Marquess

A marquess is a nobleman of hereditary rank in Europe, China, and Japan. In British peerage it ranks below a duke and above an earl. A woman with the rank of marquess, or the wife of a marquess, is a marchioness.

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The word derives from the Middle French marquis (feminine, marquise), ultimately from a Germanic word for 'border' (Mark) which in English became marches. This spelling marquis is still also used (especially in Scotland), though marquess is now preferred, at least for British marquesses (French marquis are still generally known by the French spelling of the word). In German-speaking countries, the equivalent title was margrave (Markgraf). In Italy the equivalent rank is that of marchese, the wife of whom is a marchesa.

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They were originally counts that guarded the borders which gave them precedence over other counts. This is still evident in the German language (Mark+graf=March+count).

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Nobleman: redirect Nobility...

Europe: :This article is about the continent. For other meanings, see Europe (disambiguation)....

China: :This article is about Chinese civilization. For the modern-day state commonly referred to as "China", see People's Republic of China. For other meanings, see China (disambiguation)....

Marquess related Images and Photos (experimental)

Arthur Hill 2nd Marquess of Downshire (1753-1801)