Royal Monicker is a study in the persona of historical figures, in this case, members of royalty and the nobility, and how they were perceived by individuals or groups, in short their public image.
This work is essentially a collection of what has been written by various authors, observers and scholars, thus the use of quoted entries from existing works gathered from the world wide web.
There is little attempt to rewrite the original authors' description of how they interpret a historical figure's monicker. In many instances, several entries show how different people differ in their perceptions of a royal or noble personality's public image.
Each entry will include the (1) royal or noble monicker, (2) its meaning, (3) the source (who said what about whom), (4) the historical period when it became known or popular and (5) some brief justification of the historical figure's meriting a particular monicker.
Below are quotations of the variations of moniker or monicker and how they can be distinguished from each other.
NICKNAMES
"...[T]here are many people who (sometimes without their knowledge, and very generally without their consent) are the possessors also of a nickname; by which is here meant, not a mere corruption of a person's ordinary name, but a designation intended to be descriptive of his character or appearance, or containing an allusion to some incident in his history...." (Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 254, p. 193)
"NICK-NAMES OF SOVEREIGNS
This work is essentially a collection of what has been written by various authors, observers and scholars, thus the use of quoted entries from existing works gathered from the world wide web.
There is little attempt to rewrite the original authors' description of how they interpret a historical figure's monicker. In many instances, several entries show how different people differ in their perceptions of a royal or noble personality's public image.
Each entry will include the (1) royal or noble monicker, (2) its meaning, (3) the source (who said what about whom), (4) the historical period when it became known or popular and (5) some brief justification of the historical figure's meriting a particular monicker.
Below are quotations of the variations of moniker or monicker and how they can be distinguished from each other.
NICKNAMES
"...[T]here are many people who (sometimes without their knowledge, and very generally without their consent) are the possessors also of a nickname; by which is here meant, not a mere corruption of a person's ordinary name, but a designation intended to be descriptive of his character or appearance, or containing an allusion to some incident in his history...." (Gentleman's Magazine, Vol. 254, p. 193)
"NICK-NAMES OF SOVEREIGNS
"Roughly speaking, we may divide these Surnames (as they are sometimes called) into four kinds. First, those derived from some physical peculiarity or defect. Secondly, from some mental or moral characteristic. Thirdly, some title denoting office, character, or occupation. Fourthly, names derived from age, or some circumstance of life.
"Taking the physical ones first, we have a group denoting colour of hair or complexion, with one or two other names from colour and beauty.
"Another set succeeds, named from peculiarity of feature and defect oj speech or sight.
Next come the nick-names from height or peculiarity of limb or figure.
The second class of names, and by far the most numerous, are those derived from some trait of character, mental or moral, and it is noteworthy that here the complimentary names far outnumber the uncomplimentary ones.
"The opposites of the grand nick-names are, as usual, a much smaller number, and include those signifying weakness of cluvracter, penuriousmess, or extravagance.
This seems the place for that curious set of names derived from, loving or being beloved, mostly Egyptian, and frequently sarcastic.
The third class of names includes all titles bestowed on sovereigns on account of their character, deeds, or occupations. First, those who earned the title of ' Saint,' to which may be added ' Martyr,' ' Confessor,' 'Monk.'
Beneficent titles are, alas ! not very numerous.
The last class of names derived from age or some circumstance, are harder to classify. Taking ' age ' first, we find Gorm the Old in Denmark, 860, contrasts with Louis VII. le Jeune in France, while our Edward the Elder, and the Persian Cyrus the Younger, are but types of a multitude more, so called for the sake of distinction. But Mieczlaus the Aged in Poland, 1171, was really surnamed from the gravity of his appearance. A few surnames have to do with religion, Julian the Apostate and Leo the Ikonoklast notably. Alonso the Catholic reigned in Leon in 739, and the Pope conferred on Ferdinand and Isabel of Spain the title of ' Reyes Catolicos,' just as he conferred that of ' Defender of the Faith' on our King, and ' Most Christian King' on the French monarchs. Erik Prseste-hader, 'Priest-hater.'
"A small group were given from some circumstance of birth, childhood, dress, &c"
French Kings
"The practice of numbering kings did not emerge until the Renaissance; instead, kings were differentiated by being given a nickname. The nicknames give us a sense of what the kings were best known for, and some insight into the subsequent history of France...." (Suzuki, p. 129)
"The practice of numbering kings did not emerge until the Renaissance; instead, kings were differentiated by being given a nickname. The nicknames give us a sense of what the kings were best known for, and some insight into the subsequent history of France...." (Suzuki, p. 129)
REFERENCES
Monthly Packet
Addison, C. G. and Macoy, Robert (1997). Knights Templars and the Complete History of Masonic Knighthood from the Origin of the Orders to the Present Time. Whitefish, MT: Kessinger Publishing.
Bradburym Jim (2004). Companion to Medieval Warfare. New York: Routledge.
Boia, Lucian (2001). History and Myth in Romanian Consciousness. Budapest: Central European University Press.
Chapman, Tim (2001). Imperial Russia, 1801-1905. New York: Routeledge.
Frey, Albert Romer (1887). Sobriquets and Nicknames. Boston, MA: Houghton, Mifflin and Co.
Lansing, Richard H. and Barolini, Teodolinda (2000). The Dante Encyclopedia. London: Taylor and Francis.
Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge. Penny Cyclopedia (1883). London: Charles Knight and Company.
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