Court TITLES & Offices
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The 9 Great Officers of State
Traditional Crown ministers, who either inherit their positions or are appointed to exercise certain largely ceremonial functions. In Order of Importance
Other Court Offices
| Lords and Ladies Welcome to the Tudors List of Court Titles & Offices  Court titles are ranked in descending order of importance (Church and Other Positions have their own hierarchy) During the Tudor Period 1485 to 1603 Amongst a population of between 2.5 and 3 million people, there were only between 1,200 and 1,500 families of gentry status and above, and on average |
 King Henry VIII presides over his parliament 1525 |  Not certain what honor should be accorded to you or another character in the most royal court of His Majesty, King Henry VIII? Or do you know exactly the respect others owe you? Learn about or add to the knowledge on the Tudors List of Court Titles Page!
|  King Edward VI attends parliament |
| We in England divide our people commonly into four sorts. The first are gentlemen, which covers everyone from nobles to professionals; next come the citizens of the cities, who are free men with special privileges; next come the yeomen of the countryside; and finally the poor – day labourers, servants and vagrants, who have 'neither voice nor authority'. - William Harrison, a country parson. |
| Title: |  Dates: | Held by: |
| King Address: "Your Majesty" By the Grace of God, King of England, France and Ireland, Defender of the Faith and of the Church of England and also of Ireland in Earth, under Jesus Christ, Supreme Head | 1485 - 1509 1509 - 1547 1547 - 1553 | Henry VII Henry VIII Edward VI |
| Queen (Equal to a King) | 1553 - 1553 1553 - 1558 1558 - 1603 | Lady Jane Grey Mary I Elizabeth I |
| Queen Consort | 1486 - 1503 1509 - 1533 1533 - 1536 1536 - 1537 1540 1540 - 1542 1543 - 1547 | Elizabeth of York Katherine of AragonKatherine HowardAnne BoleynKatherine HowardJane SeymourKatherine HowardAnne of ClevesCatherine ParrKatherine Howard Catherine Parr |
| Queen Regent exercised ruling authority in behalf of the King during his absence on war campaigns | 1513 1544 | Katherine of Aragon Catherine Parr |
| Prince/Princess of Wales Address: "His/Her Royal Highness" | Arthur Tudor Henry Tudor Margaret Tudor Mary Tudor Mary Tudor Elizabeth Tudor Henry Tudor Edward Tudor | |
| Dowager Princess of Wales | Katherine of Aragon | |
| Lord Protector | 1547-1549 1549-1553 | Edward Seymour John Dudley (never proclaimed himself Lord Protector though ruled the country by de facto) |
| DUKE/Duchess Address: "Your Grace" |  | Ducal Coronet Silver-gilt coronet of eight strawberry leaves (three and two halves shown) |
| Duke of Norfolk Premier Duke of England & is also Earl Marshall & Earl of Arundel | 1514 - 1524 from 1524 | Thomas Howard (2nd) Thomas Howard (3rd) Thomas Howard (4th) |
| Duke of Cornwall First Dukedom created in English peerage with Edward, the Black Prince (1337) The present Prince Charles, son of Elizabeth II, is Duke of Cornwall | 1502 - 1509 Jan/Feb 1511 Dec 1514 c. August 1534 1537 - 1547 | Henry Tudor (Henry VIII) Henry Tudor (son of Katherine of Aragon - died) Henry Tudor ( 2nd son of Katherine of Aragon- died) Henry Tudor (stillborn son of Anne Boleyn) Edward Tudor (son of Jane Seymour) |
| Duke of Richmond | 1519 - 1536 | Henry Fitzroy (1st) Henry VIII's illegitimate son |
| Duke of York Since the 15th C, this title has been usually given to the second son of the Monarch. Since the second creation (1474), none of the holders of the title have ever transmitted it: they either died without male heirs or became King themselves. The current Duke of York is Prince Andrew, second son of Elizabeth II. | 1494 - 1509 | Henry Tudor (when he became King Henry VIII in 1509, the title Duke of York was merged with the Crown of England) |
| Duke of Buckingham | Edward Stafford (3rd) | |
| Duke of Suffolk | 1514 - 1545 1535 - 1551 1537 - 1551 1551 - 1554 | Charles Brandon (1st - 2nd creation) Henry Brandon (2nd) Charles Brandon (3rd) Henry Grey (1st - 3rd creation) |
| Duchess of Suffolk | 1533 - | Catherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness de Eresby |
