Thane (Scotland)
Encyclopedia
Thane was the title given to a local royal official in medieval eastern Scotland
, equivalent to a count
, who was at the head of an administrative and socio-economic unit known as a shires or thanages.
In Shakespeare's Macbeth
, Macbeth was Thane of Glamis and then Thane of Cawdor before becoming King of Scotland.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, equivalent to a count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
, who was at the head of an administrative and socio-economic unit known as a shires or thanages.
In Shakespeare's Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
, Macbeth was Thane of Glamis and then Thane of Cawdor before becoming King of Scotland.