Slechta (also nobilita or aristocracy) is a set of individuals with special legal privileges and often also entitled to a noble title. Responsibility for this group based on the principle of the family and is therefore usually based origin after šlechtickém married father. The second main way is the promotion to the state of aristocratic ruler (a special case is automatic šlechtictví for popes brothers and their patrilineal descendants on the basis buly Urbem Romam Pope Benedict XIV. From the year 1746).
Slechta was one of the dominant layers of feudal society in which their power was based on land ownership, military specialization and privileges, which guarantee a major role in the management of State. The characteristic formalities, which differed in the Middle šlechtu from poddaných and partly also from kléru, due escutcheons and the emphasis on knowledge of their ancestors.
Slechta had a different share of the total population. While in Spain, represent about 2% of the population in Poland late 16th century aristocracy represented 9.1% of the total population in the area Mazovska in the vicinity of Warsaw even 23.1% (compared to the spiritual were represented 0.2%).
Slechta as a separate social status often přetrvala even in modern times when its privileges, however, are limited mostly just to the right to use the title.
Beginnings Nobility
The beginnings of the nobility generally associated with the disintegration of the family. In this leads to exclusion capable individuals who, on the basis of their military or other skills and merit obtained in respect of a privileged position. The prerogatives of the growing power and later allow them to assert the principle of heredity their position.
Beginnings of the Czech aristocracy
The beginnings of our nobility in 10.-12. century is closely linked to family Přemyslovců and their military družinami. They were able to consist of individuals who receive for their services výsluhy in the form of land stewardship castle, etc. Although these výsluhy were initially only a personal nature - the death of the acquirer - and it is possible to withdraw, there is a gradual transformation in their hereditary property.
The issue of possible share předpřemyslovské family aristocracy to the formation of the oldest Czech aristocracy remains nevyjasněna.
The structure of the Czech aristocracy
Šlechtický state in the Czech Republic was not homogeneous, as for example in Poland, but dělil to a few degrees. Of 12 century, the Czech aristocracy divided into two states, the lower status - vladycký, zemanský and Knight (wow first cash) and a higher status - the manorial (Lords second cash, some korouhevní Lords). In the course of history, the established system in force until the estates uprising.
Erbovní families
Předstupeň šlechtictví consisted of so-called erbovní family (divided family), which was virtually intermediate between urban and noble status. And to him the right to use individual coat of arms and predikátu, but not stavovská law, that is not the nobles.
Vladykové
Vladyctví was recognized as the lowest noble status. By that were often povyšovány new families, it was not strictly a closed state. Zchudlé families whose members have adopted nešlechtická occupation, automatically lost its status. Also zchudlé seigniorial families can fall into state vladyků, on the contrary, many families were povýšeny to rytířského or manor. The vladyckými families often find secondary branches known noble families, as they were, for example, noblemen from Chlum, Kermže, Nečtin for family Bavorů from Strakonice [source].
Members of the family belonged title vladyka, or if he had the country (land) and then called zeman.
Knights
Rytířství is further from the lower levels of nobility. Rytířská ancestors in three generations had to prove candidate for admission to the manor. This is actually the remnant of the class nobles, who won the title in the war field. Often, not from vladyctví rozlišován and consisted of one category, sometimes called vladyctvo, sometimes rytířstvo.
Some families have acquired a great knight assets, which nevyrovnal assets panských many genera and among the richest in the country. These families were then very often after the acquisition of such property admitted to the manor (eg Trčkové of Lípy).
Gentlemen
Legends of the state was in the middle of the 17th century in the Czech Lands single state high nobility. Evolved as a system of greater nobility (the so-called gentlemen second cash), that is the most important genera. Over time, the seigniorial families sought to limit the influx of other genera, which they succeeded in 1501, when he vymohli that: "... does not want any for the master to come unless the state of his knees vladyčí the fourth carried out." In 1502 he confirmed the king Vladislav Jagelonský panským genera right to receive manor. It distinction between masters and masters novoštítnými antique (after 3 generations in panském state).
Repeal šlechtictví
After the establishment of Czechoslovakia was šlechtictví - along with all the titles - on 18 December 1918 annulled Law No. 61/1918 Coll.
This law still has not been abolished, at present, therefore, from a legal point of view there is no Czech aristocracy and the use of aristocratic titles is illegal. However, one may even now quite often, for example in the media or in social events to meet with the use of titles for people coming from noble families (such as Charles, prince of Schwarzenberg, Jan Knight Mladota of Solopysk etc.), which is regarded primarily as an indication of respect.
Translated from Wikipedia
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