Hochwohlgeboren (, "High Well-born"; la, magnificus) is an

honorific An honorific is a title that conveys esteem, courtesy, or respect for position or rank when used in addressing or referring to a person. Sometimes, the term "honorific" is used in a more specific sense to refer to an honorary academic title. It ...

and manner of address for members of the

nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...

in some parts of Europe.

German

This form of address originally had connections with the ability of a ''

Freiherr (; male, abbreviated as ), (; his wife, abbreviated as , literally "free lord" or "free lady") and (, his unmarried daughters and maiden aunts) are designations used as titles of nobility in the German-speaking areas of the Holy Roman Empire ...

'' ( Baron) to bequeath a family

coat of arms A coat of arms is a heraldic visual design on an escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the latter two being outer garments). The coat of arms on an escutcheon forms the central element of the full heraldic achievement, which in its ...

and to hold landed property as

allodial Allodial title constitutes ownership of real property (land, buildings, and fixtures) that is independent of any superior landlord. Allodial title is related to the concept of land held "in allodium", or land ownership by occupancy and defens ...

instead of a

fief A fief (; la, feudum) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form ...

. The actual address is ''Euer Hochwohlgeboren'' ("Your High Well-born") and is the correct form of address not only German ''

en'' but also ''

Ritter Ritter (German for "knight") is a designation used as a title of nobility in German-speaking areas. Traditionally it denotes the second-lowest rank within the nobility, standing above " Edler" and below "Freiherr" (Baron). As with most titles a ...

'' and '' Edle''. The title should not be confused with ''(Euer) Hochgeboren''. This title ranks higher than ''Hochwohlgeboren'' and is the style of mediate ''

Graf (feminine: ) is a historical title of the German nobility, usually translated as "count". Considered to be intermediate among noble ranks, the title is often treated as equivalent to the British title of "earl" (whose female version is "coun ...

en'' (''mediate Counts''; immediate counts or ''Reichsgrafen'' are entitled to the address ''

Erlaucht His/Her Illustrious Highness (abbreviation: H.Ill.H.) is the usual English-language translation for ''Erlaucht'', a style historically attributed to certain members of the European aristocracy. It is not a literal translation, as the German word ...

'') and those ''Freiherren'' descending from the mediæval ''

Uradel (, German: "ancient nobility"; adjective or ) is a genealogical term introduced in late 18th-century Germany to distinguish those families whose noble rank can be traced to the 14th century or earlier. The word stands opposed to '' Briefadel'', ...

''. Another honorific title was ''(Euer) Wohlgeboren'' which ranked lower than Hochwohlgeboren and was claimed by Bourgeois notables. In the 19th century it became customary to address academic and other civil honoraries by this title, e.g., a number of letters to

Sigmund Freud Sigmund Freud ( , ; born Sigismund Schlomo Freud; 6 May 1856 – 23 September 1939) was an Austrian neurologist and the founder of psychoanalysis, a clinical method for evaluating and treating pathologies explained as originating in conflicts ...

are addressed to "''Hochwohlgeboren'' Prof. Dr. Sigmund Freud". It is commonly abbreviated in correspondence as: “I.I.H.H.” for married couples “I.H.” (= ''Ihre Hochwohlgeboren'') for women. “S.H.” (= ''Seine Hochwohlgeboren'') for men.

Swedish

In Sweden ''Högvälboren'' (High Well-born) is used to address

barons Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knigh ...

and

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

s, ''Välboren'' (Well-born) is used to address untitled nobles.

Dutch

In The Netherlands ''Hoogwelgeboren'' (High Well-born) is used to address a Baron, a

Knight A knight is a person granted an honorary title of knighthood by a head of state (including the Pope) or representative for service to the monarch, the church or the country, especially in a military capacity. Knighthood finds origins in the Gr ...

or a

Jonkheer (female equivalent: ; french: Écuyer; en, Squire) is an honorific in the Low Countries denoting the lowest rank within the nobility. In the Netherlands, this in general concerns a prefix used by the untitled nobility. In Belgium, this is the ...

. ''Hooggeboren'' (High-born) is used to address

Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...

Margrave Margrave was originally the medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or of a kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain feudal families in the Em ...

Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

s or

Viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. In many countries a viscount, and its historical equivalents, was a non-hereditary, administrative or judicia ...

Russian

In Imperial Russia, civil, military and court officials in the 6th to 8th grades according to the Table of Ranks were addressed with a style similar in meaning (''Ваше высокоблагородие''). Similarly the style ''(Euer) Wohlgeboren'' (''Ваше благородие'') was applied to officials in the 9th to 14th grades, while ''(Euer) Hochgeboren'' (''Ваше высокородие'') was enjoyed by officials in the 5th grade. As such the honorific address was also implied by membership in some grades of the Russian dynastic orders of chivalry.

Hungarian

In Hungarian the equivalent word was "nagyságos" and literally comes from this term in Latin "''magnificus''".

References

{{Imperial, royal, and noble styles Styles (forms of address)