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For other uses, see Peerage (disambiguation).
Peerage
Hereditary Peer
Life Peer
Representative Peer
Privilege of Peerage
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The Peerage is a system of titles of nobility in the United Kingdom, part of the British honours system. Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary In the United Kingdom, representative peers were individuals elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to represent them The Privilege of Peerage is the body of special privileges belonging to members of the British Peerage, and is distinct from Parliamentary privilege, which applies The history of the British peerage, a system of Nobility found in the United Kingdom, stretches over the last thousand years A title is a prefix or suffix added to a person's name to signify either veneration an official position or a professional or academic qualification Nobility is a government-privileged title which may be either hereditary (see Hereditary titles) or for a lifetime The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery achievement or service to the United Kingdom. The term is used both collectively to refer to the entire body of titles, and individually to refer to a specific title.

All British honours, including peerage dignities, spring from the Sovereign, who is considered the fount of honour. The fount of honour ( Latin: fons honorum) refers to a nation's Head of state, who by virtue of his or her official position has the exclusive right of The Sovereign, as "the fountain and source of all dignities cannot hold a dignity from himself" (opinion of the House of Lords in the Buckhurst Peerage Case), cannot belong to the Peerage. The British Peerage is governed by a body of law that has developed over several centuries If an individual is neither the Sovereign nor a peer, he or she is a commoner. In British law a commoner is someone who is neither the Sovereign nor a peer. Members of a peer's family who are not themselves peers (including such members of the Royal Family) are also commoners; the British system thus differs fundamentally from continental European ones, where entire families, rather than individuals, were ennobled. A royal family is the extended family of a monarch. Generally the head of a royal family is a king or queen regnant

Contents

Divisions of the Peerage

Divisions of the Peerage
  Peerage of England
  Peerage of Scotland
  Peerage of Ireland
  Peerage of Great Britain
  Peerage of the United Kingdom

The various parts of the Peerage, which convey slightly different benefits, are:

Ranks

Peers are of five ranks: Duke, Marquess, Earl, Viscount and Baron (in descending order of hierarchy). A duke is a member of the Nobility, historically of highest rank below the Sovereign, and historically controlled a Duchy or a Dukedom A marquess (ˈmɑrkwɪs or marquis (/mɑrˈkiː/ is a Nobleman of hereditary rank in various European monarchies and some of their colonies Earl was the Anglo-Saxon form and jarl the Scandinavian form of a title meaning " Chieftain " and referring especially to chieftains A viscount ( VAI-count is a member of the European Nobility whose comital title ranks usually as in the British peerage, above a Baron is a specific Title of nobility. The word baron comes from Old French baron, itself from Old High German and Latin (liber In Scotland, the fifth rank is called a Lord of Parliament, as "Barons" are holders of feudal dignities, not peers. A Lord of Parliament is a member of the lowest rank of Scottish Peerage, ranking below a Viscount. Baronets, while holders of hereditary titles, are not peers. A baronet (traditional abbreviation Bart, modern abbreviation Bt) or the rare female equivalent a baronetess (abbreviation Btss) is the holder

The various titles are in the form of (Rank) (Name of Title) or (Rank) of (Name of Title). The name of the title can either be a place name or a surname. The precise usage depends on the rank of the peerage and on certain other general considerations. Dukes always use of. Marquesses and Earls whose titles are based on place names normally use of, while those whose titles are based on surnames normally do not. Viscounts, Barons and Lords of Parliament do not use of. However, there are several exceptions to the rule. For instance, Scottish vicecomital titles theoretically include of, though in practice it is usually dropped. (Thus, the "Viscount of Falkland" is commonly known as the "Viscount Falkland". ) Of is normally not used when the place in question is outside British territory, as using of might imply that the nation has sovereignty over such a place. Sovereignty is the exclusive Right to control a Government, a country, a people or oneself For instance, the title Marquess Douro is based on the River Douro in Portugal, over which the British monarch has neither sovereignty nor suzerainty. The Douro or Duero ( Latin: Durius, Spanish: Duero, Portuguese: Douro, pron. Suzerainty (ˈsjuːzərənti RP or /ˈsjuːzəreɪnti/ RP) (/ˈsuːzərənti/ GA) is a situation in which a Region or people is a

