Chris Green wrote:In Sweden riddare were were classed as nobility (with tax exemptions among other privileges), whereas English knights were never considered noble (and had no tax privileges!).
And of course English knighthoods are not hereditary.
Chris Green wrote:In Sweden riddare were were classed as nobility (with tax exemptions among other privileges), whereas English knights were never considered noble (and had no tax privileges!).
And of course English knighthoods are not hereditary.
Chris Green wrote:
So true! A point that had eluded me about the Swedish system is that adelskap (nobility) at all levels was hereditary. Thus a Swedish riddare was more like a baronet than a knight.
Also (correct me if I'm wrong), doesn't (or didn't) Swedish nobility pass from the father to all his children, not just the eldest son?
Historically all members of a noble family were generally titled. If the family was of the rank of a Count or a Baron, all members received that title as well. However, following the new Instrument of Government from 1809, a change was made more in line with the British system so that, for later nobility, only the head of the family would be part of hold the title (if there is one). There are a few families where these systems overlap such that the vast majority are nobles pre-1809 without title, while the heads of the families have been elevated to count or baron after 1809. The vast majority of noble families are still of the old kind where all members are regarded as nobles.
Chris Green wrote:Also (correct me if I'm wrong), doesn't (or didn't) Swedish nobility pass from the father to all his children, not just the eldest son?
I can only quote Wiki:Historically all members of a noble family were generally titled. If the family was of the rank of a Count or a Baron, all members received that title as well. However, following the new Instrument of Government from 1809, a change was made more in line with the British system so that, for later nobility, only the head of the family would be part of hold the title (if there is one). There are a few families where these systems overlap such that the vast majority are nobles pre-1809 without title, while the heads of the families have been elevated to count or baron after 1809. The vast majority of noble families are still of the old kind where all members are regarded as nobles.
JMcMillan wrote:But weren't/aren't the younger sons, etc., still considered untitled nobility? In the British system, the younger sons are legally commoners.
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