Titles of Nobility and Royalty
This chapter provides guidance on how to deal with Slavic titles of nobility and royalty.
1) Titles of nobility
When establishing an authorized access point for a person whose name includes a title of nobility, generally add the title to the name. The title should be in the language in which it was conferred.
RDA 9.19.1.2.2 Title of Nobility
If the title of nobility or part of the title commonly appears with the name in resources associated with the person or in reference sources, add the title to the name. In this context, disregard reference sources dealing with the nobility. In case of doubt, add the title. Add the title of nobility even if it is not needed to distinguish access points representing different persons with the same name.
When constructing the authorized access point in MARC format, add the title after the preferred name, in a subfield ǂc. Precede a title of nobility by a comma and a space.
Example (in MARC format):
Apponyi, Sándor, ǂc gróf, ǂd 1844-1925
A cataloger may provide a translated form of the nobility title as a variant access point, to improve identification and access, even if the name never appeared under such title.
Example (in MARC format):
100 1 Kantemir, Antiokh Dmitrievich, ǂc kni︠a︡zʹ, ǂd 1708-1744 [title most commonly
appearing with the name - in Russian]
400 1 Кантемир, Антиох Дмитриевич, ǂc kni︠a︡zʹ, ǂd 1708-1744
400 1 Cantemir, Antioche Dmitriévich, ǂc prince, ǂd 1708-1744 [title translated into
English]
400 1 Cantemir, Antioh, ǂc Principe, ǂd 1708-1744 [title occasionally appears in
Romanian language]
400 1 Kantemir A. D. ǂq (Antīokh Dmitrīevich), ǂc kni︠a︡zʹ, ǂd 1708-1744
400 1 Makentin, Khariton, ǂd 1708-1744
670 Ehrhard, M. Un ambassadeur de Russie à la cour de Louis XV ... 1938.
670 Cîrstea, V. Antioh Cantemir, 1984: ǂb t.p. (Antioh Cantemir)
670 Sementkovskīĭ, R. I. A.D. Kantemir ego zhiznʹ i literaturnai︠a︡ di︠e︡i︠a︡telʹnostʹ, 1893:
ǂb t.p. (A. D. Kantemir) p. 5 (kni︠a︡zia Antīokha Dmitrīevicha Kantemira)
670 Kvinta Gorat︠s︡ïi︠a︡ Flakka desi︠a︡tʹ pisem pervoĭ knigi, 1788: ǂb p. 5 (... Kharitona
Makentina)
670 Svodnyĭ kat. russkoĭ knigi 18. veka: ǂb no. 1557 (A.D. Kantemir; Khariton
Makentin pseudonym of A.D. Kantemir)
2) Titles of royalty
A different set of rules is applied to royal names and names of people with the highest ruling status within the state, and also to their consorts and children.
RDA 9.4.1.4.1 (note). Persons with highest status are kings and queens, emperors and empresses, and persons with other titles that indicate such a status within a state or people (grand-dukes, grand-duchesses, princes, princesses, etc.). Rank is the only determining factor in applying these instructions. The degree of authority or power is not a factor.
Royal titles should always be recorded in English.
RDA 9.4.1.4.1. Person with the Highest Royal Status within a State, Etc.
For the person with the highest royal status within a state or people, record the person’s title and the name of the state or people. Record both in a language preferred by the agency creating the data if there are satisfactory equivalents in that language.
LC-PCC PS for 9.4.1.4.1 LC practice/PCC practice: Record the person’s title and the name of the state or people in English.
Examples (in MARC format):
Royal persons:
100 0 Zvonimir, ǂc King of Croatia, ǂd -1089
400 0 Dimitrije Zvonimir, ǂc King of Croatia, ǂd -1089
400 0 Dmitar Zvonimir, ǂc King of Croatia, ǂd -1089
400 0 Zvonimir, ǂc King of Croatia, ǂd d. 1089 ǂw nnea
400 0 Zvonimir, ǂc kralj hrvatski, ǂd -1089 [variant in Croatian language added]
670 Zvonimir, kralj hrvatski, 1997: ǂb t.p. (Zvonimir, kralj hrvatski) p. 26, etc. (king
Zvonimir ; Dimitrije Zvonimir, king of Croatia)
670 Opća encikl., v. 8, p. 722: ǂb (Zvonimir ; Dmitar Zvonimir ; Croatian king ; d.
1089)
675 Americana ; ǂa Britannica ; ǂa Colliers
Consorts:
100 0 Ĭoanna, ǂc Czarina, consort of Boris III, Czar of Bulgaria, ǂd 1907-
400 0 Ĭoanna, ǂc T︠S︡arit︠s︡a, ǂd 1907- [variant in Bulgarian added]
400 0 Giovanna, ǂc Queen, consort of Boris III, Czar of Bulgaria, ǂd 1907-
400 0 Giovanna, ǂc di Savoia, ǂd 1907-
400 1 Di Savoia, Giovanna, ǂd 1907-
400 1 Savoia, Giovanna di, ǂd 1907-
670 Spomeni, 1991: ǂb t.p. (T︠S︡arit︠s︡a Ĭoanna)
670 Giovanna di Savoia, 2001: ǂb t.p. ; p. 22, etc. (b. 1907; d. 1999; daughter of
Victor Emmanuel III; wife of Boris III, king of Bulgaria)
Royal children and grandchildren:
100 0 Aleksandra Pavlovna, ǂc Princess, daughter of Paul I, Emperor of Russia, ǂd
1783-1801
400 0 Alexandra Pawlowna, ǂc Princess, daughter of Paul I, Emperor of Russia, ǂd
1783-1801
400 0 Aleksandra Pavlovna, ǂc velikai︠a︡ kni︠a︡zhna, ǂd 1783-1801 [variant in Russian
added]
670 Volovik, Oleg. Aleksandra, 2004: ǂb text (velikai︠a︡ kni︠a︡zhna Aleksandra
Pavlovna; b. 1783; d. 1801; Alexandra Pawlowna)
3) List of titles of royalty and nobility
Here are some examples of royal titles and titles of nobility that one can encounter:
Titles of royalty
t︠s︡arʹ
czar
czarina
tsaritsa
císař
císařovna
korolʹ
král
královna
kralj
król
królowa
imperator
imperatrit︠s︡a
kníže
kněžna
książę
księżna
t︠s︡arevich
t︠s︡arevna
czarevitch
velikiĭ kni︠a︡zʹ
velikai︠a︡ kni︠a︡gini︠a︡
velikai︠a︡ kni︠a︡zhna
Titles of nobility
graf
grafini︠a︡
gróf
grófka
grófné
grófnő
hrabě
hraběnka
hrabia
hrabina
baron
baronessa
Revised: Sept. 19, 2015