Pearson's Magazine 1910. (nem teljes évfolyam) I-II. [antikvár]

p 6 rHE DUKES. V) On these pages appear photographs of the thirty-one hriders of the title of Duke, the premisr rank in our Peerage, This number is made up as follows;—Royal Dukes, three (including the Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall) ; Dukes of the United Kingdom, twenty-one ; Scots Dukes, five ; Irish Dukes, two, Royal Dukes and Dukes of the United Kingdom sit in the House of Lords by virtue of their rank ; the titles of the Scots and Irish Dukes do not carry this privilege, but it so happens that all these Dukes hold in addition titles in the English Peerage. Thus it is that all thirty-one are entitled to sit and vote in the hereditary chamber. The Royal Dukes—who are Princes of the Blood Royal—seldom exercise this right, however, and never vote on any party question, Duke (Latin Dux) was originally a Roman title that became known wherever the Romans held sway. The first Duke that played a part in the history of this country was William, Duke of Normandy, whose rank amounted practically to that of King, The first creation of a new ducal title took place when Edward III, created his son Edward, the Black Prince, Duke of Cornwall. Charles II. created many new Dukedoms, of which eight are still in existence. William III. was also a Duke-maker on no small scale, rewarding those who had helped to place him on the English throne not only with the empty honour, but also with fat grants of Crown lands and revenues. These have laid the foundaticns of the great fortunes of many of our modern ducal houses, with their tremendous landed estates, which amount in the aggregate to at least four million acres. Queen Victoria created only three Dukes—Abercorn, Westminster, and Fife—and Kin| Edward has, up to the present, created none, A new Duke, on his elevation, has to pay heavy stamp duties and fees to the Crown office ; these amount, at the minimum, to over L800, and the fact that they are only a tithe of the expenses incurred in being a Duke perhaps explains the scarcity of new Dukedoms,