The Nutcracker Prince Mantle Stocking Holders
are 7.5 inches tall. The Nutcracker Christmas Stocking Holders costume consists of a glittered blue and gold crown with red plastic jewel decorations, a blue glitter and gold jacket with red and gold epaulettes and matching cuffs, over a red and gold shirt with a black belt. The Wooden Nutcrackers Soldiers have red pants with black boots and is holding a gold staff with a red plastic jewel decoration. The Stocking Holder rest on a 3.5 inch round, gold, base. Select to see a complete listing of our Christmas Decorations Ideas.
Prince.
Prince is a title of the highest rank of the nobility. The word comes from the Latin princepes, meaning first. Princeps was used as a title for civil and military officials among the ancient Romans. The German Visigoth and Lombard tribes that settled in the Roman Empire used prince to mean independent authority. The crusaders followed this practice when they set up governments in the Near East.
In modern times, the title prince or princess can be used in many ways. It is the title of the ruler of the principality of Liechtenstein. In the United Kingdom, only the eldest son of the ruler has a legal right to the title of prince and only after the ruler has created him Prince of Wales. The oldest daughter may be granted the title Princess Royal. As a mark of courtesy, other members of the royal family and they alone are called prince or princess. In France, male members of the former royal Bourbon family are called prince. In Italy, the title is commonly used by the heads of many of the great Italian families.
A Prince consort is the husband of a reigning queen. In countries where the daughter of a king may inherit the throne, her husband does not have the title of king. Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom are among the countries that allow a woman to rule. Select this link to view our Christmas Nutcracker Decorations.
What is Nobility?
Nobility is a class of people who are considered to stand at the top of their society. They have special political and social status. Nobility is inherited and it carries titles such as duke or earl. Some nobles are the descendants of lords of the middle ages and have inherited their property as well as their titles. Others trace their ancestry to a person who was awarded a title for service to a modern monarch.
The British nobility is called the peerage and noblemen are known as peers. There are five grades of peers. From the highest to the lowest they are:
- Duke
- Marquess or Marquis
- Earl
- Viscount
- Baron
The wives of noblemen and women who hold titles in their own right, are called peeresses. The five grades of peeresses are:
- Duchess
- Marchioness
- Countess
- Viscountess
- Baroness
The title of earl is the oldest grade of peer. It dates back to the Danish nobles who ruled much of England from the 800’s to the 1000’s. The rank of baron was introduced by the Normans when they conquered England in 1066. King Edward III of England created the rank of duke in 1337, when he named his oldest son as Duke of Cornwall. The title of marquess was added to the peerage in 1385 and the first viscount was created in 1440. Select this link to view our Christmas Nutcrackers Village People.
The Creation of Peerages.
The British monarch now grants peerages on the recommendation of the prime minister. The monarch issues documents called letters patent, which create the peerage and specify how it will be inherited. In most cases, a peer’s title passes to his oldest son If he has no son, it usually goes to his closest male relative. The other children are commoners. The title becomes extinct if there is no male heir. Select this link to view our Wooden Nutcrackers Soldiers.