A territorial designation is often added to the main peerage title, especially in the case of Barons and Viscounts: for instance, Baroness Thatcher, of Kesteven in the County of Lincolnshire or Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, of Hindhead in the County of Surrey. Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, of Hindhead in the County of Surrey is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Any designation after the comma does not form a part of the main title. Territorial designations in titles are not updated with local government reforms, but new creations do take them into account. Local government in the United Kingdom is arranged into four different systems with one each for England Northern Ireland Scotland and Wales Thus there is a Baron Knollys, of Caversham in the County of Oxford (created in 1902), and a Baroness Pitkeathley, of Caversham in the Royal County of Berkshire (created in 1997). Viscount Knollys, of Caversham in the County of Oxford is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Caversham is a Suburb in the Unitary authority of Reading, England, although historically Caversham was part of Oxfordshire. History See also History of Oxfordshire The county of Oxfordshire was formed in the early years of the 10th century and is broadly situated in the Jill Elizabeth Pitkeathley Baroness Pitkeathley OBE (born on January 4, 1940) is a British Labour Party member of the House of Lords Caversham is a Suburb in the Unitary authority of Reading, England, although historically Caversham was part of Oxfordshire. Berkshire (ˈbɑːkʃə or /ˈbɑːkʃɪə/ say Baak-shuh/-sheer sometimes abbreviated to Berks) is a Home County in the South

It was once the case that a peer administered the place associated with his title, but this has not been true since the Middle Ages. The only remaining peerages with associated lands controlled by the holder are the Duchy of Cornwall, which is associated with the Dukedom of Cornwall, held by the eldest son and heir to the Sovereign, and the Duchy of Lancaster, which is associated with the Dukedom of Lancaster, held by the Sovereign. The Duchy of Cornwall is with the Duchy of Lancaster, one of the two Royal duchies in England. The Dukedom of Cornwall was the first Dukedom created in the Peerage of England. The Duchy of Lancaster is one of the two Royal Duchies in England, the other being the Duchy of Cornwall, and is the personal (inherited property of the There were several Dukes of Lancaster in the 14th and early 15th Centuries

Hereditary peers

Main article: Hereditary peer

An hereditary peer is a peer whose dignity may be inherited. Hereditary peers form part of the Peerage in the United Kingdom. Hereditary peerage dignities may be created with writs of summons or by letters patent; the former method is now obsolete. Letters patent are a type of Legal instrument in the form of an Open letter issued by a Monarch or Government, granting an office right Writs of summons summon an individual to Parliament, in the old feudal tradition, and merely implied the existence or creation of an hereditary peerage dignity, which is automatically inherited, presumably according to the traditional mediæval rules (male-preference primogeniture, similar to the succession of the British crown). Feudalism, a term first used in the early modern period (17th century in its most classic sense refers to a Medieval Europe Political system composed Primogeniture is the Common law right of the Firstborn son to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings Letters patent explicitly create a dignity and specify its course of inheritance (usually agnatic succession, like the Salic Law). Agnatic (or patrilineal descent is established by tracing descent exclusively through males from a founding male ancestor Salic law ( Lat Lex Salica) was an important body of traditional Law codified for governing the Salian Franks in the Early Middle Ages

Once created, a peerage dignity continues to exist as long as there are surviving descendants of the first holder, unless a contrary method of descent is specified in the letters patent. Once the heirs of the original peer die out, the peerage dignity becomes extinct. In former times, peerage dignities were often forfeit by Acts of Parliament, usually when peers were found guilty of treason. In Law, treason is the Crime that covers some of the more serious acts of disloyalty to one's sovereign or Nation. Often, however, the felonious peer's descendants successfully petitioned the Sovereign to restore the dignity to the family. Some dignities, such as the Dukedom of Norfolk, have been forfeit and restored several times. Under the Peerage Act 1963 an individual can disclaim his peerage dignity within one year of inheriting it. The Peerage Act 1963 (1963 c 48 is a significant act in the history of the British Peerage.

When the holder of a peerage succeeds to the throne, the dignity merges in the Crown and ceases to exist.

