Y. Pantyukhin "Prince Alexander Nevsky"
But first, let’s deal with the concept of “nobility” itself. “What is nobility? - wrote A.S. Pushkin. “The hereditary class of the people is the highest, that is, awarded with great advantages regarding property and private freedom.”
The word "nobleman" literally means "a person from the princely court", or "courtier".
In Russia, the nobility arose in the 12th century. as the lowest part of the military service class, which made up the court of a prince or a major boyar.
The Code of Laws of the Russian Empire states that belonging to the nobility “ is a consequence flowing from the quality and virtue of the men in command in ancient times, who distinguished themselves by merit, by which, turning the service itself into merit, they acquired a noble name for their offspring. Noble means all those who were born from noble ancestors, or were granted this dignity by monarchs.
Since the 14th century nobles began to receive land for their diligent service. This is how the class of landowners - landowners - emerged. Later they were allowed to buy land.
The Code of Law of 1497 limited the right of peasants to move and thereby strengthened the position of the nobles.
In February 1549, the first Zemsky Sobor. Ivan IV (the Terrible) gave a speech there. The Tsar set a course towards building a centralized monarchy (autocracy) based on the nobility, which meant a struggle with the old (boyar) aristocracy. He accused the boyars of abuse of power and called on everyone to work together to strengthen the unity of the Russian state.
G. Sedov “Ivan the Terrible and Malyuta Skuratov”
In 1550 chosen thousand Moscow nobles (1071 people) were placed within 60-70 km around Moscow.
In the middle of the 16th century. The Kazan Khanate was annexed, and the patrimonial people were evicted from the oprichnina region, which was declared the property of the tsar. The vacated lands were distributed to the nobles under the condition of service.
In the 80s of the 16th century. were introduced reserved(the period during which in some regions of the Russian state peasants were prohibited from going out on the autumn St. George’s Day, provided for in the Code of Laws of 1497. Reserves began to be introduced by the government of Ivan IV (the Terrible) in 1581.
The “Conciliar Code” of 1649 secured the right of nobles to perpetual possession and indefinite search for fugitive peasants.
But Peter I began a decisive struggle against the old boyar aristocracy, making the nobles his support. In 1722 he introduced Table of ranks.
Monument to Peter I in Voronezh
The table of ranks replaced the principle of birth with the principle of personal service. The table of ranks influenced the official routine and historical destinies noble class.
Personal length of service became the only regulator of service; “fatherly honor”, the breed has lost all meaning in this regard. Under Peter I, the rank of the lower XIV class in military service gave the right to hereditary nobility. Civil service in the rank up to VIII class gave only personal nobility, and the right to hereditary nobility began with the rank of VIII class. “For this reason, we do not allow anyone of any rank,” wrote Peter, “until they show us and the fatherland any services.”
The table of ranks was subject to numerous changes, but in general it existed until 1917.
After Peter I, the nobles received one privilege after another. Catherine II actually freed the nobles from compulsory service while maintaining serfdom for the peasants, which created a real gap between the nobles and the people. The pressure of the nobles on the peasantry and their embitterment became one of the reasons for Pugachev's uprising.
The apogee of the power of the Russian nobility was the receipt of “noble liberties” - a charter from Catherine II, which freed nobles from compulsory service. But this began the decline of the nobility, which gradually turned into a “leisure class,” and the slow ruin of the lower nobility. And after the peasant reform of 1861, the economic position of the nobility weakened even more.
By the beginning of the 20th century. the hereditary nobility, “the first support of the throne” and “one of the most reliable tools of the government,” is gradually losing its economic and administrative dominance.
In Muscovite Rus' there was only one aristocratic title - “prince”. It came from the word “to reign” and meant that his ancestors had once ruled some part of Russia. Not only Russians had this title - foreigners who converted to Orthodoxy were also allowed to become princes.
