History Main / BlueBlood

** NOW WITNESS THE ARISTOCRATIC REFINERY THAT HAS BEEN PASSED DOWN THE ARMSTRONG LINE FOR GENERATIONS!!!

* ImpureBlood [[ImpureBlood O-on the honor of my family line, then, as far back as it can be traced!]]

* While Ferelden is ruled by a king and queen in DragonAge, there's also teyrns who seem to be the equivalent of lords and governors mixed up, having both status and land to rule over. Dwarves have also their own caste system, where the membes of upmost caste are either ridiculously rich or belong to a noble family. (And then there's [[BeyondTheImpossible Paragons]], but let's not go there...)

Normal feature of the StandardRoyalCourt and DeadlyDecadentCourt. Endemic in HistoricalFiction, HighFantasy, and FeudalFuture. Oddly enough, often characters who have been MadeASlave have former nobility as their BackStory. The OfficerAndAGentleman is also often a BlueBlood, particularly if the ''noble'' code emphasizes [[TheMenFirst the duties and responsibilities]] that come with noble birth. As with Royalty, the ErmineCapeEffect can apply, so many should be expected to [[PimpedOutDress wear extremely fancy clothes]] if possible. Character related tropes are the EvilChancellor, RegentForLife, RoyalBrats, UpperClassTwit and UpperClassWit.

* Class struggles (of the StarCrossesLovers variety) are fairly important in ''ZeroNoTsukaima'', in which the nobility is largely (but not entirely) defined by being able to use magic.

While there are often gradations in rank between them, the common trait of aristocrats is that, unlike the monarch, they are surrounded by their equals and if there is no monarch some form of power-sharing will be in effect with plenty of intrigue. Prone to MoralMyopia, {{Blue Blood}}s often regard only their class as important, which often leads to AristocratsAreEvil. Insults between aristocrats result in ThrowingDownTheGauntlet, or the GloveSlap, and a DuelToTheDeath, but an insult from a commoner results in the aristocrat's servants thrashing him, and an insult to a commoner hardly counts, really.

* The Armstrong Family from ''FullmetalAlchemist'' have estates all over the nation, a legacy running back centuries and have entire families that have been in their service for generations. They're also a pack of {{Boisterous Bruiser}}s and are, with [[{{Darwinist}} one exception]], all amazingly friendly.

While there are often gradations in rank between them, the common trait of aristocrats is that, unlike the monarch, they are surrounded by their equals and if there is no monarch, some form of power-sharing will be in effect with plenty of intrigue. Prone to MoralMyopia, {{Blue Blood}}s often regard only their class as important, which often leads to AristocratsAreEvil. Insults between aristocrats result in ThrowingDownTheGauntlet, or the GloveSlap, and a DuelToTheDeath, but an insult from a commoner results in the aristocrat's servants thrashing him, and an insult to a commoner hardly counts, really.

* The the central protagonists and antagonists of ''HyakujitsuNoBara'' are all aristocrats from varying countries. Taki is the shinka of the the Emperor and from the first of the Eight Branch Families, Katsuragi is from the second of the Eight Branch Families, Theodora is a Eurotean princess, and Klaus' family is nobility before the Western Alliance conquers their country.

They may -- or may not -- have a sovereign with RoyalBlood whom they are subordinate to, but they definitely have commoners who are subordinate to them. And this position is hereditary. Usually legally, but if it is completely socially accepted, it may have the same effect.

On the other hand, they often have legal prerogatives that they will enforce ruthlessly. For instance, carrying a sword may be strictly reserved to those of noble blood.

While there are often graduations in rank between them, the common trait of aristocrats is that, unlike the monarch, they have people who are their equals about them. If there is no monarch, some form of power-sharing is in effect, so they have to work with each other, greatly increasing the possibilities of intrigue. Not that having a monarch exactly stops them from intriguing.

Junior Blue Bloods are often quite powerless in the hands of ThePatriarch who rules the family (along with governmental authority and quite possible military posts). Much depends on whether he is a ReasonableAuthorityFigure.

