Historical Aristocracies

The word, aristocracy originates from Greek, and literally means kratos (rule) of the aristoi (the best). Thus, being a member of an aristocracy, otherwise known as an aristocrat, supposedly means being intellectually or morally superior, and therefore the best kind of person to rule. The term, aristocracy is attributed to noted philosopher, Aristotle. In ancient Greece, the aristocrats were people of certain noble families. The ancient Romans had a definition of aristocracy similar to that of the Greeks, although in ancient Roman society from the 4th century BCE onward, it was possible for a common person to ascend to the ranks of the nobility.

The United Kingdom’s aristocracy is known as the peerage system, and dates back nearly a thousand years, to the end of the Norman Conquest of Great Britain in 1066 CE.

From the 14th century onward, several ranks of nobility were created by England’s monarchy. These include the ranks of duke, marquess, earl, viscount, and baron. To this day, peerages are given by the British monarchy, though new hereditary peerages are only granted to members of the royal family. For example, Prince William was given the title of Duke of Cambridge by Queen Elizabeth II on his wedding day. There are also life peerages that are granted by the British government to honor certain individuals. Being made a life peer gives you the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords. In fact, most of the people who sit in the UK’s House of Lords today are life peers rather than hereditary peers.

The Russian aristocracy arose in the 14th century. They were known as the Dvoryanstvo, which is a term derived from the Russian word, dvor, meaning the court of a prince, duke, or czar. By the 17th century, this aristocracy comprised the majority of land owners in the Russian Empire. A key change to the system of aristocracy was made in the 17th century, by Russian czar Peter the Great. He changed the system so that instead of aristocrats being promoted by virtue of heredity, they would instead be promoted based on the value of their actual service that they provided to the monarchy.

In the 18th century, the rights and privileges of Russia’s aristocracy were codified in a law known as the Charter of the Gentry. This charter set up the aristocracy’s organisation, including the Assemblies of Nobility that were convened in every Russian province. In the 19th century, however, Russia’s aristocracy had become disorganised. In many cases, the estates of Russian aristocrats were mismanaged or neglected. In addition, political reforms, such as the abolition of serfdom, weakened the power and authority of the Russian aristocracy. In 1917, the Russian aristocracy came to an end after the October Revolution that brought the communist Bolsheviks to power.

The French aristocracy arose during the Middle Ages. Most French aristocrats gained their status through heredity, though some were made members of the aristocracy by France’s monarchy. Others bought their titles or became members of the aristocracy through marriage. French aristocrats had special rights and privileges, such as the right to hunt, to wear a sword, and to own land. They were also exempt from paying property taxes. Certain religious, civic and military positions were reserved for members of France’s aristocracy. In return, these aristocrats were expected to be loyal to the French king and serve him.

Aristocracies are still alive and well in some societies throughout the world. Familial aristocracies, for example, control the Arab countries of the Persian Gulf. The aristocracies of Europe, however, have generally been reduced to being ceremonial, if they exist at all. Many argue that an informal aristocracy consisting of the world’s most wealthy individuals exists. This modern aristocracy is often referred to as the 1 per cent, whose wealth supposedly gives them undue influence over the economies and politics of the world.

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