by Scott Mehl
© Unofficial Royalty 2019
The Peerage is a complex system of hereditary and lifetime titles within the United Kingdom. Know as Peers of the Realm, holders of these peerages were entitled to seats in the House of Lords – one of the two houses of the British Parliament. The Peerage actually consists of five different peerages:
- The Peerage of England – titles created in England before the Act of Union in 1707
- The Peerage of Scotland – titles created in Scotland before the Act of Union in 1707
- The Peerage of Ireland – titles created in Ireland before the Act of Union in 1801, and some created later
- The Peerage of Great Britain – titles created in Great Britain between 1707 and 1801
- The Peerage of the United Kingdom – titles created since the Act of Union in 1801
Within these five peerages, there are different titles, listed below by rank:
- Duke (Duchess) – comes from the Latin word dux, meaning leader
- Marquess (Marchioness) – comes from the French word, marquis (derived from marche), referring to the borders between England, Scotland and Wales
- Earl (Countess) – comes from the Old English word, eorl, meaning a military leader
- Viscount (Viscountess) – comes from the Latin word vicecomes, meaning a vice-count
- Baron (Baroness) – comes from the Old Germanic word baro, meaning a freeman.
- Lord of Parliament – title in the Scottish peerage, equivalent to Baron in the other peerages. It ceased to be granted following the Act of Union 1707. (In Scotland, a Baron is traditionally the holder of a feudal dignity, not a peer.)
There are a few other titles that, while considered part of the aristocracy, are not actually part of the peerage:
- Baronet (Baronetess) – baronetcies are hereditary titles, but are not part of the peerage.
- Knight/Dame – those who have been knighted by the Sovereign, either independently, or as a member of one of the Orders of Chivalry.
History of the Peerage system
The Peerage, as we know it today, grew out of the medieval baronage system which existed in feudal times. Barons, in those times, were responsible for raising troops for military service, and held land as a tenant-in-chief, in addition to attending Parliament. Over time, many of those ceased to be called to Parliament, making their baronies personal titles as opposed to territorial. The titles were hereditary, but only upon payment of a fee – called relief – by the new holder. The Tenures Abolition Act of 1660 eliminated this practice.
The first Duke was named in 1337, when Edward the Black Prince was created Duke of Cornwall by his father, King Edward III.
The first Marquess was named in 1385, when Richard de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford was created Marquess of Dublin by King Richard II.
Earldoms existed prior to the Norman Conquest of 1066. But the first Earl named in the Peerage of England was in 1067, when Radulf Stalre (Ralph the Staller) was created Earl of East Anglia by King William I.
Viscountcies became a title in the peerage in 1440 when John Beaumont, 6th Baron Beaumont was created Viscount Beaumont by King Henry VI. Prior to then, Viscount was used as a judicial honorific, typically referring to a county sheriff.
Baronies – Barons first existed during the reign of King William I, who introduced the title to recognize those who had been loyal to him under the feudal system. They later became members of the King’s Council, a predecessor to the House of Lords.
Lords of Parliament have existed since the beginning of the Parliament of Scotland in the early 1200s.
Multiple Titles and Peerages
When a peerage is created, there is often more than one title granted. For example, when the Dukedom of Marlborough was created in 1702, John Churchill was created Duke of Marlborough and Marquess of Blandford, both in the Peerage of England. The Dukedom became his primary title, while the Marquessate became his most senior subsidiary title, in addition to several other titles he already held – Earl of Marlborough (England), Lord Churchill of Eyemouth (Scotland) and Baron Churchill of Sandridge (England).
There are also many peers who hold multiple titles in more than one peerage. For example, in 1675, King Charles II created his illegitimate son, Charles Lennox, Duke of Richmond, Earl of March and Baron Settrington, in the Peerage of England. A month later, he was also created Duke of Lennox, Earl of Darnley and Lord Torbolton in the Peerage of Scotland. He was then styled as Duke of Richmond and Lennox. Two hundred years later, the 6th Duke of Richmond and Lennox was also created Duke of Gordon and Earl of Kinrara in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. The current holder, Charles Gordon-Lennox, is one of only 5 people to hold more than one dukedom, and the only one to hold three.
Here’s a fun fact about multiple titles – there are currently 31 Dukes, and they hold nearly 200 titles!
