earl


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earl

1. (in the British Isles) a nobleman ranking below a marquess and above a viscount
2. (in Anglo-Saxon England) a royal governor of any of the large divisions of the kingdom, such as Wessex
Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Earl

in early medieval England, a member of the hereditary nobility, as distinguished from an ordinary freeman, or ceorl. The average size of an earl’s holding was 40 hides. As Anglo-Saxon society became feudalized, the earls, in the late seventh century, became part of the general landed aristocracy required to render state service, the thanes. Since the 11th century the term “earl” has designated a noble rank corresponding to that of count.

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
References in periodicals archive ?
Mrs Earl was suspended three days later and escorted off the school premises.
Exam-cheat headteacher gets banned; sent 'bullying' emails to staff after helping pupils complete sats
Harley had worked on a number of different types of cars, including Cadillacs (Mary Pickford, no less, had him develop a roadster for her on a Caddy chassis: he was something of a favorite among celebrities; Earl Automobile Works even made chariots and covered wagons for the Hollywood studios).
GM's First Great Design Chief: William Knoedelseder's Fins is a remarkable look at a remarkable designer, Harley Earl
As an elderly driver with an unblemished record, Earl is ignored by police and he is rewarded for his services.
THE MULE (15) ... ..CLINT [...]
In the dock, Earl, of Hill Court, Lockerbie, admitted that, at Hill Court, he behaved in a threatening manner, shouted, swore, made threats of violence towards police officers and threatened to kill a police dog.
Threat to 'eat police dog alive' SWORD CLAIMS Man captured after search
The visitors failed to clear a corner and the ever-alert Earl flicked the ball inside the near post to get his second goal of the day.
Earl brace brings win; FA VASE
Earl's father, RJ, proves to be the strongest, most nuanced character in the strong cast.
Heaven's Crooked Finger
The second part of the strategy was pretty easy, as only Earl and his father hunt the property.
Mississippi miracle: sometimes the biggest bucks turn up in the least likely places
When the cortege passed down The Mall, the Earl walked behind the hearse between Princes William and Harry, who were flanked by Prince Charles and the Duke of Edinburgh.
Di brother: 'I did NOT demand to walk behind her coffin alone' Earl Spencer TV claims fury
Ralston told police that Earl was not his dog but that he was watching the dog for a friend, later identified as Jordan Woody.
Dog finds 'forever home' with cop who saved him
During his real estate career, Robert Earl has successfully helped customers buy and sell over 400 homes as a licensed agent in Virginia and Florida.
Robert Earl Joins Charlottesville Choice Homes
For Earl Sweatshirt, we caught up with Odd Future producers Matt Martians and Syd tha Kyd, who together make up The Internet, and video directors AG Rojas and Hiro Murai.
Footnotes: earl sweatshirt

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