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The term prince (the female form is princess), from the Latin root princeps, when used for a member of the highest aristocracy, has several fundamentally different meanings — one generic, and several types of titles. Historical background and the two main notions of princehood The Latin word Princeps, kin to "primus" and "first among equals", was established as the title of the more or less informal leader of the senate some centuries BC. Emperor Augustus established the formal position of monarch on basis of principate, not dominion. He also tasked his grandsons as summer rulers of the city when most of the government were on holiday in country or attending religious rituals, and for that task, granted the title Princeps. In Latin-based languages, Prince has two basic meanings: it could be a substantive title and a courtesy title. Substantive princes are in some cases reigning monarchs, and in some cases heads of their noble house. Courtesy princes may be members of a royal or a highly noble family, sharing their title with several relatives in similar position. Many other languages have (at least) two separate words for these two distinct meanings. Abstract notion The original but least common use is as a generic (descriptive, not formal) term, one originating in the application of the Latin term princeps (i.e. the Emperor, or generalized: ruler) from Roman (actually Byzantine) law and classical "ideology" to the European feudal society. In this sense, it can in principle be used for any ruling (hereditary or elective) monarch, regardless of his title and protocolary rank. Example: The early Renaissance title of Niccolò Machiavelli's book Il Principe (The Prince) attests and exemplifies the use of the word prince in this meaning. Prince did not come into official, or formalized, use in Europe until quite late, i.e some three-to-four centuries ago. All medieval rulers had other, more formalized titles in use, either in their native language or in Latin. All findings of the title "prince" used for a lord of a territory before the 13th century are either translations of native titles to Latin or the term used in a more general sense than as the formal only title of the potentate in question. Most of the medieval feudal magnates that now or then are accorded the prince title, have actually formally then been "Lord" of the estate that is mentioned as principality. Almost all lands described as medieval principalities in feudal societies, have been so-called allodial properties, i.e not under feudal obligations but inalienably the landowner's inheritable real-estate. This explanation for origins of French principalities has been supplied by heraldry and genealogy research *. An example of such has been Prince of Dombes. Such principalities tended to be small. Presumably, Monaco is an example of such that has survived to today, by evolving into a sovereign state. The descriptor prince has been more like a common category shared by several titles of a few different levels. All local "rulers" of feudal society from the level of count upwards were regarded as princes. This is attested by even yet today surviving styles for e.g counts and marquesses that are "high and noble princes" (cf Royal and noble styles). From 16th century onwards, European monarchs quite widely granted count (as well as marquess and duke) titles that were not followed by an actual county (territory). This led to official recognition that ancient count dynasties of the Holy Roman Empire were much more true rulers, reigning lords, than the new class of persons being holder of equivalent title of honour. The category overall term prince was utilized: the HRR concept gefuersteter grafschaft (clumsy translation in use has been "princely count") got invented to denote those old, territory-owning titles in 1700's at latest - that was no new grant, it was an explication of existing position and status by a new term. Princely counts (including the various "gefuersteter" margraves, landgraves, pfalzgraves etc) soon started to use the title Fuerst (prince) more than they used the now lowly-sounding count any longer. Dukes apparently did not feel the same (actually, title of honour dukes were not created in bulk anywhere, and the inflation was not huge), and were more satisfied with not inventing a new titulary (in early 1800's though, reigning dukes tended to desire titulary of grand duke). Thus, a new, more or less formalized class of nobility had been born - to rank clearly over the new creations of count and marquess titles, and just under the level of dukes. The following parts of this article are only concerned with the usages as a formal nobiliary (or analogous) title. Genealogical Princes, by birth or equivalent A Prince of the Blood is a male member of a ruling house (imperial or royal family et cetera). In some monarchies, however, this appellation is a title in its own right, of more restricted use; for instance, as in the French Prince du Sang, restricted to paternal royal descendants. Depending