- 37 Dukedoms
- 21 Marquessates
- 57 Earldoms
- 17 Viscountcies
- 45 Baronies
- 21 Lordships of Parliament
- (and also 4 Baronetcies – a lesser title which is not considered part of the peerage)
Hereditary Peers vs Life Peers
Hereditary Peers are those whose titles are passed down to future generations. Traditionally, the succession is in the male line, passing from father to son, with only males eligible to assume the title. There are, however, several exceptions where the title has been granted with a special remainder allowing a daughter to succeed. This has typically only been done in cases where there are no sons to inherit. A notable example is The Earl Mountbatten of Burma. As he only had daughters, the Letters Patent creating his title included a special remainder allowing his daughters to succeed him, but then reverting to their male descendants. Hereditary Peerages continue to exist as long as there are legitimate surviving descendants to inherit, based on the succession defined in the Letters Patent creating the title. When there are no eligible heirs, the peerage becomes extinct (ceases to exist).
Life Peers are those who are given peerages for themselves only, for the duration of their life. Life Peers are typically given the rank of Baron or Baroness, with only a few notable exceptions. Legitimate children of a life peer are accorded the style ‘The Honourable’, but they are unable to inherit the peerage itself.
The House of Lords Act 1999 reformed the House of Lords, which until that time had been comprised of several hundred hereditary peers. The Act removed most of them, leaving just 92 hereditary peers (and an additional 10 who were created life peers to allow them to remain). The House of Lords now consists primarily of Life Peers.
Precedence
In the very complex order of precedence in the United Kingdom, peers are amongst the highest level, preceded only by The Royal Family, Archbishops and High Officers of State. Wives and children of peers are also accorded precedence, as are widows – who take precedence over their successors. Former spouses do not hold any precedence, unless specifically decreed by the Sovereign. (See Wikipedia: Orders of Precedence in the United Kingdom for a full list of precedence for peers and their families.)
Robes and Coronets
There are two kinds of robes worn by peers:
Parliamentary Robes of a Viscount (Viscount Nuffield) photo: By Simon Q from United Kingdom – Nuffield Place, HuntercombeUploaded by tm, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=24237688
Parliamentary Robes – worn at a member’s introduction to the House of Lords, and at the State Opening of Parliament. They may also be worn when specifically directed, such as the Investiture of the Prince of Wales. These are worn by all peers and peeresses in their own right, but not by wives of peers. They feature a full-length garment of scarlet wool with a collar of white miniver fur, closed at the front with black silk satin ribbon ties. Bars of miniver fur (edged with gold oak-leaf lace) on the right side of the robe indicate the rank of the wearer:
- DUKE – 4 bars
- MARQUESS – 3-½ bars
- EARL – 3 bars
- VISCOUNT – 2-½ bars
- BARON/LORD OF PARLIAMENT – 2 bars
Embed from Getty Images
Coronation Robes – worn only at the Coronation of a new Sovereign. They consist of a cloak of crimson velvet extending to the floor, open in the front, with white silk satin ribbon ties and trailing behind. Attached is a cape and collar of miniver fur, with the wearers rank indicated by the number of rows of ermine tails on the cape:
- DUKE – 4 rows
- MARQUESS – 3-½ rows
- EARL – 3 rows
- VISCOUNT – 2-½ rows
- BARON/LORD OF PARLIAMENT – 2 rows
(NOTE: Royal Dukes have six rows of ermine, and additional rows on the collar and the front edges of the robe.)
For peeresses in their own right, and wives of peers, the Coronation robes are slightly different in design. They consist of a crimson velvet kirtle, edged in miniver fur, and worn over evening dress. The robe is attached at the shoulder, taking the form of a long train of matching crimson velvet, edged in miniver. At the top of the train is a miniver cape which has rows of ermine indicating their rank (same as those listed above). In addition, the length of the train is indicative of their rank:
- DUCHESS – 2 yards
- MARCHIONESS – 1-¾ yards
- COUNTESS – 1-½ yards
- VISCOUNTESS – 1-¼ yards
- BARONESS – 1 yard
In addition to their Coronation Robes, peers are entitled to a coronet. This is worn only at a coronation, and typically is featured in the holder’s coat of arms. Coronets are worn by peers, peeresses in their own right, and wives of peers. They are comprised of a silver-gilt circlet, chased as though it is jeweled, but no actual gems are used. They feature different symbols based upon the wearer’s rank:
- DUKE- features 8 strawberry leaves
- MARQUESS – features 4 strawberry leaves and 4 pearls
- EARL – features 8 strawberry leaves and 8 pearls raised on stalks
- VISCOUNT – features 16 pearls, all touching each other
- BARON/LORD OF PARLIAMENT – features 6 pearls
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