Foreign titles in Russia appeared under Peter I: “baron” and “count”. There is the following explanation for this: in the territories annexed by Peter there were already people with such titles, and these titles were also borne by foreigners whom Peter attracted to Russia. But the title “count” was initially burdened with the words “Holy Roman Empire”, i.e. this title was assigned at the request of the Russian monarch by the German emperor. In January 1776, Catherine II petitioned the “Roman Emperor” Grigory Orlov “ give the Roman Empire princely dignity, for which he greatly obliged himself».
Golovin (1701) and Menshikov (1702) become the first counts of the Holy Roman Empire in Russia, and under Catherine II, four of her favorites received the titles of princes of the Holy Roman Empire: Orlov, Potemkin, Bezborodko and Zubov. But the assignment of such titles ceased in 1796.
Earl's heraldic crown
Graph(German) Graf listen) - royal official in the Early Middle Ages Western Europe. The title arose in the 4th century. in the Roman Empire and was originally assigned to high dignitaries.
During feudal fragmentation graph- feudal lord of a county, then becomes a title of the highest nobility. Woman - countess. It continues to be formally retained as a title in most European countries with a monarchical form of government.
Sheremetyev became the first Russian count in 1706.
Russian commander of the time Northern War, diplomat, one of the first Russian field marshals.
Born into the old boyar family of the Sheremetyevs.
In 1681 he commanded troops against the Tatars. He proved himself in the military and diplomatic fields. In 1686 he participated in the conclusion of “ Eternal peace"with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and then was sent to Warsaw to ratify the concluded peace.
Protected Russia from Crimean raids. In 1695 he took part in the first Azov campaign of Peter I.
In 1697-1699 visited Poland, Austria, Italy, the island of Malta, carrying out diplomatic assignments of Peter I. During the Northern War of 1700-1721. proved himself to be a cautious and talented commander who earned the trust of Peter I. In 1701 he inflicted a defeat on the Swedes, from which they “remained ignorant and would not recover for a long time,” for which he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and granted the rank of Field Marshal. Subsequently he won several victories over the Swedes.
In 1705-1706 Sheremetyev suppressed the mutiny of the archers in Astrakhan, for which I was first in Russia awarded the title of count.
IN last years he expressed a desire to become a monk of the Kiev Pechersk Lavra, but the tsar did not allow this, just as he did not allow Sheremetyev’s will to be buried in Kiev-Pechersk Lavra: Peter I ordered Sheremetev to be buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, forcing even his dead associate to serve the state.
At the end of the 19th century. There were over 300 count families in Russia. Count's title Soviet Russia was liquidated by the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of November 11, 1917.
English baronial crown
Baron(from Late Lat. baro with the original meaning “man, man”). In medieval feudal Western Europe, a major ruling nobleman and feudal lord, later simply an honorary title of nobility. Woman - Baroness. The title of baron in England continues to this day and is located in the hierarchical system below the title of viscount. In Germany, this title was lower than the count's.
In the Russian Empire, the title of baron was introduced by Peter I, and P. P. Shafirov was the first to receive it in 1710. Then A. I. Osterman (1721), A. G., N. G. and S. G. Stroganov (1722), A.-E. Stambken (1726). The families of the barons were divided into Russian, Baltic and foreign.
Diplomat of Peter's time, vice-chancellor. Knight of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (1719). In 1701-1722 in fact, he was in charge of the Russian postal service. In 1723 he was sentenced to death on charges of abuse, but after the death of Peter he was able to return to diplomatic activity.
He came from a family of Polish Jews who settled in Smolensk and converted to Orthodoxy. He began serving as a translator in 1691 in the same embassy department where his father served. Accompanying Peter the Great during his travels and campaigns, he took part in concluding an agreement with the Polish king Augustus II (1701) and with the ambassadors of the Sedmigrad prince Rakoczi. In 1709 he became a privy councilor and promoted to vice-chancellor. In 1711 he concluded the Prut Peace Treaty with the Turks and he himself, together with Count M. B. Sheremetev, remained hostage with them. He concluded agreements with Denmark, Prussia, and France to maintain peace in Europe.
