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Gotha International

The Great Families
of Europe

Foreward

There are some 800 families qualifying for entry into this register. The idea is to indicate who they are, how they became to be titled and whether or not the family is likely to continue.

The Twentieth Century has been one of great agitation and upheaval. There have been many movements of population before but, this time, the need to flee one's country has reached even the most important and apparently secure. Families, established for hundreds of years, have had to make new homes in foreign countries. For the most part, they are picking up the pieces and are slowly, but surely, re-establishing themselves. This is a not inconsiderable feat, since many arrived in Western Europe or America with little more than the clothes they were wearing.

This book is an attempt to produce a comprehensive list of all the "great" families of Europe. In some countries, the United Kingdom for example, this is a relatively easy matter. To find out about any of the oldest families, one need do no more than consult Debrett’s Peerage. But this is no longer true where some distinguished names of, say, Poland or Georgia and concerned. No register of these exists, in many cases. However, to have reached a high rank, it is necessary to have performed some exemplary deed or service and it would be a pity if all record were lost. One Yugoslav (Serbian) duke, for example, was last heard of working as a foreman bricklayer in a London suburb. His grandfather liberated Belgrade in the first World War.

While memories, therefore, are still reasonably fresh, this book will try to collect details on all European families which carry the rank of prince or duke. Some may have been overlooked, despite the best efforts of the editors, and we would be grateful to receive any suggestions for inclusion in later editions.

Where ruling families, past or present, are concerned, some are better known by their family name; an example of this are the Habsburgs. Others would be virtually unknown except by the title of their country; Bavaria is probably more immediately familiar than the Wittelsbach family. Other dynasties really have no name at all and are only known by their countries; Denmark for example. In one or two cases, the family gave its name to its territory; Lorraine (Lotharingen in German) is derived from Lothaire II, a great-grandson of Charlemagne. In all cases, we have tried to choose the more obvious, with cross-references.

Titles: Since the dawn of time, it has been the custom to give leaders, be they civil, military or religious, some form of style or title.This is not just to distinguish them from everybody else but is also a gesture of respect for holders of high office. It is for this reason, for example, that many carry these titles with them, long after they have retired. Presidents of France and the U.S.A are forever addressed as Mr President. A General never loses his rank. Even retired ambassadors can still be called, "Your Excellency" .

However, there are plenty of families that have produced one dazzling member and then sunk back into obscurity. Some have produced two brothers, brother and sister or, even, two generations of prominent people and then have never been heard of again. We are concerned with families. Now, it is true that some modern, distinguished people might, in the past, have been honoured in such a way that their names endured. We are looking for more than that. We need families that have built their way up, through the generations, until they have reached the summit. And, in almost every case, families of this type have received honours that they have been able to pass on to their children and have thus obtained a degree of immortality. This is not always the case; some distinguished names rely heavily on the founder or a later, even more distinguished member. But for the most part, those who have reached the highest rank, have done so by guarding what has been inherited and passing it on, often with a little added. After a few generations, they arrive with great names, titles and, usually, estates to support them. It is with them that we are concerned. And, to draw the line, we have chosen the two highest titles, prince and duke - along with the royal families that still survive. These are almost always old and have romantic and interesting histories to go with their names.

Way back in the Middle Ages, the (Holy Roman) Emperor was trying to keep order in his vast domains. So he sent out military governors to the various regions. They were little more than the equivalent, today, of colonel or general. Their titles then, however, were based on the Latin comes and dux. These are the present equivalent of count (or graf or earl) and duke. They were purely military ranks, held only while the general was in office. Those who were sent to particularly dangerous parts - usually on the borders or marches - were honoured with the rank, between the two above, of margrave or marquis.

The Emperor was a busy man, spending much of his time putting down rebellions. So, if one of his dukes died and had to be replaced, he was faced with a problem. If the duke had a son, and the son was loyal to his sovereign, the easiest solution was, often, to recognise the son as the new dux. In any event, the son was often well dug in and the people of the region were likely to be just as loyal to the family they knew as to some distant Emperor. So the latter had the choice between acknowledging the status quo and hoping for the best or of invading and replacing the son by force.

The result was, therefore, that dukedoms tended slowly to become hereditary. On the whole, new dukes did remain loyal to the Emperor since he, in the end, was the source of their legitimacy. Furthermore, in order to gain protection under the feudal system, it was necessary to swear fealty (loyalty and obedience) to whomsoever was above you in thepecking order. Until this was done, your territory was fair game for any greedy neighbour or ambitious underling. You owed loyalty to the lord above you but he owed you protection in return.

Later kings and super-dukes emerged but nearly always they swore allegiance to the Emperor, an important local lord or, finally, the Pope. Even the Emperor deferred, in theory at least, to the Holy Father.

Dukes therefore, almost without exception, have titles with territorial connotations; and there could only be one duke at a time. One or two German states did experiment with co-dukes, but these were extremely rare.

