answersLogoWhite

0

The English word is actually marquess, and the feminine form is marchioness.

A marquess is a type of count, or in England, earl. The marquess is of higher status than an earl, because the marquess is the count of what is called a march county. The word march, which also appears as mark, is the basis for the word marquess, and means border. As a lord of a march county, the marquess was expected to maintain a greater number of military men than a normal earl would, which is why he was at a higher level. A marquess was of lower status than a duke, who was often the lord of multiple counties, and was expected to maintain an even greater military.

All of these distinctions were lost in the course of the Middle Ages, and only the degrees of rank remained, because the kings got to a point of maintaining standing armies of their own.

User Avatar

Wiki User

14y ago

What else can I help you with?