In 1723, Shafirov quarreled with the powerful Prince A.D. Menshikov and Chief Prosecutor Skornyakov-Pisarev, convicting them of embezzlement. In response, he himself was accused of embezzlement and sentenced to death, which Peter I replaced with exile to Siberia, but on the way there he allowed him to stop “to live” in Nizhny Novgorod"under strong guard."
Empress Catherine I, upon her accession to the throne, returned Shafirov from exile, returned his baronial title, awarded him the rank of actual state councilor, made him president of the commerce board and commissioned the compilation of the history of Peter the Great.
Barons enjoyed the right to appeal "your honor"(like untitled nobles) or "Mr. Baron".
At the end of the 19th century. in Russia there were about 240 baronial families (including extinct ones), mainly representatives of the Baltic (Baltic) nobility. The title was abolished by the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of November 11, 1917.
Baron P.N. Wrangel
Prince- head of a feudal monarchical state or a separate political entity (appanage prince) in the 9th-16th centuries. among the Slavs and some other peoples; representative of the feudal aristocracy. Later became the highest noble title, equivalent to a prince or duke in Western and Southern Europe, V Central Europe(former Holy Roman Empire), this title is called Fürst, and in the North - konung.
In Russia Grand Duke (or princess) - noble title of members royal family. Princess also called the prince's wife, prince(among the Slavs) - the son of a prince, princess- daughter of a prince.
Y. Pantyukhin “Prince Alexander Nevsky” (“For the Russian Land!”)
Princely power, at first most often elective, gradually becomes hereditary (Rurikovich in Rus', Gediminovich and Jagiellon in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Piasts in Poland, etc.). With education centralized state appanage princes gradually became part of the grand ducal (from 1547 - royal) court in the Moscow principality. In Russia until the 18th century. the title of prince was only generic. From the beginning of the 18th century. The title of prince also began to be granted by the tsar to the highest dignitaries for special merits (the first prince granted was A.D. Menshikov).
Before Peter I, there were 47 princely families in Russia, some of which traced their origins to Rurik. Princely titles were divided into "His Excellency" And "his lordship", which was considered higher.
Until 1797, no new princely families appeared, with the exception of Menshikov, who was granted the title of Prince of Izhora in 1707.
Under Paul I, awards with this title began, and the annexation of Georgia literally “blew up” the Russian nobility - 86 families recognized the princely title.
TO end of the 19th century V. in the Russian Empire there were 250 princely families, 40 of which traced their origins to Rurik or Gediminas. 56% of the princely families in the empire were Georgian.
In addition, there were about 30 Tatar, Kalmyk and Mordovian princes; the status of these princes was considered lower than that of barons.
Portrait of A.V. Suvorov. Unknown artist of the 19th century.
Did you know that Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, the national hero of Russia, the great Russian commander, who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career (more than 60 battles), one of the founders of Russian military art, had several titles at the same time: prince Italian (1799), graph Rymniksky (1789), graph Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of the Russian land and naval forces, Field Marshal General of the Austrian and Sardinian troops, Grandee of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Prince of the Royal Blood (with the title "King's Cousin"), Knight of all Russian orders of his time awarded to men, as well as many foreign military orders
Which title is higher: count or prince?
The English earl (Old English eorl) originally denoted a senior official, but since the time of the Norman kings it has become an honorary title.
During the period of feudal fragmentation, the feudal ruler of the county, then (with the elimination of feudal fragmentation) the title of the highest nobility (female countess). It continues to be formally retained as a title in most European countries with a monarchical form of government.
In Russia, the title was introduced by Peter I (the first to receive it in 1706 was B.P. Sheremetev). At the end of the 19th century, over 300 count families were recorded. The title of count in Russia was abolished by the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of November 11, 1917.
Prince is the head of a feudal monarchical state or a separate political entity (appanage prince) in the 9th-16th centuries among the Slavs and some other peoples; representative of the feudal aristocracy; later the highest noble title, depending on the importance, equated to a prince or duke in Western and Southern Europe, in Central Europe (the former Holy Roman Empire), this title is called F#252;rst, and in Northern Europe - konung. The term prince is used to convey Western European titles going back to princeps and F#252;rst, also sometimes dux (usually duke).
