With the beginnings of the Industrial Revolution, the European nobility found itself in a bad position relative to the new middle class. As industrialization took precedence over agriculture, those who owned the means of production had an advantage over those who owned land. This was a complete reversal of the economic situation as it had existed in Europe for centuries. Because of this, it was not uncommon for nobles to found themselves downwardly mobile while the middle class became more and more upwardly mobile. Given their new importance in European society, it is not surprising that many merchants at this time began purchasing estates and their own titles of nobility when cash hungry aristocrats were forced to sell them. This created an entirely new class of nobility and proved that the rigid caste system of feudalism was beginning to weaken.
Although the Industrial Revolution, the Enlightenment and the resulting egalitarianization of Western society made titles of nobility less important than they were in the past, they are still granted by those countries that still have the remnants of monarchy. The most prominent example is England which still awards titles of nobility twice per year, often knighting Britons who have made important contributions to British society. Ennoblement is still regarded as a great honor and it is not surprising that many people around the world would love the opportunity to be called “Lord Smith” instead of “Mr. Smith.” Since the free market will invariably fill any kind of demand, it is not surprising that there now exist title brokers of questionable reputation who offer ennoblement services for very large fees. If you were to do a Google search for “buy title of nobility,” you would find a host of dealers on Ebay and other websites who supposedly sell titles of nobility.
Unfortunately, at least in England, it is not possible to purchase a legitimate title of nobility. Titles must be granted by the monarch herself and cannot be bought or sold like a piece of property. Nevertheless, there are websites on the internet which claim to be able to sell titles of nobility for a dizzying array of prices. There are some companies which charge only $40 or $50 for a title while some sell the title of Duke for as much as $200,000. Generally speaking, these websites are completely illegitimate. They have no authority by which they can grant titles of nobility and those titles will not be recognized by any government. Some of these title brokers even state quite plainly that they do not sell titles directly. Instead, buyers purchase their assistance in procuring a title by petition to the monarch. Of course, if these petitions are every made, they are never granted.
Other websites sell titles attached to a particular estate. Thus, they sell you the right to be the lord of a particular feudal estate. While most of these websites are also scams, they are based upon a grain of truth. Under current English law, it is possible to purchase the title of Scottish Baron. That is because the titles and the estates are now considered independent and can now be sold independently of each other. Why this law applies only to Scottish barons and not to other British nobles is not clear, but it appears legitimate. Since these titles of nobility are legitimate, however, they are quite expensive. The Barony of McDonald was sold recently for over $2,000,000. While the prestige afforded these bought titles is dubious, they are the best chance people have of becoming ennobled without making some great contribution to Britain.
Before you spend two million dollars on a title of nobility, however, here are some things to consider. First, many countries do not recognize titles of nobility. The Constitution of the United States, for example, expressly forbids American citizens from holding titles of nobility. Thus, if you are an American, you will have to give up your American citizenship to become a noble. Also, remember that many states make it relatively easy to legally change your name. Although it may not be recognized for use in official forms, there is nothing preventing you from changing your name to “Sir John Smith” or anything you like. If the expense of legally changing your name is too much, you could just start going by whatever name you wish. You may get strange looks if you start asking people to call you “Lord John Smith,” but you would probably get those looks if your title was “legitimate.” How many people are going to check to make sure you have the proper documentation anyway?
