suspicious Vendors and titles - caveat emptor!

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Below is a list of internet "vendors" of feudal titles which we feel might be suspicious and should be approached with caution - if at all. We would never give any of these a single dollar, euro or pound but, if you must, please, insist on retaining your own legal counsel - not one they suggest. We can suggest trustworthy solicitors if you wish. Just reach out. 

Click Here - Dr. Edward Sutton digresses into the shortcomings of the titles "industry" here. We do not completely agree with his assertions - as there are legitimate examples of manorial titles (such as those registered with HM's Land Registry). That said, this is a good primer for the travesties below!

Click Here - The humorous, but insightful, fiction of "Cosmo & Muffy" - the title hungry Americans

Click Here - A Florida-based private investigator goes to great lengths to unsnarl the intricate (and not so intricate) lies of Anthony Boada - one of the original title scammers. Many of the same tricks are used today. Learn what you can. It's a page turner!

Click Here - A deep dive into the Irish MacCarthy 'Mór' scandal from the 1990s which details how it came to be, it's impact and why Irish titles are no longer recognized by the Chief Herald of Ireland.

Nobility.co.uk - These are some of the oldest operators out there...and their website looks the part. As a rule, you should immediately question the integrity of anyone who claims to be able to legally convey royal or princely titles. Some of this stuff is beyond far-fetched. They'll front for just about anyone who claims to be a font of honour. Want an example? They tried to sell titles for this guy as a "legitimate" sovereign. 

• UnitedEmpireClub.com - Lazy attempt to add a degree of authenticity to claims made by the Vendor above. Their website boasts titles "registered" with The United Empire Register...but!
• LandedGentryRegister.co.uk - The actual registry goes by a totally different name - since 1904, one assumes? Oh! You can't actually search the register either. Of course. 

ManorialCounselltd.co.uk - Despite repeated use of the word "reconstructed," this vendor appears to have used either possessory laws or creation of a trademark (not a feudal title) to claim ownership of hundreds of allegedly extinct manorial titles. This seems to be supported by their necessary use of The Gazette - which is a hallmark of both well known "solutions." This is a novel legal argument which boils down to adverse possession - claiming ownership when no other owner can be found. This is potentially problematic if there is indeed a legitimate owner and, even if not, it leaves buyers with little more than paper & promises. 

• Update: The Vendor's own website offers a clue. HERE they claim to (and I quote), "create new legal rights" and to "create an exclusive legal right to a LORDSHIP TITLE, they do NOT create a legal right to the LORDSHIP, that is left dormant...the barrister labels this legal right as the right of "quiet enjoyment." 
• What are they actually selling? Is it legal? We do not know and make no claims as such. It does, however, seem clear that they aren't selling original lordships but something else entirely. It's creative but confusing. We assume this was not intended to be strategically opaque and are seeking clarification.  <emphasis added>

Prestigious-Titles.com - Focuses on German titles of nobility - which were abolished in 1919. When this occurred, titles of nobility became incorporated in surnames. As surnames are transferrable via civil law, sneaky vendors will offer adoptions online - which really only amount to a name change. No status. No privileges. No recognition from the German gov't - though I'm sure the citizens will point and laugh plenty. 

EliteTitles.co.uk - This approach is somewhat unique versus industry competitors. First, there is no such thing as a "seated" title. This is entirely and obviously false - an attempt to confuse buyers with something that "feels" like a legitimate feudal title. 

LordTitles.org - This appears to be a front for Highland Titles - a purveyor of false "souvenir" plots of Scottish land in Glencoe with the promise that it makes the buyer a "laird" - which it certainly does not. Any laird sales should be immediately ignored as obvious scams.

SpanishArmorial.com - A very confusing website. Lots of errors and partial truths. That said, this isn't our area of expertise. Do your research. Get an attorney. Caveat emptor. 

GermanNobility.com - As with another above, this site focuses on German titles of nobility - which were abolished in 1919. When this occurred, titles of nobility became incorporated in surnames. As surnames are transferrable via civil law, sneaky vendors will offer adoptions online - which really only amount to a name change. No status. No privileges. No recognition from the German gov't. Fake fake fake.

NobilityTitles.net - The guy in the video "smells" suspicious. You cannot buy peerage titles - and they seem willing to sell you all of them for a princely sum. Highly dubious. Run. Don't walk!

NobleTitles.biz - Claims to sell "hereditary French, German and Italian noble titles" - all of which are either abolished by law or nontransferable via sale. Another obvious con. 

NobleTitlesForSale.weebly.com - The parade of morons continues. This site does not discriminate. It will sell you ALL of the fake titles out there all in one place. Want a fake lairdship? Check! Looking for a principality? Somehow, they have those too. At least the website is put together well. :-P

IrishLords.tsartitles.com - The fact that the URL references Russian and Irish titles at the same time is all you need to know. Irish feudal titles' legitimacy is highly contested. It seems like an Irish version of the Scottish lairdship scam. Ridiculous. 

Noble-society.net - This one might take the prize for absurdity. Would you like to be a Japanese shogun? What about an Egyptian pasha? Absolutely no shame. Obviously, all of these are novelties and not legitimate. At least, buyers featured seem not to take themselves too seriously? Oh! Name a star too! :-P

ukdeedpoleoffice.org - Happy to change your name via deed pole while confusing the issue of what is (and isn't) a "title" quite a bit with vague, ambiguous allusions to legitimate feudal titles - such as LoM.