Grand Duke (Princess) is a title of nobility in Russia, a member of the royal family.
Princess is the wife of a prince, as well as the actual title of a female person of the noble class, prince is the son of a prince (only among the Slavs), princess is the daughter of a prince.
Titles in ascending order.
1. Untitled nobleman. IN different countries called by different names. Chevalier (France), hidalgo (Spain), ritter (Germany).
2. One English king found convenient way replenishing the treasury by selling rights to the title of baronet. The title itself, as they say, has no analogues.
3. Baron. First noble title.
4. Viscount (vice-count). Initially, the position was deputy count. Then the title that is borne by his heir or younger son, who will not become a count. This is where independent viscounts emerge.
5. Count. (initially an administrative position, then a hereditary title).
6. Marquis, margrave (German) - above the count. Over time, the title lost its meaning as count of the border lands.
7. Duke. This is great.
8. Prince or duke. It’s the same thing, it’s just that in the West they say prince (yeah, Prince Potemkin, that’s right), and in Russia and some other places they say prince.
There is a nuance. A member of the royal family is a prince by birthright, but he can also bear another title, which is often used to call him. Usually - ducal. Those who have read "The Countess de Monsoreau" remember the Duke of Anjou - the prince, brother of the king, heir to the crown. So, as a relative of the king, he is a prince, and in his possessions (the Duchy of Anjou) he bears the title.
At the same time, there are principalities (this is a translation feature - in Europe they say “prince”, but in Russian they don’t say “princeship”, therefore land ownership giving the right to the title of prince is translated as a principality), which are independent (semi-independent) states ( Prince of Orange, for example), or a long-standing feudal tradition allows us to call this person prince (the heir to the Dukes of La Rochefoucauld bore the title of Prince of Marsillac - prince-heir to the house of La Rochefoucauld. This claim to similarity with the royal house caused considerable irritation to other nobles).
As far as I understand, the crown prince is the prince of the royal house in Prussia, and the archduke is the prince of the imperial house in the Holy Roman Empire. The emperor in this empire was elected by a panel of 7 or 8 electors, who bore the title of electors.
Sometimes there is such a title as Landgrave. I think he is the ruler of a large hereditary estate in Germany. He is practically an independent sovereign, but his title is by no means royal. However, this is not a simple count or even a duke, but the ruler of the country, although nominally a vassal of the emperor.
What else do we have left? A couple of French tricks. Addressing members of the royal family, which become titles in themselves.
Monseigneur (always with capital letters listen)) is the official title of the heir to the throne in France. If you see this word with a capital letter, that’s what we’re talking about.
Monsieur (also capitalized) is the title of the king's elder brother. IN colloquial speech stands out in meaning, but if in the text Monsieur - we're talking about about the elder brother of the reigning monarch.
Madame (again with a capital letter) is his wife.
Y. Pantyukhin "Prince Alexander Nevsky"
But first, let’s deal with the concept of “nobility” itself. “What is nobility? – wrote A.S. Pushkin. “The hereditary class of the people is the highest, that is, awarded with great advantages regarding property and private freedom.”
The word "nobleman" literally means "a person from the princely court", or "courtier".
In Russia, the nobility arose in the 12th century. as the lowest part of the military service class, which made up the court of a prince or a major boyar.
The Code of Laws of the Russian Empire states that belonging to the nobility “ is a consequence flowing from the quality and virtue of the men in command in ancient times, who distinguished themselves by merit, by which, turning the service itself into merit, they acquired a noble name for their offspring. Noble means all those who were born from noble ancestors, or were granted this dignity by monarchs.”
Since the 14th century nobles began to receive land for their diligent service. This is how the class of landowners - landowners - emerged. Later they were allowed to buy land.
The Code of Law of 1497 limited the right of peasants to move and thereby strengthened the position of the nobles.
In February 1549, the first Zemsky Sobor took place in the Kremlin Palace. Ivan IV (the Terrible) gave a speech there. The Tsar set a course towards building a centralized monarchy (autocracy) based on the nobility, which meant a struggle with the old (boyar) aristocracy. He accused the boyars of abuse of power and called on everyone to work together to strengthen the unity of the Russian state.
