Lords Temporal (Noun)
Meaning
The nobility in France and the peerage in Britain.
Classification
Nouns denoting groupings of people or objects.
Examples
- The Lords Temporal were members of the nobility in Britain, comprising dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts, and barons.
- The Lords Temporal, unlike the Lords Spiritual, held their seats in the House of Lords by virtue of their noble titles rather than their ecclesiastical offices.
- The power of the Lords Temporal in the French nobility was greatly diminished after the French Revolution, while their counterparts in Britain continued to hold significant influence.
- Historically, the Lords Temporal in both France and Britain wielded considerable power and privilege, but also held significant social and cultural responsibilities.
- In contrast to the French nobility, the British peerage, comprising the Lords Temporal, maintained its power and prestige throughout the centuries.