on national tradition, the appellation may have restricted scope, often no further than one or two generations after the monarch and/or the line of succession; or it may be allowed to run into very high numbers, as is often the case in oriental dynasties. Generally, when such a prince takes a (royal, imperial, etc.) throne he stops being styled a mere "Prince" when he becomes the ruling (or at least titular) monarch, King, Emperor, Grand Duke or one of many other ruler-styles, usually of higher rank, except in the case of a ruler styled "Prince" (see below) of a principality (idem: "Princess" becoming a Queen). In these systems, a prince can be: Although the definition above is the one that is most commonly understood, there are also different systems: depending on country, epoch and translation other meanings of "Prince" are possible. Over the centuries foreign-language titles such as Italian principe, French prince, German Fürst, Russian kniaz, etc., are often rendered as "prince" in English. Many princely styles and titles are used in various monarchies, often changing with a new dynasty, even altered during one's rule, especially in conjunction with the style of the ruler. Indeed, various princely titles are derived from the ruler's, such as (e)mirza(da), khanzada, nawabzada, sahibzada, shahzada, sultanzada (all using the Persian patronymic suffix -zada, "son, descendant"; or (maha)rajkumar from (Maha)Raja and Kolano ma-ngofa 'son of the ruler' on Tidore, again patronymic; or even from a unique title, e.g. mehtarjao. However, often such style is used in a way that may surprise as not apparently logical, such as adopting a style for princes of the blood which is not pegged to the ruler's title, but rather continues an old tradition, asserts genealogical descendency from and/or claim of political succession to a more lofty monarchy, or simply is assumed 'because we can'. Independently of such traditions, some dynasties more or less frequently awarded apanages to princes of the blood, typically carrying a feudal type title (often as such of lower protocollary rank than their birth rank) and some income.
Confusingly, there are instances where a title suggests close kinship but actually only expresses a similar position in the line of succession, e.g. Filius Augusti 'son of the Augustus' in the Roman Tetrarchy. Furthermore, terms of kinship are sometimes used as a protocollary style, even for biologically unrelated digitaries, not unlike the practice of members of the clergy being addressed as 'father' and addressing laymen as 'my son/daughter', or even several ecclesiastical titles originally meaning father (notably Pope, Abbot, partially Patriarch) or brother (e.g. Fra). Princes of principalities Other princes (or the same, see below) derive their title not from their dynastic position as such (which must often be shared with brothers, etc), but from their claim to a unique title of formal princely rank, one named after a specific principality, not after the suzerain/sovereign state, even if they belong to one. Princes as ruling monarchs A prince or princess who is the head of state in a monarchy is a reigning prince. Nominal principalities If the prince(ss)'s state carries no other specific, formal (rank) title, their domain, typically smaller than a kingdom, is called a "principality". This can be a regular nation, even sovereign, but his protocolary ranking is below a grand duke. Presently the last sovereign cases, all tiny states in Europe, are: not counting the co-principality of Andorra (between Spain and France). In the same tradition/vein some micronation 'monarchs' establish themselves as (usually merely unilaterally declared, surreal) 'princes'. Example: Prince Roy of Sealand Generic use The term "prince" has also been used to describe, in languages like English for lack of a more specific word for this concept, the head of a feudal (vassal) state of lower — generally peerage — rank ruling in his own right, not in a mere gubernatorial capacity; for example, it has been used as a synonym for duke at times. In German, such a prince is also called "Fürst" (capitals obligatory for German nouns), and there are equivalents in most languages in the tradition of the Holy Roman Empire, where these abounded, mainly Kleinstaaterei, while "Prinz" was used for cadet members of reigning royal or princely families, and also for the cadets of some mediatized families, and did not imply any sovereignty. The female forms are Fürstin (usually for the wife of a Fürst) and "Prinzessin". There are equivalents in most languages in the tradition of the Holy Roman Empire, where these abounded, mainly Kleinstaaterei. Princes tasting the throne 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 of Viceroy (though these offices must not be reserved for members of the ruling dynasty, in some traditions they are, possibly even reflected in the style of the office, e.g. prince-lieutenant in Luxemburg, repeatedly filled by the Crown prince before the grand duke's abdication), or in form of consortium imperii; some have