G. Sedov “Ivan the Terrible and Malyuta Skuratov”
In 1550 chosen thousand Moscow nobles (1071 people) were placed within 60-70 km around Moscow.
In the middle of the 16th century. The Kazan Khanate was annexed, and the patrimonial people were evicted from the oprichnina region, which was declared the property of the tsar. The vacated lands were distributed to the nobles under the condition of service.
In the 80s of the 16th century. were introduced reserved summers(the period during which in some regions of the Russian state peasants were prohibited from going out on the autumn St. George’s Day, provided for in the Code of Laws of 1497. Reserved summers began to be introduced by the government of Ivan IV (the Terrible) in 1581.
The “Conciliar Code” of 1649 secured the right of nobles to perpetual possession and indefinite search for fugitive peasants.
But Peter I began a decisive struggle against the old boyar aristocracy, making the nobles his support. In 1722 he introduced Table of ranks.
Monument to Peter I in Voronezh
The table of ranks replaced the principle of birth with the principle of personal service. The table of ranks influenced the official routine and the historical destinies of the noble class.
Personal length of service became the only regulator of service; “fatherly honor”, the breed has lost all meaning in this regard. Under Peter I, the rank of the lowest XIV class in military service gave the right to hereditary nobility. Civil service in the rank up to VIII class gave only personal nobility, and the right to hereditary nobility began with the rank of VIII class. “For this reason, we do not allow anyone of any rank,” wrote Peter, “until they show us and the fatherland any services.”
The table of ranks was subject to numerous changes, but in general it existed until 1917.
After Peter I, the nobles received one privilege after another. Catherine II actually freed the nobles from compulsory service while maintaining serfdom for the peasants, which created a real gap between the nobles and the people. The pressure of the nobles on the peasantry and their embitterment became one of the reasons for Pugachev's uprising.
The apogee of the power of the Russian nobility was the receipt of “noble liberties” - a charter from Catherine II, which freed nobles from compulsory service. But this began the decline of the nobility, which gradually turned into a “leisure class,” and the slow ruin of the lower nobility. And after the peasant reform of 1861, the economic position of the nobility weakened even more.
By the beginning of the 20th century. the hereditary nobility, “the first support of the throne” and “one of the most reliable tools of the government,” is gradually losing its economic and administrative dominance.
In Muscovite Rus' there was only one aristocratic title - “prince”. It came from the word “to reign” and meant that his ancestors had once ruled some part of Russia. Not only Russians had this title; foreigners who converted to Orthodoxy were also allowed to become princes.
Foreign titles in Russia appeared under Peter I: “baron” and “count”. There is the following explanation for this: in the territories annexed by Peter there were already people with such titles, and these titles were also borne by foreigners whom Peter attracted to Russia. But the title “count” was initially burdened with the words “Holy Roman Empire”, i.e. this title was assigned at the request of the Russian monarch by the German emperor. In January 1776, Catherine II petitioned the “Roman Emperor” Grigory Orlov “ give the Roman Empire princely dignity, for which he greatly obliged himself».
Golovin (1701) and Menshikov (1702) become the first counts of the Holy Roman Empire in Russia, and under Catherine II, four of her favorites received the titles of princes of the Holy Roman Empire: Orlov, Potemkin, Bezborodko and Zubov. But the assignment of such titles ceased in 1796.
Earl's heraldic crown
Graph(German) Graf) - a royal official in the Early Middle Ages in Western Europe. The title arose in the 4th century. in the Roman Empire and was originally assigned to high dignitaries.
During the period of feudal fragmentation graph– feudal lord of a county, then becomes a title of the highest nobility. Woman - countess. It continues to be formally retained as a title in most European countries with a monarchical form of government.
Sheremetyev became the first Russian count in 1706.
Russian commander during the Northern War, diplomat, one of the first Russian field marshals.
Born into the old boyar family of the Sheremetyevs.
