In the late Middle Ages, when there were many wars, the feudal monarchs of Europe made great achievements and loyalty to the king under the inspiration of chivalry, except for the use of noble titles to enter England. Before the middle of the 11th and 12th centuries, the counts were mostly princes who guarded one side. Most of them governed several counties by one person, so they were also called "Fang Bo". After the Norman Archduke William invaded England, he was worried that they would be too powerful and endanger the royal power and the unity of the country, so he divided the power of Fang Bo and handed it over to his cronies. The title of earldom can be inherited by descendants, but the total number will not increase due to the lack of heirs in some counts. During Stephen's reign, he was crowned Earl of Essex with Ofhrey de Manville. Since the 14th century, the number of counts has risen. In 1307 there were nine. In 1327, when Eder and Aufra de Manviva III ascended the throne, only 6 remained, and 10 years later the number increased to 12; Edward's reign increased to 14. Before the twenties of the 14th century, the count, as a high-ranking nobleman, was the "natural leader" of the barons, and had local responsibility for the management of the barons and knights. However, during the political crisis of 1327 [referring to Edward III's deposition of his mother, Princess Isabella of France, as regent and ascension to power, the counts acted independently as a "self-conscious" political group, and a "sense of distance" from the barons suddenly appeared. After the addition of the county of March by Henry III in 1328, the count was not required to exercise the duties of local administration. On major formal occasions, the Count wore a crimson velvet coat trimmed with white fur, a soft hat with three mink skins sewn to indicate his knighthood, and a crown with a gold-plated silver ring and eight silver balls on the upper edge; The king, on the other hand, called the count "a truly believable and lovely companion." ”

In the Anglo-Saxon era, the word baron existed, but there was no baronial title, and the meaning of the word was uncertain. It seems to have the meaning of "freeman" or "servant of the king", but it has no meaning of honor. English barons appeared in the 11th century. By the beginning of the 12th century, most of the king's high-ranking secular nobles were made barons. Among them, a few who were close to the royal family and had more fiefs were also called "archbarons", and their status was between earls and barons. Soon, the archbarons were divided, with the illustrious promoted to the rank of earl, and the rest on a par with the common barons. Because of the high proportion of barons among the secular aristocracy at that time, the term "baron" was used as a collective noun for the nobility for a long time. In the 11th and 14th centuries, barons and fiefs could be passed on by blood and marriage, but they could not be sold or transferred at will, and successive kings did not arbitrarily add or deprive them of noble titles. In 1387, Richard II added the title of baron for the first time, and Biochampo de Hoult was made Baron Kidminster. For hundreds of years, the barons at the end of the 5th rank of nobility have always had the largest number.

On formal occasions, the baron wore the same coat as the count, with two mink skins on the hat and a pale silver ring on the tiara, decorated with 6 silver balls.

In order, the duke (duke) appears. As early as the Roman Empire, the title of duke on the continent was usually given to high-ranking commanders who defended their territories and had distinguished military achievements, but were later interrupted by major political changes. A few hundred years later, the dukedom was found in Germany. Around 970 AD, the German Emperor Otto I first established the title of duke. Soon France and other parts of continental Europe also established principalities (duchy; Grand Duchy, archduchy). In England, the duke was the highest nobility after the king or prince, as opposed to the "archduke" (archduke) of continental Europe as the lord of a country. The English dukedom appeared very late. In 1337, Edward III elevated Cornwall to a duchy and bestowed the title of duke on the seven-year-old "Black Prince" Edward. The crown prince participated in the Hundred Years' War at the age of 16, and his edge was revealed; In 1355, he went to France to command the war and made great military achievements. His father rewarded him with many titles, such as Prince of Wales in 1343 and Duke of Aquitaine in 1362. In order to highlight the special status of the duke, except for the queen's spouse and the prince, no other prince was allowed to claim the title of king for many years to come, and the highest title of duke could be obtained. Subsequently, Edward III and his successors established the Duchy of Lancaster (1351), the Duchy of Clarence (1362), the Duchy of York and the Duchy of Gloucester (1385), the Duchy of Hereford (1397), the Duchy of Bertford (1413) and the Duchy of Somerset (1443). The leaders of these principalities were all royal relatives, and after they obtained high-ranking titles, they stood out among the nobles and were extraordinary, laying hidden dangers for future competition for royal power, disrupting the dynasty, and creating wars. Since the establishment of the Duchy of Norfolk in 1483, dukedoms have been granted to anyone other than the prince, but principalities have rarely been established. And most of the people who can obtain this highest title are commanders with outstanding military achievements. It is difficult for a politician in the administrative circles to receive this honor, even if he has served for many years and has made remarkable achievements. On formal occasions, the duke also wore a crimson velvet coat with four mink furs on his hat. The crown is adorned with a gold ring and eight red gold leaves. The king, for his part, called the Duke "our true and most beloved companion." ”

Look again at the marquess (also marquis). Etymologically, it is derived from the German markgraf [博hou; Governor of the Frontier Colonies; Earl] evolved. The original meaning of the marquis is similar to the meaning of the word "Fang Bo", which refers to the feudal officials who rule one place. In England, the Latin word "marquis" originally referred to a lord of the Welsh frontier. At that time, it only meant that their territory was located close to the border, not that their status was higher than that of the earl. In 1385, the meaning changed, and Robert de Ville, 9th Earl of Oxford, was made Marquess of Dublin. In 1397, John, Earl of Somerset, was made Marquis of Dosit and Marquess of Somerset. The status and degree of honor of the marquis is not clear, and it is about the time between the duke and the earl, and it is not valued. During the reign of Henry VI, John de Biofort was removed from the title of Marquis by the King, and the House of Commons petitioned the King to restore the title of Giant. But he himself objected to begging the king, saying: "The Marquis is a new honorary title, which is completely unknown to the ancestors." Therefore, it is not wise to ignore it and not to accept it. It was not until the 15th century that the title steadily retained its second-class status in the noble title before it was given to the nobility

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