even a practice in which the Monarch can formally abdicate in favor of his Heir, and yet retain a kingly title with executive power, e.g. Maha Upayuvaraja Sanskrit for 'Great Joint King' in Cambodia, though sometimes also conferred on powerful regents who exercised executive powers. Titular royal princedoms One type of prince belongs in both the genealogical royalty and the territorial princely styles. A number of nobiliary territories, carrying with them the formal style of prince, are not (or no longer) actual (political, administrative, etc.) principalities, but are maintained as essentially honorary titles (though some land, income etc. may be attached to them), and are awarded traditionally (or occasionally) to princes of the blood, as an appanage. This is done in particular for the heir to the throne (creating a de facto primogeniture), who is often awarded a particular principality in each generation, so that it becomes synonymous with the first in line for the throne, even if there is no automatic legal mechanism to do so. Examples:
Some states have an analogous tradition, where they confer another princely title, such as the British 'royal duchies' (for various royal princes), and formerly the French Dauphin (again, through de facto primogeniture). Both systems may concur, as in the kingdom Belgium, where "Prince of Liège=Luik" is one of the traditional titles for royal sons (alongside Duke of Brabant, the highest title, being handed down through primogeniture if it is not yet taken; Count of Flanders is similarly used for the next in the succession order). Titular Princedoms below royalty In several countries of the European continent, e.g. in France, prince can be an aristocratic title of someone having a high rank of nobility in chief of a geographical place, but no actual princedom, and without any necessary link to Royalty, which makes comparing it with e.g. the British system of "royal" princes difficult. Example: Princess de Polignac (France) This can even occur in a monarchy within which an identical 'real' feudal title exists, such as Fürst in German; e.g. Prince Bismarck in the empire of reunited Germany, under the Hohenzollern dynasty. France Kings of France started to create aristocrats as princes of someplace from 16th century onwards. The title was placed between marquess and duke in rank (counties were raised to princedoms, then some princedoms to duchies). Examples: Prince of Mercoeur, prince of Tingry Poland In Poland, the titles of prince dated either to the times before the Union of Lublin or were granted to Polish nobles by foreign kings, as the law in Poland forbade king from dividing nobility by granting them heraditory titles. For more information, see The Princely Houses of Poland. Russia In the Russian system, knyaz (translated as "prince"), is the highest degree of nobility, and sometimes, represents a mediatization of an older native dynasty which became subject to the Russian imperial dynasty. Rurikid branches used the knyaz title also after they were succeeded by the Romanovs as the Russian imperial dynasty. Example: Prince Potemkin Prince in both meanings in various (western tradition) languages In each case, the title is followed (when available) by the female form and then (not always available, and obviously rarely applicable to a prince of the blood without a principality) the name of the territorial 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 linguistic family; some even fail to follow the same logic for certain other aristocratic titles): Oriental and other native counterparts The above is essentially the story of European, Christian dynasties and other nobility, also 'exported' to their colonial and other overseas territories and otherwise adopted by rather westernized societies elsewhere (e.g. Haiti). Applying these essentially western concepts, and terminology, to other cultures even when they don't do so, is common but in many respects rather dubious. Different (historical, religious...) backgrounds have also begot significantly different dynastic and nobiliary systems, which are poorly represented by the 'closest' western analogy. It therefore makes sense to treat these per civilization. Islamic traditions Far East (Confucianist, Hindu, Buddhist, etc) Cambodja, Vietnam, Laos Africa Except for the Arabized, Muslim North and some other monarchies that simply adopted Islamic practices, or in cases where a Western model was copied (e.g. Bokassa I's short-lived Central-African Empire in Napoleonic fashion), usually the styles, or even the systems, are completely independent or almost. Ecclesiastic and other religious princes 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). Furthermore, certain religious offices may be considered of princely rank, and/or imply comparable temporal rights. See Prince of the Church for the main Christian versions. Also in Christianity, Jesus Christ is sometimes referred to as the Prince of Peace, and Satan can be called the Prince of Darkness. See also | |||||||
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