In 1681 he commanded troops against the Tatars. He proved himself in the military and diplomatic fields. In 1686 he participated in the conclusion of the “Eternal Peace” with the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, and then was sent to Warsaw to ratify the concluded peace.
Protected Russia from Crimean raids. In 1695 he took part in the first Azov campaign of Peter I.
In 1697-1699 visited Poland, Austria, Italy, the island of Malta, carrying out diplomatic assignments of Peter I. During the Northern War of 1700-1721. proved himself to be a cautious and talented commander who earned the trust of Peter I. In 1701 he inflicted a defeat on the Swedes, from which they “remained ignorant and would not recover for a long time,” for which he was awarded the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called and granted the rank of Field Marshal. Subsequently he won several victories over the Swedes.
In 1705-1706 Sheremetyev suppressed the mutiny of the archers in Astrakhan, for which I was first in Russia awarded the title of count.
In recent years, he expressed a desire to become a monk of the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra, but the tsar did not allow this, just as he did not allow Sheremetyev’s will to be buried in the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra to be fulfilled: Peter I ordered Sheremetev to be buried in the Alexander Nevsky Lavra, forcing even the dead to serve the state companion.
At the end of the 19th century. There were over 300 count families in Russia. The title of count in Soviet Russia was abolished by the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of November 11, 1917.
English baronial crown
Baron(from Late Lat. baro with the original meaning “man, man”). In medieval feudal Western Europe, a major ruling nobleman and feudal lord, later simply an honorary title of nobility. Woman - Baroness. The title of baron in England continues to this day and is located in the hierarchical system below the title of viscount. In Germany, this title was lower than the count's.
In the Russian Empire, the title of baron was introduced by Peter I, and P. P. Shafirov was the first to receive it in 1710. Then A. I. Osterman (1721), A. G., N. G. and S. G. Stroganov (1722), A.-E. Stambken (1726). The families of the barons were divided into Russian, Baltic and foreign.
Diplomat of Peter's time, vice-chancellor. Knight of the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (1719). In 1701-1722 in fact, he was in charge of the Russian postal service. In 1723 he was sentenced to death on charges of abuse, but after the death of Peter he was able to return to diplomatic activity.
He came from a family of Polish Jews who settled in Smolensk and converted to Orthodoxy. He began serving as a translator in 1691 in the same embassy department where his father served. Accompanying Peter the Great during his travels and campaigns, he took part in concluding an agreement with the Polish king Augustus II (1701) and with the ambassadors of the Sedmigrad prince Rakoczi. In 1709 he became a privy councilor and promoted to vice-chancellor. In 1711 he concluded the Prut Peace Treaty with the Turks and he himself, together with Count M. B. Sheremetev, remained hostage with them. He concluded agreements with Denmark, Prussia, and France to maintain peace in Europe.
In 1723, Shafirov quarreled with the powerful Prince A.D. Menshikov and Chief Prosecutor Skornyakov-Pisarev, convicting them of embezzlement. In response, he was accused of embezzlement and sentenced to death, which Peter I replaced with exile to Siberia, but on the way there he allowed him to stop “to live” in Nizhny Novgorod “under a strong guard.”
Empress Catherine I, upon her accession to the throne, returned Shafirov from exile, returned his baronial title, awarded him the rank of actual state councilor, made him president of the commerce board and commissioned the compilation of the history of Peter the Great.
Barons enjoyed the right to appeal "your honor"(like untitled nobles) or "Mr. Baron".
At the end of the 19th century. in Russia there were about 240 baronial families (including extinct ones), mainly representatives of the Baltic (Baltic) nobility. The title was abolished by the Decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars of November 11, 1917.
Baron P.N. Wrangel
Prince- head of a feudal monarchical state or a separate political entity (appanage prince) in the 9th-16th centuries. among the Slavs and some other peoples; representative of the feudal aristocracy. Later it became the highest noble title, equivalent to a prince or duke in Western and Southern Europe, in Central Europe (the former Holy Roman Empire), this title is called Fürst, and in Northern Europe - konung.
