CROATIAN ROYAL COUNCIL CONSILIUM REGIUM CROATICUM
GLOSSARY OF NOBLE TITLE
Noble titles and hierarchy:
King (Latin: Rex )
Address: Your Majesty (HRH - His/Her Royal Majesty)
It denotes the highest royal title in Croatia, its origin is from the Slavic translation of the name of Charlemagne from the Carolingian line (Carolus Magnus), the title is synonymous with the Latin rex (initially also rege) . The first Croatian king was Tomislav from the Trpimirović line (r. 925-928?), while the last Croatian king according to Zvonimir's (old Croatian) hereditary law was the blessed King Charles IV of Habsburg-Lorraine (reigned 1916-1918). In general, the last ruler who bore the title of King of Croatia was Aimone Tomislav II of Savoy-Aosta (reigned 1941-1943).
Prince (lat. Princeps/Rex Hereditarium )
Address: Your Highness (HRH - His/Her Royal Highness)
It most often represents the son of the reigning king or the heir to the throne of the kingdom. In translations, the title Latin princeps is often used and somewhat less often rex hereditarium . In our history, depending on the lineage and time, it denotes the son of the heir to the throne or the children-descendants of the king.
Ban (lat. Banus/Vice Rex/Banus hereditarium )
Address: Your Excellency (H.E. - His Excellency)
One of the oldest titles and functions in Croatian history, which (depending on the period) denotes a person who rules most often a state territory or the entire kingdom on behalf of the king. Among the oldest recorded Croatian bans was the ban of Pribina. The last ban of the Kingdom of Croatia was Antun pl. Mihalović, while the last person to hold the office of ban was ban Ivan Šubašić (1939-1941/1943). In addition to the function, only in the case of the noble Šubić lineage, the title of ban also became a noble hereditary title granted to Pavle I Šubić of Bribir.
Great Prince (lat. Magnus Princeps/Dux )
Address: Your Highness (H.R.H. - His Princely Highness)
A title unique to the Slavic cultural and linguistic area, it denotes a title higher than that of prince, below that of king. The Latin version, depending on the translation, was magnus princeps or magnus dux , while the German translation of the title is Großfürst . In Croatia, the most frequently recorded use of this title was in the Principality of Poljica (13th-19th centuries), where it was chosen for a certain period from among the high nobility, later also from the lower nobility.
Knez (lat. Princeps/Dux)
Način obraćanja; vaša visosti (Nj. Kn.V. - njegova/njezina kneževska visost)
Plemićki i vladarski naslov slavenskog porijekla koji predstavlja jedan od najranijih hrvatskih vladarskih naslova, korišten za oznaku vladara na prostoru Pradomovine (Bijela Hrvatska), kao i kasnijih dviju središnjih kneževina Primorske i Panonske, te Neretvanske, koje prije 925. tvore glavne državne sastavnice u Hrvata. Naslov često označava i visoko plemstvo koje je tvorilo aristokratsku vladajuću elitu. U Hrvatskoj često predstavlja pripadnike izvornih hrvatskih loza/plemena, vladarske i nasljedne loze Poljičke kneževine i Dubrovnika. Ovisno o prijevodu i ulozi naslov se na latinski prevodi sa princeps ili dux, dok na njemačkom Fürst. Danas u Hrvatskoj postoji na desetke plemićkih loza i obitelji koje nose taj naslov.
Nadvojvoda (lat. Archidux)
Način obraćanja; vaša visosti (Nj.Nv.V. - njegova/njezina nadvojvodska visost)
Naslov koji je najčešće vezan uz hrvatsku kraljevsku lozu Habsburga, čiji pripadnici tradicionalno nose taj naslov. Kod nas je prihvaćen od 1527. dolaskom i izborom te loze za kraljevsku i time prihvatom u hrvatsko plemstvo. Latinska istoznačnica je archidux.
Duke (Latin: Dux )
Address: Your Eminence (H.E. - His/Her Duke Eminence)
A noble title often identified with the Latin dux, English duke and German herzog . In our history, the title was most often worn by members of the royal lineage and nobles who also owned territory. The variant herceg from the German herzog is often used for the title of duke. In addition to the noble title, it is often used as a military rank, denoting the commander of a military unit. One of the most famous Croatian dukes was Hrvoje Vukčić Hrvatinić. The usual way of addressing members of the royal and royal lineages is "your highness", while for other holders of this title "your excellency".