| Duke of Somerset | 1443 - 1444 1519 - 1536 1547 - 1552 | John Beaufort 1st Duke of Somerset (father of Margaret Beaufort, mother of Henry VII) Henry Fitzroy (Henry VIII's illegitimate son) Edward Seymour despite forfeiting the title, the dukedom has stayed in the Seymour family till the present |
| Duke of Northumberland | 1551 - 1553 (forfeit) | John Dudley, (1st creation) ruler infacto during the latter half of King Edward VI reign |
| MARQUESS(Marquis)/Lady Marquess Address: "Your Grace" |  | Marquess Coronet Coronet of silver gilt with four strawberry leaves (one and two halves shown) and four silver balls (emblazoned as two showing) |
| Marquess of Pembroke This title was created for Anne Boleyn, to make her the most important woman (of non-royal status) in England. The title was derived from that of the Earl of Pembroke, a title once held by Henry's Welsh great-uncle, Jasper Tudor. Technically Anne Boleyn held the masculine title of Marquess not Marchioness, the term was not used until centuries later. The 16th century feminine title of Marquess (a wife of a Marquess) was 'Lady Marquess'. | 1532 - 1533 | Anne Boleyn |
| Marquess of Exeter | 1525-1538 | Henry Courtenay, (2nd) |
| Marquess of Dorset | 1477 - 1530 1530 - 1554 | Thomas Grey (2nd) Henry Grey (3rd) |
| EARL/Countess Address: "Your Excellency" |  | Earl Coronet coronet has eight silver balls raised upon points (five shown) and alternate gold strawberry leave (four shown) |
| Earl of Arundel Oldest & Premier Earldom | 1476 - 1544 1544 - 1580 | William FitzAlan Henry FitzAlan |
| Earl of Surrey | to 1514 1514 - 1524 from 1524 | Thomas Howard (1st) Thomas Howard (2nd) Henry Howard (3rd) |
| Earl of Wiltshire | From 1529 | Thomas Boleyn |
| Earl of Northumberland | to 1527 from 1527 | Henry Algernon Percy Henry Percy |
| Earl of Ormonde | to 1515 from 1529 | Thomas Butler Thomas Boleyn |
| Earl of Shrewsbury | George Talbot | |
| Earl of Worcester | Charles Somerset | |
| Earl of Devon | 1502-1511 1511-1538 | William Courtenay Henry Courtenay |
| Countess of Salisbury | 1474 - 1539 (forfeit) | Margaret Pole, Lady Salisbury (daughter of George Plantagenet, Duke of Clarence) 8th |
| Earl of Richmond | 1452-1456 1456-1509 | Edmund Tudor, 1st Earl of Richmond Henry Tudor, 2nd Earl of Richmond |
| Earl of Hertford | 1547-1552 (forfeit) (regained) 1559-1562 (forfeit) | Edward Seymour, 1st Earl (third creation) Edward Seymour, 1st Earl of Hertford (fourth creation) lost the title when he secretly married Lady Jane Grey's sister, Lady Katherine Grey Seymour family regained the title of Earl/Marquess of Hertford back over the years) |
| VISCOUNT/Viscountess Address: "Your Excellency" |  | Viscount Coronet Silver-gilt coronet set with sixteen silver balls (nine shown) |
| Viscount Beauchamp | 1536-1552 | Edward Seymour |
| Viscount Rochford | 1525 - 1529 1529 - 1536 | Thomas Boleyn George Boleyn |
| Viscountess Rochford | 1532 - 1533 c. 1524 - 1542 | Anne Boleyn, (Lady Anne Rochford) Jane Boleyn (Lady Jane Rochford, wife of George Boleyn) |
| BARON/Baroness Address: "Your Excellency" |  | Baron Coronet A plain silver-gilt circlet set with six silver balls (four shown) |
| Baron Hunsdon | Henry Carey (1st) | |
| Baron Seymour of Sudeley | Thomas Seymour (1st) | |
| BARONET Address: "Sir, Lady or Dame" | A lesser order of barons, peerage introduced to England and Ireland by King James I. Before the 17th century, baronetcies were rarely granted in England let alone during the Tudors. | |
| Bart Quarendon | Henry Lee (1st) | |
| KNIGHT (Lord/Lady) Address: "Sir, Lady or Dame" | ||
| In the 1520s, there are about 200 knights, plus 4,000 or 5,000 lesser esquires and gentlemen. In all, only about 5% of the population are gentlemen, but their numbers are growing. 'Gentlemen' and 'gentlewomen' comprise the upper classes and professionals, who do not work with their hands for a living. | ||
| CHURCH POSITIONS |  Bishops Mitres | |
| Bishop of Ely | 1551-1553 | Thomas Goodrich |
| Bishop of Durham | 1523-1529 1530-1559 | Thomas Wolsey Cuthbert Tunstall |
| Bishop of London | 1502-1504 1550-1553 1559-1570 1577-1594 | William Warham Nicolas Ridley Edmund Grindal (chaplan of Edward VI) John Aylmer (former tutor of Lady Jane Grey) |