In Russia Grand Duke(or princess) is a noble title for members of the royal family. Princess also called the prince's wife, prince(among the Slavs) - the son of a prince, princess- daughter of a prince.
Y. Pantyukhin “Prince Alexander Nevsky” (“For the Russian Land!”)
Princely power, at first most often elective, gradually becomes hereditary (Rurikovich in Rus', Gediminovich and Jagiellon in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, Piasts in Poland, etc.). With the formation of a centralized state, appanage princes gradually became part of the grand ducal (from 1547 - royal) court in the Moscow principality. In Russia until the 18th century. the title of prince was only generic. From the beginning of the 18th century. The title of prince also began to be granted by the tsar to the highest dignitaries for special merits (the first prince granted was A.D. Menshikov).
Before Peter I, there were 47 princely families in Russia, some of which traced their origins to Rurik. Princely titles were divided into "His Excellency" And "his lordship", which was considered higher.
Until 1797, no new princely families appeared, with the exception of Menshikov, who was granted the title of Prince of Izhora in 1707.
Under Paul I, awards with this title began, and the annexation of Georgia literally “exploded” the Russian nobility - 86 families recognized the princely title.
By the end of the 19th century. in the Russian Empire there were 250 princely families, 40 of which traced their origins to Rurik or Gediminas. 56% of the princely families in the empire were Georgian.
In addition, there were about 30 Tatar, Kalmyk and Mordovian princes; the status of these princes was considered lower than that of barons.
Portrait of A.V. Suvorov. Unknown artist of the 19th century.
Did you know that Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov, the national hero of Russia, the great Russian commander, who did not suffer a single defeat in his military career (more than 60 battles), one of the founders of Russian military art, had several titles at the same time: prince Italian (1799), graph Rymniksky (1789), graph Holy Roman Empire, Generalissimo of the Russian land and naval forces, Field Marshal General of the Austrian and Sardinian troops, Grandee of the Kingdom of Sardinia and Prince of the Royal Blood (with the title "King's Cousin"), Knight of all Russian orders of his time awarded to men, as well as many foreign military orders
We all know that it is quite possible to go from rags to riches, and some even sometimes succeed. But seriously, is it possible, for example, from being a count to becoming a prince? And what is the difference between these high titles? Let's try to figure it out.
Graph- originally, in the early Middle Ages, an official under the king in Western Europe, and later a title in Europe and some non-European countries.
Prince- the head of a feudal state or political entity among the Slavs, later - the highest noble title, in Europe equivalent to a duke or prince.
Over the course of several centuries, the meaning of the words “prince” and “count” in different countries has undergone significant changes. Let us dwell on the situation with these titles in our country. In Rus', the prince was a tribal leader, the elder of the clan. Later, the prince headed the state: his responsibilities included military, judicial and religious functions. For a long time, a high-profile title was the only one in our country; it was worn by both great and appanage princes. Initially, the princes were chosen, then the title began to be inherited. This order existed in Russia until the 18th century, and then the tsar began to complain about the title for special merits to the highest dignitaries (the first prince not by blood was A.D. Menshikov, an associate of Peter I).
Count Vorontsov
Under Peter, as is known, there were many reforms and innovations: it was his merit that, in addition to the princely title, the titles of count and baron appeared in the state. These three noble titles, by the way, existed in our country until the October Revolution. There were always quite a lot of princes, but the importance of many previously influential families gradually fell, their possessions fell into decay. For example, the Vyazemsky princes at one time worked in the service of middle-class landowners. After Peter the Great, the formerly enviable title was not granted to anyone for almost a hundred years: being considered a prince was extremely unprestigious, and besides, numerous Georgian and Tatar princes received such a title, to whom no one wanted to be like (by the way, perhaps this is where it originated and the proverb mentioned above).
In Russia by the end of the 19th century there were 310 count families. Moreover, until the revolution there were much fewer counts than princes. The title of count was awarded in the 19th century only to those who had the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (until 1917, the highest award of the Russian Empire).
The princes (depending on whether they received the title by inheritance or not) were addressed as “Your Grace” or “Your Excellency”; the counts were addressed only as “Your Excellency”.
