British nobility

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British nobility refers to the noble families of the United Kingdom.

Contents 1 General history of British nobility 2 Ranks and Titles 2.1 Dukes 2.2 Marquesses 2.3 Earls 2.4 Viscounts 2.5 Barons 2.6 Baronets 2.7 Knights 2.8 Lesser Titles 2.9 Untitled Classes 3 See also

[edit] General history of British nobility

The nobility of the four constituent home nations of the United Kingdom has played a major role in shaping the history of the country, although in the present day nobles do not command anywhere near as much power as they have done in the past. The British nobility constists of two entities, the peerage and gentry. Members of the peerage are titled (duke, marquess, earl, viscount, baron), frequently referred to as peers or lords. The rest of the nobility is referred as gentry, and with the exception of the baronet, which is a title of hereditary knight, or of those that are knighted (for life), being called Sir X Y, they bear no titles apart from the qualification of esquire or gentleman (which is a legal qualification).

Before the twentieth century, peerages were generally hereditary and (with a few exceptions), descended in the male line. The eldest son of a Duke, Marquis or Earl frequently has a courtesy title - often one of his father's subsidiary titles. For example, the eldest son of the Earl of Snowdon is called Viscount Lindley.

English peers were entitled to sit in the House of Lords, but only a limited number of Scottish and Irish peers could do so. A member of the House of Lords could not be a member of the House of Commons. In 1960, Anthony Wedgewood Benn, MP inherited his father's title as Viscount Stansgate. He fought and won the ensuing by election, but was disqualified from taking his seat. As a result an act was passed enabling peers to renounce their titles.

During the 1960s, the government introduced (non-hereditary) life peers and ceased creating hereditary peers. This convention was not observed by Margaret Thatcher who created a few new hereditary peers. The reform of the House of Lords under Tony Blair reduced the number of hereditary peers entitled to sit in the Lords.

[edit] Ranks and Titles

[edit] Dukes

• Dukes in Britain
• List of dukes in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of dukedoms in the peerages of the British Isles

[edit] Marquesses

• List of Marquesses in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of Marquessates in the peerages of the British Isles

[edit] Earls

• List of Earls in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of Earldoms in the peerages of the British Isles

[edit] Viscounts

• List of Viscounts in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of Viscountcies in the peerages of the British Isles

[edit] Barons

• List of Barons in the peerages of the British Isles
• List of hereditary baronies

[edit] Baronets

• List of Baronetcies

[edit] Knights

• Knight
• British honours system

[edit] Lesser Titles

• Scottish Baron
• Clan Chief

[edit] Untitled Classes

• Esquire
• Gentleman

[edit] See also

• Peerage, an exposition of great detail
• Gentry
• Landed gentry