Earl in United Kingdom
Earl Meaning, as used in the UK Parliament
The British Peerage has five ranks within it. Earl is the third of the ranks or grades. The title dates from Saxon times and was the highest rank until the title of Duke was created.
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See Also
- Hereditary Peers
Further Reading
English Law: Earl in the Past
A title of nobility next below a marquis and above a viscount.
Developments
Earls were anciently called comites, because they were wont comitari regem, to wait upon the king for counsel and advice. He was also called shireman, because each earl had the civil government (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.K. encyclopedia) of a shire.
Details
After the Norman conquest they were called counts, whence the shires geted the names of counties. They have now nothing to do with the government (see more about this popular legal topic in the U.K. encyclopedia) of counties, which has entirely devolved on the sheriff (see law enforcement in the U.K. encyclopedia), the earl’s deputy or vice comes. [1][rtbs name=”history-of-english-law”]
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Notes and References
- Partialy, this information about earl is based on the Bouvier´s Law Dictionary, 1848 edition. There is a list of terms of the Bouvier´s Law Dictionary, including earl.
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