All hereditary peers in the Peerages of England, Scotland, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, subject only to qualifications such as age and citizenship, but under the House of Lords Act 1999 they lost this right. The House of Lords Act 1999 (1999 c 34 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that was given Royal Assent on 11 November 1999 The Act provided that 92 hereditary peers — the Lord Great Chamberlain and the Earl Marshal, 75 hereditary peers elected by other peers, and fifteen chosen by the government — would remain in the House of Lords in the interim, pending any reform of the membership to the House. The Lord Great Chamberlain of England is the sixth of the Great Officers of State, ranking beneath the Lord Privy Seal and above the Lord High Constable Earl Marshal (alternatively Marschal or Marischal) is an ancient chivalric title used separately in England, Ireland and the United

From 1707 until 1963 Scottish peers elected 16 representative peers to sit in the House of Lords. In the United Kingdom, representative peers were individuals elected by the members of the Peerage of Scotland and the Peerage of Ireland to represent them Since 1963 they have had the same rights as Peers of the United Kingdom.

From 1801 until 1922 Irish peers elected 28 representative peers to sit in the House of Lords. In 1922 the Irish Free State became a separate country. Year 1922 ( MCMXXII) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Irish Free State (Saorstát Éireann (1922&ndash1937 was the state established as a Dominion on 6 December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty, signed by

Some hereditary titles can pass through and vest in female heirs in a system called coparceny.

Life peers

Main article: Life peer

The Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 and the Life Peerages Act 1958 authorise the regular creation of life peerages. In the United Kingdom, life peers are created members of the Peerage whose titles may not be inherited (those whose titles are inheritable are known as Hereditary The Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (citation 39 & 40 Vict c The Life Peerages Act 1958 (6 & 7 Eliz II c 21 established the modern standards for the creation of Life peers by the monarch of the United Kingdom. Life peers created under both acts are of baronial rank, though there is nothing to prevent the creation by the Sovereign of a life peer of some other rank. They are always created under letters patent.

Life peers created under the Appellate Jurisdiction Act are known as "Lords of Appeal in Ordinary". They perform the judicial functions of the House of Lords and serve on the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The House of Lords, in addition to having a legislative function has a judicial function as a Court of last resort within the United Kingdom. The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council is one of the highest courts in the United Kingdom, established by the Judicial Committee Act 1833 They remain peers for life, but cease to receive judicial salaries at the age of 75. There may be no more than 12 Lords of Appeal in Ordinary under the age of 75 at one time.

There is no limit on the number of peerages the Sovereign may create under the Life Peerages Act. Normally life peerages are granted to individuals nominated by political parties or by the House of Lords Appointments Commission, and to honour important public figures such as the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Prime Minister on their retirement. The Archbishop of Canterbury is the chief bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion and the The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the political leader of the United Kingdom

Styles and titles

Main articles: Forms of Address in the United Kingdom, Courtesy title

Dukes use His Grace, Marquesses use The Most Honourable and other peers use The Right Honourable. Forms of address used in the United Kingdom are given below Several terms have been abbreviated in the table below A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of Nobility used by children former wives and other close relatives of a peer. Peeresses (whether they hold peerages in their own right or are wives of peers) use equivalent styles.

In speech, any peer or peeress except a Duke or Duchess is referred to as Lord X or Lady X. The exception is a suo jure Baroness (that is, one holding the dignity in her own right, usually a life peeress), who may also be called Baroness X in normal speech, though Lady X is also common usage. Suo jure is a Latin phrase meaning "in her his own right" Hence, the Baroness Thatcher, a suo jure life peeress, may be referred to as either "Baroness Thatcher" or "Lady Thatcher". Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925 "Baroness" is incorrect for female holders of Scottish Lordships of Parliament, who are not Baronesses; for example, the 21st Lady Saltoun is known as "Lady Saltoun", not "Baroness Saltoun". Flora Marjory Fraser 21st Lady Saltoun 1, Chief of the Name and the Arms of Fraser (born October 18,

A peer is referred to by his peerage even if it is the same as his surname, thus the Baron Owen is "Lord Owen" not "Lord David Owen", though such incorrect forms are commonly used. David Anthony Llewellyn Owen Baron Owen of Plymouth, CH PC FKC (born 2 July 1938) is a British Politician,

Some peers, particularly life peers who were well-known before their ennoblement, do not use their peerage titles. Others use a combination: for example, the author John Julius Norwich is John Julius Cooper, 2nd Viscount Norwich. John Julius Cooper 2nd Viscount Norwich CVO (born 15 September 1929) is an English historian travel writer and television personality

Individuals who use the style Lord or Lady are not necessarily peers. Children of peers use special titles called courtesy titles. A courtesy title is a form of address in systems of Nobility used by children former wives and other close relatives of a peer. The eldest son of a duke, a marquess, or an earl generally uses his father's highest lesser peerage dignity as his own. Hence, the Duke of Devonshire's son is called Marquess of Hartington. Duke of Devonshire is a title in the Peerage of England held by members of the aristocratic Cavendish family Duke of Devonshire is a title in the Peerage of England held by members of the aristocratic Cavendish family Such an eldest son is called a courtesy peer, but is a commoner until such time as he inherits.

