Difference between revisions of "Grand Duchy"
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The titular Grand Duchies existing to this day are:<br> | The titular Grand Duchies existing to this day are:<br> | ||
| + | * [[Saxmere]] - ([[Soveriegn States|Sovereign States]]) | ||
* [[Tarana]], [[Shieldcrest]] - ([[The Resurgent Dream]]) | * [[Tarana]], [[Shieldcrest]] - ([[The Resurgent Dream]]) | ||
* Proxima Centauri I, Pholus, Proxima Centauri III, Nessus Prime, Prometheus Centauri, Acheron, Falasmayon, Greenway, Antiga, Mizar, Erudan, Stewart, and Brontes - ([[Valinon]]) | * Proxima Centauri I, Pholus, Proxima Centauri III, Nessus Prime, Prometheus Centauri, Acheron, Falasmayon, Greenway, Antiga, Mizar, Erudan, Stewart, and Brontes - ([[Valinon]]) | ||
Revision as of 17:21, 27 March 2006
This article deals with Grand Duchy as it relates to NationStates. For more general information, see the Wikipedia article on this subject.
A Grand Duchy is a form of monarchy which has a Grand Duke or a Grand Duchess as head of state. The name of Grand Duchy can also refer to a territory within a larger country, over which a Grand Duke is a titular ruler.
Contents
The title of Grand Duke
The title Grand Duke (in Latin, Magnus Dux; in Greek, Μέγας Δουξ; in Russian, Великий князь; in German, Großherzog; in French, Grand-duc) is of a protocolary rank below King but higher than a sovereign Duke or Prince. The feminine form is Grand Duchess.
Grand Duke is the usual and established translation of Grand Prince in languages which do not have separate words meaning prince for (1) children of a monarch, and (2) monarch (sovereign or like) princes. English and French use Grand Duke also in this way.
Origins of the title
The term of Grand Duchy historically came to denote lands of a particularly mighty Duke. During the Middle Ages, it was not uncommon for the number of duchies to inflate. Dukes often came to be sovereigns over little fiefs, even towns. In the mosaic of little duchies, some became big and powerful and felt it necessary to be differentiated from the rest.
Grand Duke of Grand Prince?
The title of Grand Prince is most often used in connection with East European styles. A Grand Prince came to denote a nominal ruler of a group of territories or tribes who, whilst officially being above the regional rulers, remained a primus inter pares.
A great deal of controversy is sparked by those languages that use a single word to denominate both Princes and Dukes. A fine example would be Russian in which the title of Velikiy Kniaz can mean both Grand Duke or Grand Prince.
A Veliky Kniaz that is fully sovereign over his realms shall be called a Grand Duke, such as the Velikiy Kniaz Vsetaraskovskiy (Grand Duke of all Taraskovya)). On the contrary, a Velikiy Kniaz that acts as a first among equals with other rulers shall be called a Grand Prince.
Styles
The most usual style of a Grand Duke is Royal Highness. However, that style is in no way a rule and some countries shall require different styles. For example, the Taraskovyan Grand Duke shall be addressed simply as His Highness and a Danaan territorial Grand Duke shall be addressed as His Most Esteemed Royal Highness.
List of Grand Duchies
Sovereign Grand Duchies
Currently, the sovereign Grand Duchies are:
Titular Grand Duchies
The titular Grand Duchies existing to this day are:
- Saxmere - (Sovereign States)
- Tarana, Shieldcrest - (The Resurgent Dream)
- Proxima Centauri I, Pholus, Proxima Centauri III, Nessus Prime, Prometheus Centauri, Acheron, Falasmayon, Greenway, Antiga, Mizar, Erudan, Stewart, and Brontes - (Valinon)
Other Grand Duchies
- Alcona is a former sovereign Grand Duchy that is now the senior component of the United Duchies. The sovereign of the United Duchies senior title is Grand Duke of Alcona. The Government of the United Duchies is an expansion of the former Ducal Government of Alcona.
