NOBILITY, RANK, & THE CROWN

Upton Abbey: An Improvised Comedy of English Manors

Researched by, Casey Casteel

1

RANK

DUKE ● The highest rank and title in the British peerage ● First introduced by Edward III in 1337

○ created the Black Prince the first English duke ● Derived from the Latin word ‘dux’, meaning leader ● Known to be the “Most Noble” ● Titled as “My Lord Duke” and “Your Grace” ● All his younger sons are “Lords” and all his daughters “Ladies”

MARQUESS ● The second order of the British peerage ● Derived from the French word ‘Marquis’ referring to those that ruled the

border countries of England, Scotland and Wales

● Introduced in 1387 by Richard II ● “Most Honorable” ● Titled as “My Lord Marquess” ● All his younger sons are “Lords” and his daughters “Ladies” ● His eldest sons bears his father’s “second title”

EARL ● The third degree of rank and dignity in the British peerage ● “Right Honorable” ● Titled as “My Lord” ● The eldest son bears his father’s “second title,” generally that of Viscount

2

● His other sons are “Honorable” but all his daughters are “Ladies” ● This is the oldest title, as it was adopted and used before the term ‘Duke’

and ‘Marquess’

● The term is pulled from two different sources: ○ Anglo-Saxon term, Eorl meaning a military leader ○ Jarl, taken from the Nords

VISCOUNT ● The fourth degree of rank and dignity in the British peerage ● Introduced by Henry VI in 1440 simply meaning a vice-count ● “Right Honorable” ● Titled as “My Lord” ● All his sons and daughters are “Honorable”

BARON ● The lowest rank in the British peerage ● Derived from the Latin term, Baro, meaning servant or soldier ● “Right Honorable” ● Styled “My Lord” ● All children of a Baron are “Honorable”

BARONET ● A hereditary rank, lower than the peerage ● Instituted in 1612 by James I, who fixed the precedence of baronets

before all Knights, (except for those in the Order of the Garter)

THE CROWN AND OTHER NOTABLES KING GEORGE V

● Born June 3rd, 1865 to Edward VII ● Second son, but due to the death of his older

brother (influenza), inherited the throne

● Ruled from 1910-1936 ● Won the loyalty of the middle class ● Known for his steadfast dedication to his

country

● Married his German cousin and his dead brother’s fiancée in 1889

3

VICTORIA MARY OF TECK ● Queen of England ● Instituted food rationing at the palace ● Often visited wounded servicemen ● Very materialistic ● She would covet what trinkets her friends’ might

have; she was known for stealing these objects if

they were not gifted to her

● She and George had 6 children together

KING EDWARD VII ● Father of King George V ● Ruled from 1902-1910 ● The Edwardian Era regarded as the golden age for the

upper class in Britain

● Died in 1910 of multiple heart attacks

DAVID LLOYD GEORGE ● In office from 1916-1922 ● Served as the Minister of Munitions from 1915-1916 ● The last liberal to serve as Prime Minister ● The only British Prime Minister to have been Welsh

and to have English as a second language

KAISER WILHELM II ● The last German Emperor ● Formed an alliance with Austria-Hungary ● Was distrusted by Germany’s military leaders ● Fled to Netherlands after the war

4

LILLIE LANGTRY ● In 1881, Langtry became the first society woman to

hit the stage

● First appearing in the Haymarket Theatre as Kate Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer.

● Converted the old Aquarium Theatre in London into the Imperial Theatre and managed it herself

● Considered one of the most beautiful women of her time

● Admired by many, including King Edward VII ● Died Feb 12, 1929

DAISY GREVILLE, COUNTESS OF WARWICK

● British socialite who married Francis Greville, the 5th Earl of Warwick

● She was a long-time mistress to Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales

● She later became a sort of courtesan for powerful men

● After Edward VII died, she carried a lot of debt ● She tried to blackmail King George V in 1916 with

written proof of the late King Edward’s affair with

her.

VENETIA STANLEY

● British aristocrat and socialite, renowned for her beauty

● Known for the letters she wrote back and forth with Prime Minister H. H. Asquith

● Asquith would seek Venetia’s advice on how to deal with his political colleagues. He would also

question her on military strategy to help with

WWI

● Began corresponding with her in 1910 and their writing continued until their affairs ended in 1915

when she married Edwin Montagu

5

REFERENCES

1. "The American Heiress." Edwardian Promenade. N.p., 14 Apr. 2008. Web. 08

July 2016.

2. "British Nobility." European Royal History. N.p., 21 Aug. 2012. Web. 08 July 2016.

3. Cannadine, David. The Decline and Fall of the British Aristocracy. New Haven, CT: Yale UP, 1990. Print.

4. Crawford, Peter. King George V. Digital image. Blogspot. N.p., n.d. Web.

5. "Daisy Greville, Countess of Warwick." Wikipedia . Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 July 2016.

6. The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica. "Lillie Langtry." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 22 July 2016.

7. "Edward VII." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 08 July 2016.

8. "George V." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 29 June 2016

9. "Mary of Teck." Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 29 June 2016.

10. Robert Norman William Blake, Baron Blake. "David Lloyd George."Encyclopedia Britannica Online . Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 22 July 2016.

11. "The Story of the Peerage: How Does It All Work?" Royal Central. N.p., 02 Feb.

2014. Web. 08 July 2016.

12. "Venetia Stanley (1887–1948)." Wikipedia . Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 22 July 2016.

6