Talk:Ranks of nobility and peerage

The German ranks have always been and remained in a total mess, in particular seen from the rest of the world. That's no news.

For reference, I quote from http://firms.findlaw.com/vban/memo4.htm:


 * The Reigning Houses from 1815-1918 were as follows: [3]
 * Emperors - Austria (1804-1918), Germany (1870-1918),
 * Kings - Prussia, Bavaria, Saxony, Wurtemberg, Hannover (1815-66).
 * Grand Dukes - Baden, Hesse & the Rhine, Luxemburg, [4] Mecklemburg-Schwerin, Mecklemburg-Strelitz, Oldenburg, Saxe-Weimar und Eisenach.
 * Elector - Hesse(-Kassel) was the only state to retain this title after 1815 (1815-1866).
 * Reigning Dukes (1815-1918) - Saxe-Meiningen, Saxe-Altenburg (from 1826), Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Anhalt, Brunswick (1815-84, 1913-18), and Nassau (1815-66).
 * Reigning Princes (1815-1918) - Lippe, Schaumburg-Lippe, Schwarzburg-Sondershausen, Schwarzburg-Rudolstadt (united 1909), Waldeck und Pyrmont, Liechtenstein, Hohenzollern-Hechingen & Hohenzollern-Siegmaringen (1815-1849), Reuss (senior line), Reuss (junior line).


 * The ranks of former-Reigning & mediatised Houses after 1815 (Standesherren)
 * Landgraf - Hesse junior lines - Highness (Hoheit)
 * Mediatized Dukes [5] - Serene Highness (Reichsherzog & Durchlaucht)
 * Mediatized Princes - Serene Highness (Reichsfürst - Durchlaucht)
 * Mediatized Counts of Princely rank (elevated after 1806) - Serene Highness (Reichsgraf - Durchlaucht)
 * Mediatized Counts - Illustrious Highness (Reichsgraf - Erlaucht).


 * All of the above rank above the non-mediatised noble Houses. The ranks of the latter are as follows:
 * Duke (Reichsherzog) - variously Serene Highness or High Born (Durchlaucht or Hochgeboren)
 * Prince (Reichsfürst) - variously Serene Highness, Princely Grace or High Born (Durchlaucht, Fürstliche Gnaden, or Hochgeboren)
 * Markgraf [6] - High Born (Hochgeboren)
 * LandGraf [7]
 * AltGraf - High Born (Hochgeboren)
 * RheinGraf - High Born (Hochgeboren)
 * WildGraf [8] - High Born (Hochgeboren)
 * ReichsGraf - High Born (Hochgeboren)
 * Reichsfreiherr - High Well Born (Hochwohlgeboren)
 * Reichsritter - High Well Born (Hochwohlgeboren)
 * Reichsherr - High Well Born (Hochwohlgeboren)