In time, the Emperor, the Pope and certain other great leaders found it desirable to reward individuals, or even whole families, with a style that would rank them with dukes but, normally, without the land involved.

The style chosen was principes (prince).

Great care, though, should be taken with the title of prince. Sometimes it is territorial; the Princes of Monaco or Liechtenstein for example. Sometimes it is purely honorific, such as with the families of Poniatowski or Boncompagni. Sometimes the title does refer to an area, with the family name being quite different. Often it is just added to the normal surname, as with Borghese. To make matters more complicated, many foreign titles - voivode etc. - are translated by Western Europeans to the nearest equivalent which, in all practical terms, means prince. The Sturdza and Cantacuzino families are now generally ranked as such, though the styles recognised in their original countries would be meaningless to us.

Certain Landgraves and Margraves, in Germany, although technically ranking below dukes, also carry the prefix of Royal Highness. They ruled, as sovereigns, over independant or, at least, semi-autonomous states. They have been included in this register. Some old families, also, prefer to be known for a very ancient title in preference to a more recent but grander creation. The Pretender to the French throne is the Count of Paris; his eldest son is the Count of Clermont. The father of the King of Spain, than whom one cannot be more elevated, was the Count of Barcelona.

We have only included those who also possess the title of duke or prince, even if they do not use them. In passing, it should be mentioned that some families only possess the rank of count but to all practical purposes rank as duke or prince. The Tolstoy, Zamoyski or some branches of the Erbach familes can be included in this category. Indeed, the last-named should be addressed, on formal occasions at least, as Illustrious Highness. Nevertheless, these have been included.

Address, generally, is largely a matter of local custom but we have tried to give an indication. Broadly speaking, though, non-royal rulers of independant countries, or those who once were rulers, are entitled to the prefix of Serene Highness. These include the Mediatised Sovereign States of the Holy Roman Empire. This situation came about, largely due to the efforts of Napoleon Bonaparte, when certain states were not considered, any longer, to be viable on their own and were attached to larger units. Such families include Arenberg, Croy, Esterhazy, Fürstenberg, Hohenlöhe and others.

Coats of Arms: When wearing armour, it was nearly impossible to distinguish the occupant. This, obviously, had disadvantages in battle so the custom arose of wearing a loose coat or tunic over the armour. Hence the expression coats of arms. No two people, at least in the same area, could use the same colours or devices and so heralds were appointed to regularise usage. At one time, sons and other relatives had to "difference" their coats so as to avoid confusion. These differences kept the heralds busy, though they usually followed a set pattern. Eldest sons just added a "label", second sons a "crescent" and so on. Cousins might invert the colours or just add a "border". It was, therefore, fairly obvious to which family junior members belonged, without their being confused with the chief.

Shields could vary according to the various regions and countries. For the purposes of this book we have chosen the “modern” form.

Nowadays, the custom of differencing has largely fallen into disuse.

When warriors were mounted, it again became difficult, often, to make out just which coat of arms they were wearing. This was particularly true in the thick of battle. So the more important began adding some device to the top of their helmets (crests) of even crowns (coronets). As a result, in the melée of close combat, it was relatively easy to know whom to follow and protect.

It is not correct to describe a coat of arms, usually depicted on a shield, as a crest.

The shape of the shield used in heraldry and the exact detail of the coronets vary according to local custom. We have unified these, to a large extent. It might be worthmentioning, though, that stern Europe was very greatly influenced by the French heralds. In the east, the dominant influence was that of the Holy Roman (or Germanic) Empire. It is, therefore, almost universal to portray all princes with the Holy Roman Empire "bonnet", be they from Italy or Lithuania.

Heraldry is, properly, a written art. All coats of arms are described in a precise form. It is up to the local artists to interpret the words asest they can. The colours are few and basic; red (gules), blue (azure), green (vert) and black (sable) being the main ones. The way the shield is divided up follows immutable rules. In adition to the colours, there are two metals, gold (or) and silver (argent), and occasionally furs. A colour can be added to a metal or vice versa. There is supposed to be only one example of a metal being added to another metal and that is the Kingdom of Jerusalem, where the rules were deliberately bent as a special honour. On the whole, therefore, a herald anywhere in Europe would come up with an almost identical interpretation; though the exact form of, say, a tree might sometimes vary.

It is often stated, with some truth, that the simpler the coat of arms, the older the family. The Kings of Aragon, for example, bore a plain gold shield. It is hard to imagine anything simpler than that. However, one was found by the Emperor, gravely wounded. The Emperor dipped his fingers into the blood of John of Aragon and traced four red (gules) lines down the shield. This passed into history and the regions on both sides of the Pyrenees still use this device.

The arms of the Prince of Hannover displays those of the Royal House of Great Britain with suitable augmentations.

Those who take the trouble really to examine and understand coats of arms, can often trace the history of various families and this makes a visit, say, to a cathedral much more interesting.

