and generic, as well as a titled and not having titles. The last group in all countries was the most numerous.

The social belonging of the tribal nobles was determined by the very fact of being born into a noble family, while the salted were part of the privileged class due to personal merit or impeccable public service.

The titled nobles were at the very top of the hierarchical pyramid, giving birth only to monarchs and members of the royal family. Princes, dukes, counts, marquises, barons, viscounts made up the feudal aristocracy in medieval Western Europe.

But the prince - the title, which is mainly used by the noble estate in the Slavic states. In importance, it corresponded to the West European prince or duke.

The Origin of Noble Titles

For the prescription of the years today it is impossible to say with certainty when and how the honorary titles of the nobles appeared. Suppose the graph is a title that researchers associate with the Latin word comes. So in the late Roman Empire, the highest state dignitaries were called. Today in the Romance languages this title is written as conte (Italian), conde (Spanish) and comte (French).

Tribes of the Franks during the early Middle Ages were called by the counts of the leaders of the rural community. Several centuries later, under King Karl Lysom, their possessions and title along with the right of management began to be inherited.

Slavic princes were originally the head of the tribes, and only after the lapse of centuries this honorary title began to be associated with the births that controlled a certain territory, which had the right to inheritance.

Thus, one can notice something common in the titles "prince" and "count". The difference was originally geographic rather. In Western Europe, the word count was used, and in the East and Central - the prince. Only over time, these titles acquired a different meaning.

The Petrovsky Table of Ranks

The Russian nobility was formed in the XII century on the basis of courtyard people who served in the boyars or princes. They performed various judicial and administrative functions along with the duty to perform military service in the prince's army.

Peter I, within the framework of the struggle against the ancestral boyar aristocracy, introduced into the everyday life new noble titles borrowed from the countries of Western Europe. So, in the XVIII century, along with princes appeared in Russia, graphs and barons. These and other innovations were recorded in the Table of Ranks - a list of civil, court and military ranks.

It took some time until the subjects of the Russian autocrat figured out a new hierarchical structure and could understand who was superior - a count or a prince. The last title existed in Russia from time immemorial, and by the time of the reign of Peter I in Russia there were 47 princely families.

Title Awards

Petrovsky reforms put an end to the aristocratic hierarchy, based on the nobility. Since that time the princes could become not only the descendants of the Rurik and the Gediminovich. The elevation to princely or count's dignity now depended on the will of the emperor.

The first in Russia, even before the adoption of the Table of Ranks, the title of Count was Boris Sheremetev - Field Marshal and Companion of Peter the Great. However, not all of the successors of the reform king were generous with new titles. Catherine II erected in the count's dignity mainly their favorites.

To the new title there was applied a certain treatment: your excellency, your honor. It is noteworthy that the princes in the XVIII century. Have not yet enjoyed this privilege. For this reason, to the question: "Who is superior - a count or a prince?" Russian nobleman at that time, most likely would answer: "Earl". In the next century, this title was received mainly by ministers or those who had previously been awarded the Order of St. Andrew.

What distinguishes the prince from the Count

In the XIX century, the emperors no longer stinted on new awards. Therefore, by the end of the century, there were 310 counts and 250 princely families in Russia. In exceptional cases, one noble was allowed to have several titles. For example, Suvorov A.V. for his invaluable services to the Fatherland was erected both in the count's and in princely dignity.

So, who is superior - a count or a prince? In short, the holders of the last title stood on the hierarchical ladder a step higher. The prince could become only one who had already been elevated to the dignity of the Count.

This state of affairs was characteristic not only of the Russian nobility. As mentioned above, in Western Europe the title of a duke or a prince corresponded to the princely title, which occupied the highest level on an aristocratic ladder.