I was surfing the web a while back when I saw a site which claimed to sell titles of nobility for Great Brittian. I looked at their site and imediatly decided that the title I wanted was “Lord Count Of the House Of Chocula” which, according to this site, I could legally call myself if I established a mannon of Chocula (bougth some property).
This would make me the defacto “Count Chocula.”
As it turns out this is a scam. It didn’t take much more research to find out that the only way I could actually establish a mannor in Brittian and make myself the lord count of it would be if Her Magisty bestowed the title on me.
But that got me to thinking. Apparently titles of nobelity are internationally reconized as long as they are state sancioned. In the US, you cannot use them in association with official buisiness, but you’re free to call yourself by them and even put it on your drivers licence. However, it means nothing. Still, I think it’d be cool, because I could use either the title “count” or “lord” and I would also be able to refer to myself as “Count Chocula”
So, here’s what I’m wondering…
Is there any chance I could get a valid title of nobelity if I could find some country to endorse it?
I’m sure there’s some poor Pacific island or something that would jump at the chance. Being cash-strapped can make nations do strange things. Russia has been sending millionares into space.
Anyone think this could be feasible?
Why don’t you call the Tuvalan mission at the UN, and see if they’d be willing to name you an Archduke for a couple hundred bucks? (It’s not like they have pressing duties on the Security Council, or anything—and they could always use the cash.)
Failing them, you could try Nauru. Or Sealand—which, although a mostly unrecognized micronation, does have it’s own eBay store selling titles. (I only see Lord/Lady and Baron/Baroness titles for sale, though.)
There was a company recently selling titles of rank (i.e., you can be a lord/archduke/baron of ____). They were sued, and promptly had to shut down. =D
Needless to say, their sales didn’t carry any sort of weight whatsoever. So I’d be cautious about buying titles of nobility.
I’m assuming that they were sued/shut down because they didn’t have the endorsement of the nation who’s titles they were selling. That seems to be a rather common theme. If you want a british title, you basically have to go to the Queen.
Which is why I’m thinking of going to some legetimate yet small and poor nation to get this sancioned.
That’s a good point. I think they were selling U.K. titles of Rank. Nothing as stupid as the King of England or whatever, but I think they went up as high as Baron or whatever.
But still, I’d be a bit suspicious about that country actually HONORING your purchase…but for only a few hundred, I suppose it’s worth a shot. Imagine introducing yourself as Archduke Robert I of Nauru! Or whatever your name is.
I think the problem would be that most countries either have a prohibition of such titles in their constitution, or else have Queen Elizabeth (or some other European monarch) as their head of state.
I think the easiest way would be to just change your name to Count Chocula in your state. There are usually minimal requirements for a name change other than a sincere desire and no one should be able to object to you using your legal name. I know that some name changes have been contested as fraud or something but this one might pass.
Count Chocula has been registered as a trademark since 1970. It may have expired, or the company that carries the name might not mind you calling yourself this, but odds are, if you’re even remotely serious about doing this, you really shouldn’t. You probably wouldn’t get slapped as hard as if you tried to change your name to, say, Mic Rosoft, but still…
I was kind of hoping I could be the Count of the House of Chocula and still retain my given name. That would allow me to go by either. I can see times when using the name “Count Chocula” would not be aproperate.
Why would getting Nauru to give you a piece of paper saying you’re Archduke of Nauru mean any more to you than a piece of paper from me saying you’re Archduke of Lemuropolis?
Yes, there are still countries that have meaningful titles of nobility. But if the title is meaningful, they aren’t going to sell you one for a few hundred bucks, are they? If it’s meaningful it’s not for sale, if it’s for sale it’s not meaningful.
You CAN get Queen Bess to knight you, just do something like write a couple of hit pop songs.
Or if you want to be the Count of House Chocula, just give yourself the title. It will mean exactly as much as a title granted by Nauru or Liechtenstein. How do you think the original Counts and Barons got to be nobles? They declared themselves nobles and if anyone challenged their claim to nobility they skewered them with pointy metal objects.
Dude, get yourself ordained on the internet for free and then call yourself Cardinal or Monsignor or Archbishop or whatever. Costs nothing, and it’s way less complicated than actually contacting a foreign country.
Or I suppose you could go to law school for three years, pass the bar, and start calling yourself “Esquire”.
Incidentally, drbuzz, I’m fairly sure that you couldn’t be an English Count even if you did write that hit pop album. England doesn’t have counts, though I think they might have countesses. (Is an earl the English equivalent?) Similarly, I don’t think any country can name you the “Lord Count” of anywhere, unless “Count” is your lordly name. The two titles just don’t go together.
