Medieval Aristocracy Titles

The titles of the medieval aristocracy were a complex system of ranks and dignities that defined the hierarchy of the noble class. The titles were derived from a variety of sources — Roman, Germanic, and ecclesiastical — and they varied considerably from region to region. The titles reflected the military, political, and administrative functions of the aristocracy, and they were an important part of the social identity of the noble class. Understanding the titles of the medieval aristocracy is essential for understanding the structure of medieval society, the relationships between kings and their great lords, and the dynamics of medieval politics.

The standard reference is the Dictionnaire de la France médiévale (ed. J. Favier, 1993) and the older Recueil des actes des ducs de Normandie (1911–). The page below uses both, and the surviving charters and the great chronicles (the Histoire des ducs de Normandie of Benoît de Sainte-Maure, the Gesta Philippi Augusti of Rigord) as primary material.

The Duke

The duke (from the Latin dux, leader) was the highest title of the medieval aristocracy. The title was originally the title of the military leader of a province, and it was used in the late Roman period to designate the commanders of the frontier armies. In the early medieval period, the title was used by the Merovingian and Carolingian kings to designate the governors of the major provinces, and it was gradually adopted by the great lords of the period as a hereditary title.

The dukes of the High Middle Ages were the great lords of the major provinces — the Duke of Normandy, the Duke of Aquitaine, the Duke of Burgundy, the Duke of Brittany, the Duke of Gascony, the Duke of Swabia, the Duke of Saxony, the Duke of Bavaria, the Duke of Lancaster, the Duke of York, and many others. The dukes were typically independent of the king in their own territories, and they often exercised the rights of sovereignty — coinage, justice, war — within their duchies. The relationship between the duke and the king was complex and often conflictual, and the dukes were often a source of rebellion and instability in the kingdom.

The Marquis or Marquess

The marquis (from the Germanic mark, border) or marquess was originally the lord of a march — a border region between two kingdoms or between a kingdom and a non-Christian territory. The march was typically a region of military importance, and the marquess had a special responsibility for the defense of the border and for the administration of the frontier region. The marquess was typically a great lord with extensive powers in his territory, and he was often a key figure in the defense of the kingdom against external enemies.

The marquesses of the High Middle Ages included the Marquess of Montferrat in Italy, the Marquess of Brandenburg in Germany, the Marquess of Cornwall in England, the Marquess of Barcelona in Spain, and many others. The marquess was typically lower in rank than the duke, but he was often comparable in wealth and power. The Marquess of Montferrat, for example, was a major figure in the politics of northern Italy, and the Marquess of Brandenburg was a major figure in the politics of the Holy Roman Empire.

The Count

The count (from the Latin comes, companion) was originally the companion of the emperor or the king, and the count was typically the governor of a county — a territorial unit of the kingdom. The count was originally an administrative official who was appointed by the king, but the title gradually became hereditary, and the counts of the High Middle Ages were typically independent lords who governed their counties in their own right.

The counts of the High Middle Ages included the Count of Toulouse, the Count of Champagne, the Count of Flanders, the Count of Anjou, the Count of Barcelona, the Count of Holland, the Count of Hainaut, the Count of Savoy, and many others. The counts were typically great lords with extensive territories and considerable power, and they were often comparable in wealth and prestige to the dukes and marquesses. The Count of Champagne, for example, was the lord of one of the most prosperous regions of France, and the Count of Flanders was the lord of one of the most urbanized regions of Europe.

The Viscount

The viscount (from the Latin vicecomes, deputy count) was originally the deputy of the count, and the viscount was typically the governor of a sub-unit of the county — a viscounty or a vice-county. The viscount was typically a lesser lord than the count, and the viscounty was typically a smaller territory than the county. The viscount gradually became a hereditary title in many regions, and the viscounts of the High Middle Ages were typically independent lords who governed their viscounties in their own right.

The viscounts of the High Middle Ages included the Viscount of Limoges, the Viscount of Béziers, the Viscount of Narbonne, the Viscount of Turenne, the Viscount of Limoges, the Viscount of Béarn, and many others. The viscounts were typically lesser lords than the counts, but they could be major figures in their own right. The Viscount of Béarn, for example, was a major figure in the politics of southern France, and the Viscount of Turenne was a major figure in the politics of central France.

The Baron

The baron (from the Germanic baro, man) was originally a tenant-in-chief of the king, and the baron was typically the lord of a barony — a territorial unit of the kingdom. The baron was typically a lesser lord than the count, and the barony was typically a smaller territory than the county. The barons of the High Middle Ages were typically the knights and lesser lords who held their lands directly from the king, and they were an important part of the feudal system of the kingdom.

The barons of the High Middle Ages included the Barons of the Exchequer in England (who were the judges of the Exchequer court), the Barons of the Cinque Ports in England (who were the lords of the Cinque Ports and had a special responsibility for the defense of the coast), the Barons of the Holy Roman Empire (who were the immediate vassals of the emperor), and many others. The barons were typically lesser lords than the counts and the dukes, but they could be major figures in their own right, and they often played a major role in the politics of the kingdom.

The Knight

The knight (from the Old English cniht, servant) was the lowest rank of the feudal aristocracy, and the knight was typically a lesser lord who held his land from a greater lord in return for military service. The knight was typically a mounted warrior who served his lord in battle and in the tournaments, and the knight was the backbone of the medieval army. The knight was also a landholder who managed his estate, presided over his manor court, and participated in the social and political life of the kingdom.

The knights of the High Middle Ages were a numerous and influential class. The knights of France, England, Germany, Italy, and Spain were all significant forces in the politics of their kingdoms, and they often played a major role in the government of the realm. The knights of France were a major political force in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and the knights of England were a major political force in the thirteenth century and later.

The Banneret

The banneret was a knight who was entitled to lead his own contingent of knights in battle under his own banner. The banneret was typically a wealthy and influential knight, and the title of banneret was typically granted by the king in recognition of the knight’s service to the realm. The banneret was higher in rank than the ordinary knight (the bachelor), and the banneret was lower in rank than the baron.

The bannerets of the High Middle Ages were a significant military and political force, and they often played a major role in the government of the realm. The bannerets of France, England, and other kingdoms were summoned to the royal court and to the parliament of the realm, and they often served as judges, administrators, and diplomats in the service of the king.

The Ecclesiastical Titles

The ecclesiastical titles of the medieval Church also played a major role in the hierarchy of the medieval aristocracy. The bishops, the archbishops, the abbots, and the abbesses were all great lords in their own right, and they often exercised considerable power in the kingdom. The bishops and archbishops of the great sees — Canterbury, York, Reims, Cologne, Mainz, Milan, Toledo — were among the most powerful figures in their kingdoms, and they often played a major role in the politics of the realm.

The ecclesiastical titles were also integrated with the secular titles of the medieval aristocracy. The bishop was often a member of a noble family, and the bishop often combined the spiritual authority of his office with the secular power of his family. The archbishop of Canterbury, for example, was often a member of a noble family, and the archbishop often played a major role in the politics of the realm — as the murder of Thomas Becket in 1170 dramatically demonstrated.

Sources

Principal sources used in this article:

Georges Duby, The Chivalrous Society (Arnold, 1977).

Further reading:

Robert Bartlett, England Under the Norman and Angevin Kings (2000), ch. 6.

For a recent single-volume synthesis with full scholarly apparatus, see the relevant chapter of Barbara H. Rosenwein, A Short History of the Middle Ages (University of Toronto Press, 2014).