General: It is sometimes said that titles and all the appendages are merely a faintly amusing anachronism. But the history of nations and sometimes whole regions can be followed through the exploits of single familes The Princes Andronikof, for example, exemplify a thousand years of events around the Black Sea.

Furthermore, it is worth remembering that many countries are again looking to their previous ruling dynasties as a unifying symbol. A delegation from Georgia went to discuss the future with the head of the Bagration-Moukhranskys; several other countries are thinking seriously of restoring their monarchies. The King of Spain was recalled and probably saved democracy, single-handedly, in his country. Many Polish princes are going home - and are being welcomed. The present Prime Minister of Bulgaria would, otherwise, be the King.

A family that has lasted several hundred years has demonstrated endurance, if nothing else. It is almost certainly too early to write them off just yet. And, whatever the reasons may be, they do seem to rise to the top again, even if they have had - as the modern term would have it - to "relocate" on some distant shore.

We give below, the arms of the great Dukes of Guise, since these incorporate almost everything an amateur needs to know on the subject.

Coats of Arms are read like a book, from the top left corner. The description, here, is in French since that language is the source of most heraldic terms.

1. Royaume de Hongrie: fascé de gueules et d'argent. These are the old arms of Hungary and the relation to Austria is obvious.

2. Royaume de Naples: d'azur semé de fleurs de lys d'or au lambel de gueules. The old coat of arms ofFrance hadfleurs de lys "sown" at random; the label indicates a branch line.

3. Royaume de Jerusalem: d'argent à la croix potencée d'or cantonée de quatre croisettes du même. This is the only authentic case of a metal being added to a metal.

4. Royaume d'Aragon: d'or à quatre pals de gueules. See earlier as to how this shield came about.

5. Duché d'Anjou: d'azur semé de fleurs de lys d'or à la bordure de gueules. This is the old coat ofFrance but differenced in another manner to No. 2, above.

6. Duché de Gueldres: d'azur au lion contourné d'or armé, lampassé et couronné de gueules. It is a feature of heraldry that animals, eagles etc face to the left as looked at. Since the shield was worn on the left arm, they would thus appear to be facing the enemy and not seem to be running away. For esthetic reasons, the real coat of Guelderland has been turned on this occasion.

7. Duché de Juliers: d'or au lion de sable armé et lampassé de gueules.

8. Duché de Bar: d'azur semé de croix recroisettées au pieds fichées d'or à deux bars adossés du même. The fish are supposed to represent a species known as "bar" and have been chosen for obvious reasons.

Sur le tout, Duché de Lorraine: d'or à la bande de gueules chargée de trois alérions d'argent. An alérion (anagram of Loraine) is a form of eagle, without claws or beak; this suggests the power and magnificence of this bird without any hostile intent.

Au lambel de trois pendants de gueules brochant en chef, sur le tout du tout. This indicates a branch line, usually that of the elder or next to eldest son.

The coronet is that of a French duke.

This attractive and interesting coat of arms is the, somewhat fantasist, invention of René d'Anjou. Usually known as the "bon roi René", he travelled around Europe, laying claim to several titles. As titular king of Jerusalem, a title that went back to the Crusades, he liked to be called King René - but he had no land. lis father had married the Duchess of Bar (in her own right) and so he became Duc de Bar. Finally, he married Isabelle, who was Duchess of Lorraine in her own right. le thus became titular Duke of Lorraine and Bar and proceeded to create a blazon which included every important territory that the two families could claim to rule or be descended from. René, apart from claiming to be King of Jerusalem, was also Duke of Anjou, Count of Provence, effective King of Naples and titular King of Sicily. The others came from his wife.

A man of great personal charm, but no great fortune, he was forgiven this eccentricity. In due course, his second eldest great-grandson, Claude, became Duke of Guise. Claude kept the family coat of arms and added the label to indicate that he was of a branch line.

In the heat of battle, when everyone was on horseback, it was not always easy to distinguish the finer points of a coat-of-arms. So, leaders began to ensure that an esquire was always near them, carrying a banner for indentification. Unfortunately these, often unarmed, followers were the first to be attacked. Leaders then started to wear a crown on their helmets. If the king or general seemed to have got lost in the throng, any of his followers could look round for this crown and knew where to rally for support.

As time went on and hand-to-hand combat became rarer, the crowns were surmounted by the heralds onto the shield and, nowadays, they denote the rank of the head of the family. As with all details of heraldry, the rules were punctilious.

Different countries used different coronets - as they used different shields - so we have largely unified these.

Sometimes a herald would surmount a shield with a helmet. These followed many of the same rules, though it is worth noting that the more important the owner, the more the helmet is turned towards the front. Gold was for senior ranks, mere iron for the also-rans.

We give below an indication of these crowns and helmets. Western Europe was almost entirely influenced by France, Eastern and Central Europe by the loly Roman Empire. Thus Polish and Russian princes are shown with the Empire “bonnet”.