They are often quite proud of the length of their lineage -- those of particularly long descent may scorn those with shorter ones, and especially new minted titles -- which makes them the natural {{Foil}} of the SelfMadeMan. He generally comes off the better, unless he plays the ''parvenu'' and tries to ape them and be socially accepted by them. (Angling for a title of his own, even if he gets one, is not a good sign.) In RealLife, sometimes countered with the obvious observation that ''everyone'' is of long descent; less so in fiction.

Technically may have RoyalBlood, but it doesn't come up in the course of the story. May be required to be a suitable spouse for a royal bride or bridegroom. May also ensure that they can snag a common but wealthy bride or bridegroom, despite [[ImpoverishedPatrician having no money]]. The ArrangedMarriage is common, although fictional Blue Bloods find it remarkably easy to throw off the arrangements, marry for love, and face no reprucussions.

Their effectiveness is frequently inversely related to their civilization. A Dark Ages (or equivalent) noble often features AuthorityEqualsAsskicking, but a highly refined and civilized culture will feature an inordinate number of the UpperClassTwit.

AristocratsAreEvil is frequently used when the writer doesn't want to actually overthrow the government. If TheHero can get to [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure the king]], and either [[BringNewsBack let him know what is happening]], or persuade him to stop being a figurehead, the king can intervene. The aristocrat can feature as the EvilChancellor or RegentForLife. RoyalBrats is another possibility, but unlikely to feature as the main villain.

Prone to MoralMyopia, regarding only his class as important, which also often leads to AristocratsAreEvil. Insults between aristocrats result in ThrowingDownTheGauntlet, or the GloveSlap, and a DuelToTheDeath, but an insult from a commoner results in the aristocrat's servants thrashing him, and an insult to a commoner hardly counts, really. This may lead to his underestimating the PowderKegCrowd. On the other hand, the OfficerAndAGentleman is also often a BlueBlood, particularly if his culture's -- err -- ''noble'' code emphasizes [[TheMenFirst the duties and responsibilities]] that come with noble birth.

Even when they do not actually suffer from MoralMyopia, they are prone to disdain. This may be for the lower classes' lack of etiquette, particularly if their own is elaborate, formalized, and ossified, or for their appearances, in contrast to the aristocrats' [[TheBeautifulPeople effortless grace]]; this can be [[WhitePrince mere ignorance]], which [[FallenPrincess can be cured through exposure]]. It may be regarding them as less ethically upstanding, as when one says [[IGaveMyWord "I give my word as a gentleman"]]. It can also be for their lack of learning; this is commonest in military situations, and deadly, when a competent strategist is kept down for not having read the right authors, while a ModernMajorGeneral or UpperClassTwit [[ArmchairMilitary wastes men's lives like water]] and refuses to even consider that he may be in error (and [[BlingOfWar wears a ridiculous uniform]]). On the other hand, they may also feature as the CulturedWarrior, whose refinement is at least sympathetic, or even in the right.

Normal feature of the StandardRoyalCourt and DeadlyDecadentCourt, but may be just part of the background. Endemic in HistoricalFiction, HighFantasy, and FeudalFuture. Oddly enough, often the BackStory of characters who have been MadeASlave.

(The reason they are called "Blue Bloods" comes from Spain: the Spanish nobility, particularly in Asturias, Galicia, and northern Castile, had not intermarried with the darker-skinned Moors like the rest of the population, and as a result remained fair -- especially since they also stayed indoors while the bulk of the population worked the fields and acquired a tan. Since you can see veins through fair skin, and veins appear blue, they called themselves ''sangre azul''--"blue blood.")

Supertrope of ImpoverishedPatrician. Not to be confused with BlackBlood or AlienBlood.

As with Royalty, the ErmineCapeEffect can apply, so many should be expected to [[PimpedOutDress wear extremely fancy clothes]] if possible.

