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This article is about the title of nobility. For the band, see Marquess (band).
"Marchesa" redirects here. For the fashion label, see Marchesa (brand).
"Marquis" redirects here. For other uses, see Marquis (disambiguation).
A marquess (pronounced /ˈmɑrkwɪs/) or marquis (/mɑrˈkiː/) is a nobleman of hereditary rank in various European monarchies and some of their colonies. The term is also used to render equivalent oriental styles as in imperial China and Japan. In the British peerage it ranks below a duke and above an earl. On the continent it is usually equivalent where a cognate title exists. A woman with the rank of marquess, or the wife of a marquess, is a marchioness (in British usage), (pronounced /ˌmɑrʃəˈnɛs/) or marquise (in Europe, pronounced /mɑrˈkiːz/).
[edit] Marquesses in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth[edit] Peerage of EnglandThe Marquessate of Winchester (created in 1551) is the oldest English (and British) Marquessate still in existence, and as a result, the holder of the title is considered the "Premier Marquess of England". He is the only English Marquess, all other English Marquesses are Dukes who use their title of Marquess as a subsidiary title[1]. [edit] Peerage of The United KingdomUnlike the continent, in England (later Britain, ultimately the UK) the monarchy is the only authority capable of awarding hereditary titles. It managed to keep a tight grip on aristocratic titles, so the ranks of the peerage still correspond fairly neatly to the wealth of those who bear titles. Thus, there are currently only 34 marquessates (see List). The first marquess in England was Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford, who was created Marquess of Dublin by Richard II on 1 December 1385. On 13 October 1386, the patent of this marquessate was recalled, and Robert de Vere was raised to Duke of Ireland. John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, the second legitimate son of John of Gaunt, was raised to the second marquessate as Marquess of Dorset in September 1397. In 1399, he was disgraced, and the king revoked his marquessate. The Commons later petitioned Henry IV for his restoration but the king objected stating "the name of marquess is a strange name in this realm". From that period the title appears to have been dormant till the reign of Henry VI, when it was revived in 1442. The only woman to be created a marquess in her own right was Anne Boleyn, who was created Marquess of Pembroke in preparation for her marriage to Henry VIII. The investiture ceremony was held at Windsor Castle on September 1, 1532. The title was always more exclusive than that of an Earl. In the late 19th. and in the 20th. century many Viceroys of India were made marqueses after their resignation. Some of the German relatives of King George V were made Marquesses in the Peerage of Great-Britain after their denouncing of their German princely titles in 1917. Prince Louis of Battenberg, the princely head of the Battenburg family became the first Marquess of Milford Haven in the peerage of the United Kingdom. [edit] Forms of addressA British marquess is formally styled "The Most Honourable The Marquess of [X]" and informally styled "Lord [X]', and his wife "Lady [X]". As with dukes, all sons bear the courtesy style "Lord Forename [Surname]" and all daughters bear the courtesy style "Lady Forename [Surname]". This courtesy style for the eldest son, however, is often trumped by a subsidiary title of his father, such as earl or viscount, which is used instead (especially for signing documents, the signature being only the name of the title, [X]). This form of signature is true for all peers, including peers by courtesy. For example, the Marquess of Salisbury would sign his name merely "Salisbury". A marquess by courtesy, however (who would always be the heir to a dukedom, since the courtesy title of an heir must always be at least one rank below that of the peer), does not enjoy the style of "Most Honourable", but is merely known as the Marquess of [X]. The genuine marquess as a peer, however, is always the "Most Honourable the Marquess of [X]", to differentiate a marquess by courtesy (i.e., the heir to a dukedom) from a marquess in his own right. The spelling of the title in Scotland is very often the "marquis" variation, particularly when the title was created prior to the formation of the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. [edit] CoronetA British marquess is entitled to a coronet bearing eight strawberry leaves (three visible) and four silver balls (or pearls) around the rim (two visible). The actual coronet is worn mostly on certain ceremonial occasions, but a marquis can bear his coronet of rank on his coat of arms above the shield. [edit] Marquesal titles in other European languages
In Italy the equivalent modern rank (as opposed to margravio) is that of marchese, the wife of whom is a marchesa, a good example of how several languages adopted a new word derived from marquis for the modern style, thus distinguishing it from the old "military" margraves. Even where neither title was ever used domestically, such duplication to describe foreign titles can exist. [edit] Germanic languages
[edit] Romance languages
[edit] Slavonic and Baltic languages
[edit] Other languages
[edit] Outside EuropeVarious European monarchies created titles of various ranks, including marquess, in chief of "titles" (estates, or simply the names of places or regions) in their colonial territories overseas, e.g., in Spanish and South America, regardless whether the ennobled families resided there. [edit] Equivalent non-Western titlesLike other major Western noble titles, marquess or marquis is sometimes used to render certain titles in non-Western languages with their own traditions, even though they are, as a rule, historically unrelated and thus hard to compare. However, they are considered "equivalent" in relative rank. This is the case with:
[edit] See also
[edit] Notes^ Although the vast majority of marquessates are named after places, and hence their holders are known as the "Marquess of X", a very few of them are named after surnames (even if not the bearer's own), and hence their holders are known as the "Marquess X". In either case, he is still informally known as "Lord X", regardless whether there is an of in his title, and it is always safe to style him so. [edit] Sources and references
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