Marquis (lat. Comes Terminalis )
Address: Your Excellency (H.E. - His/Her Excellency)
A later title, synonymous with the German title of margrave . It denotes a princely-count title with a wider military-territorial administration. The most famous holder of this title in Croatia was Fran Krsto Frankapan.
Prefect (lat. Iupanus/Comes )
Address: Your Excellency (H.E. - His/Her Excellency)
A unique noble and administrative title in Croatia. It denotes a person who governs a county, once represented a noble title initially translated into Latin. iupanus , later comes . With the use of the title of prince ( Comes ), it ceases to be used as a noble title. Today in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina it represents an elected political official who governs a local-regional administrative unit called a county.
Prince (lat. Comes )
Address: Your Excellency (H.E. - His/Her Excellency)
One of the older noble titles in Croatia, unlike the noble title of prefect in the Middle Ages, it did not necessarily have to carry territorial administration. It is synonymous with the related titles of count and conte, but due to its frequent assignment and bearing in older noble families and clans, it represents an older and thus more significant form of the Latin title comes .
Count (lat. Comes )
Address; your dignity (H.E. - his/her dignity)
The title was taken from the German graph, which came to Croatia with the Habsburgs' enthronement on the Croatian throne. It is synonymous with the Latin title comes . It was awarded in a later period to individuals and families who, primarily in Croatia and Slavonia, represented politically, militarily and economically powerful individuals and families, mostly accepted into the circle of Croatian and Hungarian nobles. Which is why the title is linked to the noble status and is therefore more significant than the related titles of prince (comes), conte and viscount .
Conte (lat. Comes/Comes Venetia )
Address; your dignity (H.E. - his/her dignity)
The title used in the areas under Venetian rule, the full name of the title was Venetian conte (Italian: conte veneto). It was awarded as a confirmation to earlier nobility (primarily princes) in order to emphasize their importance, as well as to new individuals and families as a sign of merit. With the arrival of Dalmatia and Istria under Habsburg rule, the title was also recognized by the Habsburgs for certain families, but although it was synonymous with the Latin comes, i.e. Croatian prince or count, it never had the same weight or rank of meaning, and remains in this form, seen as a lower title than its synonyms.
Viscount (lat. Vicecomes )
Address; your dignity (H.E. - his/her dignity)
A noble title rarely used in Croatia, with the exception of Dalmatia and Istria, i.e. areas under the influence of Venice and Hungary. It denotes a title above that of baron (Latin baro ) and below that of prince or count (Latin comes ).
Baron (lat. Baro/Baron )
Address; your lordship
A lower noble title, it also carries the German adjective freiherr (free lord), which is often considered a separate, synonymous title. After the title of nobility, it is the first title in the nobility hierarchy.
Noble (lat. Nobilis )
Address; your lordship
The designation, often given as the abbreviation ''pl.'', in addition to indicating noble origin and status of a person, also represents a lower title in the nobility hierarchy for persons, families and clans that bear nobility, but not a separate title. In Croatian territory, under different cultural and linguistic influences and types of government, abbreviated names in other languages such as German ''von'' and Italian ''di'' or Latin ''de'' were often used.
Hereditary Knight (lat. Eques hereditarium )
Address; sir
A title of the same meaning and role as that of a knight , only with the right to be passed on to an heir-descendant.
Knight (lat. Eques/Equites )
Address; sir
A personal title that originated in the Middle Ages, when professional soldiers created a separate class. Although it cannot be considered a noble title, over the centuries it has grown into an honorary title awarded as a sign of gratitude. With the development of various knightly brotherhoods from which the first knightly orders will be created as a precursor to today's orders-decorations, the concept of the title of knight has an honorary purpose, which obliges an individual to complete the code of chivalry and nobility ( noblesse oblige ) with their work and behavior. The tradition of awarding this honorary title in our history was present until the end of World War II, when the practice in state use completely disappeared, today it is awarded by various associations, orders and brotherhoods.
