Counts, countesses and dowagers

Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 1:17 am Post subject: Counts, countesses and dowagers

Ok, if a count had two sons and the youngest had a wife, then the count died, would the younger son's wife be called countess even though the youngest son isn't the heir?????
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Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 5:37 am Post subject:

Which country are they in? In some countries, eg. Germany, it was possible that all the off-spring of a count would in turn be also called "Count Soandso) and their wives were countesses.

In Britain, only the oldest living son (but there the Count would, of course, be an Earl) would inherit the title and his wife would be known as Countess. If the heir isn't married, there would be no current Countess. The wife of a younger son, who has not inherited the title, would never be known as the Countess.

Now, if the older brother were to die without leaving an heir, the younger brother would inherit the title, I believe, and then his wife would, of course, be a countess.
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I have the honour to be etc.
Wellies

"Next to a battle lost, the greatest misery is a battle gained." -- The Duke of Wellington

Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 11:03 pm Post subject:

Wellies is correct. The younger son's wife woud only became a countess if both his father, the earl, and his older brother, the heir, died. Then he becomes the earl and his wife the countess.

Again, let me recommend this site: http://laura.chinet.com//html/titles02.html
Let this site, or a copy of Black's Titles and Forms of Address, become your bible for all things aristocratic.
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