GrandDukedom.info - Claims to be a micronation as root of authority to convey titles (much like Sealand). This immediately puts them in the category of "fantasy" and buyers should proceed with that in mind. 

RoyalTitles.net - A front for the GrandDukedom.info site mentioned above - still not trustworthy

LairdofBlackwood.com - You cannot buy a souvenir plot of land in Scotland and, even if you could, this would not make the buyer a "laird." Not even close. Keep your money!

ConsultingDigital.com - Wanna buy a doctorate, a piece of the moon and a false title of nobility? Don't!

mckenzietitles.com - Yet another roach crawls from underneath the phony lairdship carpet - ugh!

LordoftheManorofCrowlands.co.uk - UPDATE - This is one of many websites & postings related to a gentleman going by the name of "Stephen Else." We are unsure if this is an alias but do know he has written an eBook under a pseudonym and publishes his "titles" on eBay under the name "sparkythegadjetwizard." In personal correspondence with this writer, the Mr. Else admits to replicating Manorial Counsel's deceptive practices of selling the right to "quiet enjoyment" of a manorial style - not the actual manor itself. Most of what is sold by this man are legal fictions and he, in writing, agrees. 

Sealandgov.org - One of the original "micronations," Sealand possesses physical territory in the form of Roughs Tower, a decommissioned WW2 anti-aircraft platform that, for a time, was in international waters and beyond ownership of any sovereign state. While that is now contested by the UK, Sealand is still something of an oddity. They sell novelty "titles" that have no official recognition from anyone but appear to conduct this trade with tongue pressed firmly in cheek. Have fun. Just don't take yourself too seriously. 

BecomeABaron.com - If the URL doesn't set off alarms in your mind, the straight-faced mention of Baron Munchausen certainly should. Claiming to operate with authority from the Grand Dukedom of Pomerania and Livonia (ha!), buyers are promised a German title without the usual requirement of adoption to gain the surname officially - because that's all German noble titles are since abolition in the last century. Surnames. 

BaronyMoels.co.uk - Yet one more attempt to help buyers "claim" a "vacant" manorial lordship and then "register" it for them - all for just a few hundred quid. Total nonsense. Dismal grammar too. Run. Don't walk. 

RepublicofAquitaine.com - While this rather imaginative "Grand Duke" claims not to sell titles, one wonders how they are granted - and what level/type of "service" one might be required to provide. Regardless, these are acts of fantasy or, at best, an attempt at e-micronation. Don't get too excited. 

IrishBaronies.com - We've discussed the dubious nature of Irish feudal baronies and the Internet is rife with cautionary tales. We do not recommend purchasers pursue any Irish titles but feel this website's irresponsibly brief research is cause for significant review prior to purchase. Hire an attorney/solicitor!

Rondmons.org - A somewhat laughable approach, this "order of chivalry" is happy to take your money and call you whatever you wish. Baron? Duke? Count? Why not emperor?! It would have just as much legitimacy. 

kingdomofnewland.blogspot.com - This British citizen appears to be largely detached from reality. His website is surprisingly cavernous with a great many details offered to justify a rather...creative interpretation of history. We would take it as harmless fun were he not selling titles for substantial sums. Untrustworthy!!!

Etsy.com, eBay.com or any other mass marketplace - Be wary, friends. Most online marketplace websites have been infected with obviously false titles of nobility. Some of these are obviously meant as a bit of fun, and are priced as novelties. Others, however, are priced at over 1K and claim some degree of legitimacy - which is a lie. Don't waste your money on this. In life, you get exactly what you pay for. 

LochNessTitles.com - Yet another unimaginative rip-off of the heavily flogged lairdship scam. Obviously, provably false claims here. Sadly, I would bet they turn a fair coin. May they trip and fall into a vat of razorblades and lemon juice. 

Confirmed by The Lord Lyon by way of letters patent, this is the traditional description for owners of very large, named estates in Scotland - which are often deceitfully flogged online to uninformed buyers for small sums. To be clear, you cannot buy a souvenir plot of land in Scotland and, even if you could, this in no way would make the owner a "laird."

Click Here - The Law Society of Scotland offers sobering advice to would be non-lairds; save your money!

Related to the old Latin "baro"  these were lords paramount of manors held directly of the crown (in capite) - and are not equivalent to modern day peerage barons. Whether English feudal baronies even exist as such today is a hotly contested issue. Here we will review the topic in detail with the hope of arming our readers with their own informed point of view.

Click Here - Sean J. Murphy's rather famous website related to Irish feudal barony scams

Click Here - Buyers are cautioned about the questionable nature of Irish feudal "titles" in 2004

Click Here - Bogus barony sales are discussed in this 1996 article within "History Ireland"

Click Here - A now defunct title mill sells attempts to sell two Irish titles of the same name - saints preserve us!

Click Here - Baronage Press provides this quick review of French feudal titles - which no longer exist as such

Click Here - Heraldica provides a long, and well cited, explanation of French feudal titles - past & present

Click Here - When in doubt, you can always ask Wikipedia - and occasionally it might actually be right!

Click Here - Spanish feudal titles were abolished in 1820 but were the dignity itself was preserved. It seems doubtful these can be bought & sold with any certainty - if at all. We welcome feedback from those more educated in this space.  

Click Here - The US Library of Congress provides surprisingly helpful citations here