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Title of nobility in German-speaking areas
Ritter
(German for "
knight
") is a designation used as a
title
of
nobility
in German-speaking areas. Traditionally it denotes the second-lowest
rank within the nobility
, standing above "
Edler
" and below "
Freiherr
" (
Baron
). As with most titles and designations within the
nobility
in German-speaking areas, the rank was hereditary and generally was used with the
nobiliary particle
of
von
or
zu
before a family name.
[1]
For its historical association with warfare and the
landed gentry
in the
Middle Ages
, the title of Ritter can be considered roughly equal to the titles of "
Knight
", but it is hereditary like the
British title
of "
Baronet
".
[2]
The wife of a Ritter was called a "
Frau
" (in this sense "Lady") and not Ritterin.
In heraldry, from the late 18th century, a Ritter was often indicated by the use of a
coronet
with five points, But not everyone who was a Ritter and displayed arms made use of such a coronet. In the
Austrian Empire
and in
Austria-Hungary
, the title of "Ritter von" was bestowed upon citizens who deserved more than the plain "von" but were not considered deserving enough as to be given a
barony
and designated as "
Freiherr
".
Even today, members of the
Central European Order of St. George
, which goes back to
Emperor Maximilian
and was later reactivated by the
Habsburgs
after its dissolution by
Nazi Germany
, are "Ritter" (knights).
[3]
In addition to the described system,
Wurttemberg
introduced orders of merit beginning in the late 18th century, which also conferred nobility as "Ritter von" but kept the title limited to the recipient's lifetime (see
Military Order of Max Joseph
).
[4]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]