Who the nobility are varies immensely from country to country. In the UK, the ranked titles in descending order are Duke, Marquess (sometimes spelled "Marquis", but ''never'' pronounced like a theatre billboard), Earl, Viscount, and Baron. The female equivalents are Duchess, Marchioness, Countess, Viscountess, and Baroness. In other countries the order and number of titles vary; most European nobilities use "Count" instead of "Earl" and "Margrave" instead of "Marquis", but some also have such exotic specimens as "Grand Duke", "Landgrave", and the like. Likewise, in some countries the title "Prince" is not used by royals but by the nobility. Given that there were three hundred independent countries in Central Europe during the 18th century, each with its own political structure, a writer should probably [[ShownTheirWork do the research]] and not assume that All Aristocrats are British.

Don't confuse knighthood with nobility. Knighthood has ''nothing to do with nobility in any way, shape, or form'', although most shows (and this very wiki, at one point) confuse the two. See KnightFever for an explanation. One unusual form of knighthood, the hereditary baronetcy, is found only in the UK; it was originally a money-raising scheme of James I.

Also don't confuse royalty with nobility. In most countries in Europe nobles and royals weren't even allowed to intermarry; when it was permitted, the marriage was "morgantic" and the children could not inherit the throne. In the UK acceptance of such marriages varied from generation to generation; Henry [=VIII=] married five noblewomen, but Edward [=VIII=] was famously forbidden to marry his first love because she was "only" the daughter of an earl.

Not to be confused with the freeform vulgar joke "TheAristocrats", nor the DisneyAnimatedCanon film ''TheAristocats''. {{Bluebeard}} may have been a BlueBlood, but not all Blue Bloods are [[{{Bluebeard}} Bluebeards]]. Also not to be confused with Angels from ''NeonGenesisEvangelion'' or Mulians from ''RahXephon'', both of which are inexplicably said to have "blue" as a blood type.

A stupid BlueBlood may be an UpperClassTwit, a smart but lazy one may be an UpperClassWit. SuperTrope of RemittanceMan and NobleFugitive.

* All over the place is ''MobileSuitGundamWing'' and are, with exceptions [[CoughSnarkCough *coughRelenacough*]], the antagonists.

"You would force me to play [[TheVamp the trollop]] with this barbarian?" she exclaimed. "I will not! I am no market-block slut to smirk and ogle at a steppes robber. I am the daughter of a Nemedian lord--"

Normal feature of the StandardRoyalCourt and DeadlyDecadentCourt, but may be just part of the background. Endemic in HistoricalFiction, HighFantasy, and FeudalFuture.

Also don't confuse royalty with nobility. In most countries in Europe nobles and royals weren't even allowed to intermarry. In the UK acceptance of such marriages varied from generation to generation; Henry [=VIII=] married five noblewomen, but Edward [=VIII=] was famously forbidden to marry his first love because she was "only" the daughter of an earl.

They are often quite proud of the length of their lineage -- those of particularly long descent may scorn those wit shorter ones, and especially new minted titles -- which makes them the natural {{Foil}} of the SelfMadeMan. He generally comes off the better, unless he plays the ''parvenu'' and tries to ape them and be socially accepted by them. (Angling for a title of his own, even if he gets one, is not a good sign.) In RealLife, sometimes countered with the obvious observation that ''everyone'' is of long descent; less so in fiction.

They are often quite proud of the length of their lineage, which makes them the natural {{Foil}} of the SelfMadeMan. He generally comes off the better, unless he plays the ''parvenu'' and tries to ape them and be socially accepted by them. (Angling for a title of his own, even if he gets one, is not a good sign.) In RealLife, sometimes countered with the obvious observation that ''everyone'' is of long descent; less so in fiction.

* ''OrderOfTheStick''

* A major plot point of the movie ''Penelope'' is that the titular character's curse can only be broken when a blue-blood declares he loves her. [[spoiler:She ends up breaking the curse by stating that she loves herself the way she is, curse and all. Both heartwarming and amusing, as you find out that the man she loves and who presented himself as a blue-blood was actually lying, and when she begs him to just say he loves her and that he doesn't have to talk to her after that, he sadly responds that he can't, but not for the reasons she thinks (i.e. he finds her ugly due to the curse giving her a pig's nose, which actually isn't that bad)).]]