The Awesome Epithets of European Nobility and Royalty, part 1

General Introduction

Whenever someone distinguished themselves in olden days, be it positively or negatively, it was customary to give them a nickname (also known as an epithet). Some of these are plain and dull (Haakon the Good, Louis the Pious), but some are more fascinating (Philip the Handsome (an epithet which sounds ridiculously more fun in Norwegian, I should probably mention), Erik Bloodaxe). For your convenience, I’ve tried to collect some of the more interesting ones. For my own convenience, I’ve mostly included those who have a Wikipedia article, as I’ve found it’s too much bother to try and research these things on my own. I will, however, include some nicknames I find too good to exclude. I will also ignore those that are obviously meant to flatter, such as those of Alexander I of Russia, whose nicknames are pretty much just in the vein of “the Blessed, “the Crafty Greek”, “the Talma of the North”, “the Sphinx of Europe” and “the Sphinx of the North”. Likewise, I’ll exclude nicknames that are obviously added just to spite the receiver, without any basis in reality. It would perhaps also be nice to know that the dates given after each object’s name are the approximate time of said object’s reign (this is the case at least ‘till the Es, but becomes a bit more varying after that).

As is somewhat traceable in the above paragraph, written about one and an half year ago, I had originally intended this to be a single, long post. Not having worked on it in a year, though, I decided it was probably best to just start posting some select few, and see where that got me. So, without further ado, I bring you the first post in a hopefully long series: Awesome Epithets of European Nobility and Royalty!

Quintus Fabius Maximus (ca. 280-203 BCE): the Cunctator (the Delayer), Verrucosus (the Warty), Shield of Rome.
Sinking ever more deeply into the quagmire that is interest for the various stages of the Roman Empire, I believe I shall start out with one of my favourite Romans. Quintus Fabius Maximus was a Roman politician and general who commanded the Roman forces in Italy during the invasion of Hannibal in the Second Punic War. He deployed a strategy of harassment and scorched earth against Hannibal, whom he recognized as superior both in warcraft and in military strength. Because of this his enemies in the Senate gave him the epithet “Delayer”, as they weren’t too happy with how he managed the defence. However, after his removal from office his replacements attacked the Carthaginians at Cannae in 216, and after this abysmal defeat even Fabius’ most adamant detractors had to agree that his strategy was the best one under the circumstances. As a result, the derogatory “Delayer” came to be regarded as an honorific. The “Verrucosus” part of his name, meaning “the Warty”, was merely a cognomen, referring to a wart above his upper lip.