| Bishop of Winchester | 1529 - 1530 1531 - 1551, 1553 - 1555 | Thomas Wolsey Stephen Gardiner |
| Archbishop of Canterbury | 1487 - 1500 1504 - 1532 1533 - 1555 1556 - 1558 1559 - 1575 | John Morton William Warham Thomas Cranmer Reginald Pole Matthew Parker (chaplain to Anne Boleyn) |
| Archbishop of York | to 1530 1556-1558 | Thomas Wolsey Nicolas Heath |
| OTHER POSITIONS/TITLES Address: "My Lord, My Lady" | The titles 'Mr' (Master) and 'Mrs' (Mistress) simply signify gentry status – 'Mrs' does not yet mean that a woman is married |
The 9 Great Officers of State
Traditional Crown ministers, who either inherit their positions or are appointed to exercise certain largely ceremonial functions. In Order of Importance
| Title: | Dates: | Held by: |
| Lord High Steward One of the most powerful men of the kingdom. | 1509 1547 1553 | Edward Stafford John Russel Edward Stanley |
| Lord High Chancellor also Lord Keeper Custodian of the Great Seal of the Realm | 1515 - 1529 1529 - 1532 1533 - 1544 1544 - 1547 1547 1547 - 1551 1552 - 1553 1553 - 1555 | Thomas Wolsey Thomas More Thomas Audley Thomas Wriothesley (Risley) William Paulet Richard Rich Thomas Goodrich Stephen Gardiner |
| Lord High Treasurer Head of His Majesty's Treasury | 1501 - 1522 1522 - 1546 1547 - 1549 1550 - 1572 | Thomas Howard Thomas Howard Edward Seymour William Paulet |
| Lord President of the Council Presiding officer of His Majesty's Most Honourable Privy Council and member of cabinet | 1530 - 1545 1546 - 1550 1550 - 1553 | Charles Brandon William Paulet John Dudley |
| Lord Privy Seal Responsible for the monarch's personal ("privy") seal | 1516 - 1523 1523 1523 - 1530 1530 - 1536 1536 - 1540 1540 - 1542 1542 - 1555 | Thomas Ruthall Henry Marney Cuthbert Tunstall Thomas Boleyn Thomas Cromwell William FitzWilliam John Russell |
| Lord Great Chamberlain - Charge over the Palace of Westminster and the House of Lords; bearer of the Sword of State at state openings and closings of Parliament | 1513 - 1526 1526 - 1540 1540 - 1562 | John De Vere, 14th Earl of Oxford John De Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford John De Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford |
| Lord High Constable Head of the Court of Chivalry | 1485-1521 1547 1553, 1559 1603 | Edward Stafford Henry Grey Henry FitzAlan Edward Somerset |
| Earl Marshal Head of the College of Arms | 1509–1524 1524–1547 1547–1551 1551–1553 1553–1554 | Thomas Howard Thomas Howard Edward Seymour John Dudley Thomas Howard |
| Lord High Admiral Commander of the Royal Navy | 1513 1513 - 1525 1525 - 1536 1536 - 1540 1540 - 1542 1542 - 1543 1543 - 1547 1547 - 1549 1549 -1550 | Edward Howard Thomas Howard Henry Fitzroy William FitzWilliam John Russell Edward Seymour John Dudley Thomas Seymour John Dudley |
Other Court Offices
| Title: | Dates: | Held by: |
| Comptroller of the Royal Household | 1509 - 1519 1520 - 1522 1522 - 1532 1532 - 1537 1537 - 1539 1539 - 1540 1540 - 1547 | Edward Poynages Thomas Boleyn Henry Guildford William Paulet John Russell William Kingston John Gage |
| King's Secretary from 1539 - there were 2 Secretaries. The primary duty of this clerical office was carrying the monarch's official correspondence, but in varying degrees the holder also advised the crown. | 1516 - 1526 1526 - 1528 1528 - 1531 1534 - 1536 1536 - 1544 1539 - 1543 1543 - 1548 1544 - 1557 | Richard Pace William Knight Stephen Gardiner Thomas Cromwell although he may have been acting unofficially as secretary from as early as 1531 Thomas Wriothesley (Risley) Ralph Sadler William Paulet William Petre |
| Treasurer of the Household | 1519 - 1521 1521 - 1525 1525 - 1537 1537 - 1539 1539 - 1558 | Edward Poynages Thomas Boleyn William Fitzwilliam William Paulet Thomas Cheney |
| Lord Steward of the Household in charge of the household proper (domus providentiae) Later Altered to Great Master of the Household | 1509 - 1538 1541 - 1544 1544 - 1551 1551 - 1553 | George Talbot Charles Brandon William Paulet John Dudley |
| Lord Chamberlain of the Household in charge of the King's Chamber (domus magnificentiae) | 1508 - 1526 1526 - 1530 1530 - 1535 1535 - 1550 | Charles Somerset William Fitzalan William Sandys William Paulet |
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