Emperor
Ranks of Nobility
Emperor & Empress
King & Queen
Grand Duke & Grand Duchess
Archduke & Archduchess
Prince & Princess
Infante & Infanta
Duke & Duchess
Marquess & Marchioness
Marquis & Marquise
Margrave & Margravine
Count/Earl & Countess
Viscount & Viscountess
Baron & Baroness
Host & Hostess
An emperor (from the Latin "imperator") is a
(male) monarch, usually the sovereign ruler
of an empire or another type of imperial
realm. Empress is the female equivalent. As
a title, "empress" may indicate the wife of an
emperor (empress consort) or a woman who
rules in her own right (empress regnant).
Emperors and Empresses are generally re-
cognized to be above kings and queens in
honour and rank.
Today the Emperor of Japan is the only re-
maining Emperor in the world.
Distinction from other
monarchs
Both kings and emperors are monarchs.
Within the European context, "emperor" and
"empress" are considered the highest of mon-
archical titles, ironic in that "emperor" began
as a military honorific in a staunchly anti-
monarchical republic. Emperors were once
given precedence over kings in international
diplomatic relations; currently, precedence is
decided by the length a head of state is con-
tinuously in office. Some emperors claimed
inheritance (translatio imperii) of the political
and religious authority of the Roman Emper-
ors such as an important role in the state
church; see Imperial cult and Caesaropap-
ism. This inheritance has been claimed by,
among others, the rulers of the Holy Roman
Empire, the Byzantine Empire, and the Russi-
an Empire; however, all types of monarchies
have played religious roles; see divine right
of kings and divine king. The title was a con-
scious attempt by monarchs to link them-
selves to the institutions and traditions of the
Romans as part of state ideology. In contrast,
many republics have named a legislative
chamber after the Roman Senate.
Outside the European context, "emperor"
is a translation given to holders of titles who
are accorded the same precedence as
European emperors in