During the Renaissance, the society of England was severly class-bound. Unlike today where we can get an education and perhaps better for ourselves through hard work, people living during the Renaissance had very little upward mobility. For nearly all of the population, whatever class you were born into was the class in which you would remain. Nobles were born to privilege, because titles passed from Father to the first born male heir, or in the case of no male sons, to the younger brother of a noble. For a very few, finding favor with the reigning monarch was the only way to raise one's level in society.

 The noblity (Dukes, Marquess', Earls, Viscounts, and Barons) is collectively refered to as The Peerage, the term being derived from the Latin word Pares meaning equals. The peerage and lower levels of society as they existed in England are discussed below:

The Monarch
The Monarch was the center of the nation and the fount from which all other honors flowed. Fortunes were made and lost at finding favor or displeasure from the reigning Sovereign. He or she was addressed as "Your Majesty." The wife of a King is known as a Queen, however, only through an Act of Parliament could the husband of a reigning Queen be known as King. (Such as Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip.) The rank of King died out in the Tudor line with the Death of Henry VIII's son Edward VI. Upon his death, the throne passed to his eldest half-sister, Mary I. Upon her death, because she had produced no children, the throne passed to her half-sister, Elizabeth I. Special Note: At the North Carolina Renaissance Faire, you'll meet Their Majesties Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.

Prince/Princess
Although a Prince is not considered a memeber of the peerage, upon reaching their majority (age 18) most princes were created Dukes. Sometimes, as was the case in Wales until 1282, a Prince rules independently of the Monarch. Since 1282 however, being Prince of Wales is an honor reserved for a male heir to the English throne. A woman can never be Princess of Wales except through marriage.

The daughter of a King or Queen is titled Princess, and may not be raised to a dukedom. Instead, one Princess in the entire kingdom is often created Princess Royal. A wife of a Prince is known as a Princess, but cannot be titled Princess Royal.

Dukes
Of the peerage, Dukes are the most powerful members. In effect, a Duke rules a section of the country for the monarch while in turn being ruled by the Monarch. The title is derived from the Latin word Dux meaning leader. Queen Elizabeth found that Dukes had too much power for her taste. After she ordered the Duke of Norfolk to be executed in 1572, there were no Dukes in England until after her death. The wife of a Duke is called a Duchess. A Duke or Duchess is addressed as Your Grace, a privilege shared only with the Archbishops of Canterbury and York.

Marquess
This second level of the peerage is derived from the Latin word Marchio which was used to denote the commander of a border region. This level of the peerage is reserved for those Lords whose cheif responsibility is to protect the borders of the Kingdom. The wife of a Marquess is known as a Marchioness. They are addressed as "Your Honor."

Earl (or Count)
The Saxon King Canute introduced this title in the 11th century, thus making it the oldest existing title in the peerage. Deriving from the Danish word, Jarl, or Cheiftan, the English title of Earl is the equivalent of the continental title of Count. The wife of an Earl is titled Countess.

Viscount
Literally meaning the Vice-Count, the Viscount is the deputy of the Earl. This fourth level of peerage is the latest to be introduced in England. Viscount is also the courtesy title used for the son of an Earl. The wife of a Viscount, is known as the Viscountess.

Baron
The title of Baron derives itself from the land which is held, the Barony. Barons are the lowest level of the peerage entitled to sit in the House of Lords. Baroness is the title given to the wife of a Baron.

Common Men
All those men not born to privilege were known as Commoners, not peasants, as is often said in err. The top social levels for non-nobles were as follows:

• Wealthy Merchants
• Lawyers and Clerks
• Master Craftsmen
• Journeymen/Apprentices
• Independent Traders
• Domestics (Servants)

Below these came the agricultural workers, hard laborers, and finally, vagrants and beggers. There was not much griping about one's level in society; it was pretty much taken for granted that there was no escaping one's birth.

However, within each level of society, there was a good deal of snobbery.

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