Younger sons of dukes and marquesses prefix Lord to their first names as courtesy titles while daughters of dukes, marquesses and earls use Lady. Younger sons of earls and children of viscounts, barons and lords of Parliament use The Honourable.

Privilege of Peerage

Peers wear ceremonial robes, whose designs are based on their rank.
Peers wear ceremonial robes, whose designs are based on their rank.
Main article: Privilege of Peerage

The Privilege of Peerage is the body of privileges that belongs to peers, their wives and their unremarried widows. The Privilege of Peerage is the body of special privileges belonging to members of the British Peerage, and is distinct from Parliamentary privilege, which applies While the Privilege of Peerage was once extensive, only three privileges survived into the 20th century:

Peers enjoy several rights that do not formally form a part of the Privilege of the Peerage. For instance:

History

Main article: History of the Peerage

When William of Normandy conquered England, he divided the nation into many "manors", the owners of which came to be known as barons; those who held many manors were known as "greater barons", while those with fewer manors were the "lesser barons". The history of the British peerage, a system of Nobility found in the United Kingdom, stretches over the last thousand years William I of England ( 1027 His reign which brought Norman culture to England had an enormous impact on the subsequent course of England in the Middle Ages When Kings summoned their barons to Royal Councils, the greater barons were summoned individually by the Sovereign, lesser barons through sheriffs. In 1254, the lesser barons ceased to be summoned, and the body of greater barons evolved into the House of Lords. Since the Crown was itself a hereditary dignity, it seemed natural for seats in the upper House of Parliament to be so as well. By the beginning of the 14th century, the hereditary characteristics of the Peerage were well developed. The first peer to be created by patent was Lord Beauchamp of Holt in the reign of Richard II. Richard II (6 January 1367 &ndash ca 14 February 1400 was King of England from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399

The ranks of baron and earl date to feudal, and perhaps Anglo-Saxon, times. The History of Anglo-Saxon England covers the history of Early medieval England from the end of Roman Britain and the establishment of Anglo-Saxon The ranks of duke and marquess were introduced in the 14th century, and that of viscount in the 15th century. While life peerages were often created in the early days of the Peerage, their regular creation was not provided for by Act of Parliament until the Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876. The Appellate Jurisdiction Act 1876 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (citation 39 & 40 Vict c Year 1876 ( MDCCCLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year

Counterparts

Other feudal monarchies equally had a similar system, grouping high nobility of different rank titles under one term, with common privileges and/or in an assembly, sometimes legislative and/or judicial.

In France, the system of pairies (peerage) existed in two different versions: the exclusive 'old' in the French kingdom, in many respects an inspiration for the English/British practice, and the very prolific chambre des pairs of the Bourbon Restoration (1814-1848)

In Spain and Portugal, the closest equivalent title was grandee; in Hungary, magnate. Peerage of France (Pairie de France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. Peerage of France (Pairie de France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. Grandee is a word either to render in English the Iberic high aristocratic title 'Grande' used by the Spanish Portuguese and Brazilian peerage or by analogy to refer to other Magnate, from the Late Latin magnas, a great man itself from Latin magnus 'great' designates a noble or other man in a high social position

In the Holy Roman Empire, instead of an exclusive aristocratic assembly, the imperial Diet, the Reichstag, was the highest organ, membership of which, expressed by the title Reichsfürst, was granted to all major princes, and various minor ones, princes of the church (parallel to the Lords spiritual) and in some cases restricted to a collective 'curiate' vote in a 'bench', such as the Grafenbank. The Reichstag ( German for "Imperial Diet " was the Parliament of the Holy Roman Empire, the North German Confederation, (plural Fürsten) is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.

See also

References

External links

Dictionary

peerage

-noun

  1. the rank of a peer or peeress
  2. peers and peeresses as a group
  3. a book listing such people and their families
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