Some hundred years ago, any child in Rus' knew who was “Your Excellency” and who was “Your Grace.” And now there are few such experts left. But many people know that it is quite possible to go from rags to riches, albeit in an allegorical sense.
One thing is known for certain, both count and prince are high titles. And it’s fashionable to be any of them today. This increased interest in the nobility appeared about 20 years ago. And it didn’t matter whether the ancestors of the newly-minted princes and counts were of noble blood. And no special services are required to the fatherland. And goldfish too. There is desire, connections, money - and the title is yours.
And it happens that their owners do not even know how they differ from each other. Can the count count on a princely title? Who are the count and prince?
Some historians believe that this title goes back to the retinue of the Roman Emperor, and others - that it goes back to the “people's princes” of ancient Germany.
Western Europe since early Middle Ages knew the counts who were officials and represented the interests of the king in their counties. Later, the name "count" became a title in European countries and even outside Europe. 
Military, administrative and judicial power in the district was concentrated in the hands of a count from the Frankish kingdom of the second half of the 6th century. His appointment and replacement were at the mercy of the king. By his decision, he could grant lands from the royal estates. They served as a reward, just like the due portion of court fines.
There was a time when the counts became too independent and even rebelled against the king with arms. This position is inheritable. And it was possible to lose it only by decision of a court from the counts. And finally, this title was called noble.
This was the name given to the leader of the tribe, the person who headed the feudal state or a separate appanage principality. The prince of medieval Germany was perceived as the highest imperial aristocracy, enjoying special privileges. He acquired the status of the highest noble title, almost like a prince or duke.
At first, the title of prince was held by the elder of the clan, who is also the leader of the tribe. And for a long time no one else but him could become a prince.
Only sovereigns and descendants of appanage and sovereign princes held the title before Peter the Great. It was he who first began to reward him for special services. Many people know the name Menshikova A.D.., one of the most famous and first princes not by blood, an associate of Emperor Peter I. And after him, for almost a hundred years, this title was not granted to anyone else
There were only three noble titles in Rus': prince, count and baron. By the way, history also knows a time when being called a prince turned out to be not at all authoritative, even shameful.
Of the princely titles, he was revered as the highest. Only members of the imperial family had the right to wear it.
There were enough of them on Russian soil - the great princes of the Yaroslavl, Ryazan, Tver, Smolensk principalities. And as soon as they came under the rule of Moscow, only the “great Moscow” princes remained.
As soon as Grand Duke Ivan IV accepted the royal title, his sons became “crown princes” and “grand dukes,” and his daughters also became “princesses” and “grand duchesses” (later, with the appearance of the emperor in Russia, “crown princesses”).
With the reign of Paul I, only princely titles were left for his children, of course, along with “imperial highness.”
This title of nobility appeared in Russia at the end of the 17th century. early XVIII centuries. Its meaning was not immediately clear. But its bearers were noble nobles and dignitaries, people close to the sovereign. That is why the title of count became quite revered.
As a rule, men held titles. But history also knows women, princesses and countesses. A woman could also become the title holder, and this was rare.
A woman, becoming the wife of a titled man, acquired a title herself. In the hierarchical ladder, her husband's title determined her place. You could even say that they are on the same step of the stairs, she is right behind him. But more often a woman’s title can be called a “courtesy title,” because she does not receive any of the privileges due to its owner.
It happened, of course, that the title was inherited through the female line. And there are only two such options:
The husband of such a woman did not acquire rights to the title in any case. If you choose from two princesses or countesses, the one who has the title by right has the higher position than the one who enjoys the “title of courtesy” as the wife of a prince or count.
The prince is higher in status than the count. Prince in Russia is the oldest title, and it appeared much earlier than count. Before Peter's time it was hereditary. Then they began to grant him the title of count. At all times there were much more Russian princes than counts.
The title of prince was not always prestigious for its bearer. There were times when he was a symbol of dishonor. Simply calling a person that way could insult him. While the title of count has always been held in high esteem.
