Duke

Title from the Roman Dux (members of the royal family), which has been held over from Roman time by the ruler of a district called a duchy. In England the title is reserved for members of the royal family.

The highest title of nobility in England, ranking below the prince, introduced for the first time by Edward III when bestowing various castles and estates in Cornwall to his son, the Black Prince. The title, imported from the continent, originally meant a military commander, and the English retained this etymology by endowing English dukes with special fees in war, where command expertise was expected. In Germany, the title ‘Herzog’ was equivalent, though they were often elected and carried more administrative and social duties than military ones. A duke is properly addressed as ‘your grace’, equivalent to the rank of archbishop in the church hierarchy.

Within the SCA the title is reserved for those gentles who have served twice as king of an SCA kingdom, won through the Crown Tournament. They are know by coronets bearing strawberry leaves in the familiar three leaf patterm, ranking just below the Princes of the realm.