Grand duke
| Part of a series on |
| Imperial, royal, noble, gentry and chivalric ranks in Europe |
|---|
Grand duke (feminine: grand duchess) is a European hereditary title, used either by certain monarchs or by members of certain monarchs' families. The title is used in some current and former independent monarchies in Europe, particularly:
- in present-day Luxembourg, the last surviving Grand Duchy
- historically by the sovereigns of former independent countries, such as Tuscany (from 1569 to 1860, now part of Italy)
- in Baden, Hesse, Oldenburg, Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Mecklenburg-Strelitz and Saxe-Weimar-Eisenach (officially simply the Grand Duchy of Saxony) – grand duchies from 1815 to 1918, and all now part of Germany
- formerly also in some countries in Northern Europe, such as the Grand Duchy of Finland or the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
- currently by claimants to the Russian Imperial Throne (eg. Grand Duke George Mikhailovich of Russia)