Ennoblement

Under ennoblement (also Adelung Nobilitation or registry survey called ) is the elevation to the peerage. It is possible only in countries with a monarchical form of government and can only be created by a sovereign monarch; under the Nobilitierungsrecht understood as the right to a monarch (usually the king or emperor ) has to raise a person to the peerage.

Differentiation

A distinction is made between the awarding of personal or personal nobility and the hereditary nobility of. In the latter form of the title is hereditary, which means it also applies to the descendants of the ennobled; in the former, he is bound only to the person of the ennobled and is not transmitted to the offspring. Examples of personal nobility are the British title Sir or (female) lady.

Legal form

As an instrument of ethical increasing the ennobled received in the German Empire until 1918 a patent of nobility ( nobility ). The administration of all nobility and especially Nobilitierungsangelegenheiten incumbent in monarchical states a Herald's Office; in Prussia existed such until 1918.

Some high ( Merit ) Orders were or are connected with the awarding of personal nobility, such as the Order of Merit of the Bavarian Crown, the highest levels of the Order of the British Empire and the various princely House Order in Germany until 1918. The award of the Black Eagle Order was even linked to the survey in the Prussian hereditary nobility.

Practice in the UK

In the United Kingdom twice a year ( on New Year's Day and on the official birthday of the Queen ) as well as dismissal of the government's lists of the names of all who receive a medal including the announced by the monarch newly ennobled, (so-called Honours List, see British nobility ).

Special shapes

Special forms of ennoblement, whose pronunciation was only kings and emperors were reserved, and are bringing in the Count (" Grafung " ) and princely status ( " For The Tung ") and, as is usually the highest possible level, the appointment of the Duke ( " Herzogung ").

Examples

Otto von Bismarck, for example, was raised by King William I in 1865 in the Count, 1871 in the rank of prince; 1890 awarded him Kaiser Wilhelm II on the occasion of his dismissal the title of " Duke of Lauenburg ". Other hand, when Heinrich XIV Reuss jL, the mere was indeed sovereign, but Lord, the bourgeois -born and in 1879 knighted banker Adolf Wilhelm von Kessler 1881 raised in the title of count, it met the opposition of the German kings, especially Prussia, by a one Prince pronounced earldom survey did not want to apply and Kessler's earldom not recognized.

Others

In a figurative sense ennoblement is also used for " Ehrbarmachung " formerly trivial, " common " objects, facts and persons employed, such as the " ennobling the Comics ".