Editing Graf (section)

== Margrave ==
{{main|Margrave}}
A {{lang|de|Markgraf}} or ''[[Margrave]]'' was originally a military governor of a [[Carolingian]] "mark" ([[march (territorial entity)|march]]), a border province. In medieval times the borders of the Holy Roman Empire were especially vulnerable to foreign attack, so the hereditary count of these "marches" of the realm was sometimes granted greater authority than other [[vassal]]s to ensure security. They bore the title "margrave" until the few who survived as sovereigns assumed higher titles when the Empire was abolished in 1806.

Examples: [[Margraviate of Baden|Margrave of Baden]], [[Principality of Bayreuth#Margraves|Margrave of {{lang|de|Brandenburg-Bayreuth|italic=no|nocat=y}}]]. Since the abolition of the German Empire at the end of World War I, the heirs of some of its former monarchies have resumed use of ''margrave'' as a [[pretender|title of pretence]], e.g. [[Maria Emanuel, Margrave of Meissen|{{lang|de|Maria Emanuel|italic=no|nocat=y}}, Margrave of {{lang|de|Meissen|italic=no|nocat=y}}]] and [[Maximilian, Margrave of Baden]].