Ritter
Sign in to saveRitter (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 "" (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.
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- title of honor
- Country
- Holy Roman Empire
- Said to be same as
- Sir
Sources (1)
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Encyclopedic overview
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- See also
- References
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 "" (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.
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". The wife of a Ritter was called a Frau (in this sense "Lady") and not Ritterin.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Ritter” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.