History Main / BlueBlood

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. Even in peacetime, they may regard readiness for war a duty; hence, TheTourney. As with Royalty, the ErmineCapeEffect can apply, so many should be expected to [[PimpedOutDress wear extremely fancy clothes]] if possible. If culturally foreign from their subjects, can be a ForeignRulingClass. Related character tropes are the EvilChancellor, GentlemanSnarker, RegentForLife, RoyalBrat, UpperClassTwit, ProperLady, SilkHidingSteel, and GrandeDame.

The phrase ("blue blood") is a literal translation of the Spanish ''sangre azul''. The idea, originating in medieval times, was that common folk would have to work outside all day, and would thus develop tans. The wealthy, on the other hand, could spend all day inside, which would keep their skin pale (as they were fair-skinned Europeans). This would make their wrist veins with 'blue' blood easily visible, hence the term. It's also been [[http://www.wisegeek.com/what-does-it-mean-to-have-blue-blood.htm suggested]] that the term is race-based, since the pale-skinned European Spanish wanted to distinguish themselves from the darker-skinned "Moors". Yet another idea on the term's origin, which is erroneous but included here due to the likelihood of the reader encountering it in the context of nobility, is that crustaceans such as lobster literally have blue blood[[note]]because it's based on copper instead of iron[[/note]] and have always been very expensive. Thus, being able to afford these blue-blooded creatures would require considerable wealth, which usually meant noble station.[[note]]Lobster was neither expensive nor prized until the advent of canning in the 19th Century turned it into a delicacy. Although this more or less coincides with the advent of the English term, "blue blood", it came some 900 years after the Spanish introduced the concept of ''sangre azul'' nobility. Further complicating matters are all the wealthy merchants who could afford it and all the land-rich but cash-strapped nobles who could not.[[/note]] Another explanation could be that lobsters are heavily armoured -- as would a KnightInShiningArmor be.

* ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'': Amy Rose was born into a noble house, but her parents renounced their wealth to instead focus on helping the poor.

* Austria from ''WebComic/AxisPowersHetalia''. Liechtenstein also has shades of this in part due to being a Principality, not to mention being ''named'' after her ruling royals.

* A major plot point of the movie ''Film/{{Penelope}}'' is that the title 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)).]]

* Maria Mercedes de Dio de Alva in ''Literature/{{Victoria}}'' is descended from one of the oldest, most respected noble bloodlines of Spain. After being rescued from pirates, she becomes hero John Rumford's live-in maid.

* In Creator/GilbertAndSullivan's ''Theatre/ThePiratesOfPenzance'', the {{pirate}}s, having surrendered, are treated leniently because they are of BlueBlood.

** Also among [[FiveRaces eight playable races]] there are [[OurElvesAreBetter elves]], whose blood is literally blue.

* In ''Franchise/TheElderScrolls'', this is Subverted by the Imga, a minor race of intelligent "ape men" native to the forests of Valenwood. Every Imga bears some kind of noble title (Baron, Duke, Earl, etc.) which they use when addressing their idols, the [[OurElvesAreBetter Altmer (High Elves)]]. Subverted, however, as there are no land-owning Imga.

* Randoll from ''Anime/FutureGPXCyberFormula'', as he is himself a Marquis. He's also a very skilled racer, but he can be a RoyalBrat when at his worst.

** ''Film/MobileSuitGundamF91'' also had an aristocratic family (the Ronahs) as the antagonists. This is at the heart of the Ronahs' belief system: that certain people are simply better than others, and it is the rightful place of the aristocracy to rule over the commoners. Though one does wonder what this says about them that their patriarch ''purchased'' their noble title, rather than inheriting it.

* The Jahad Family and the Ten Great Families in ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod''. They are indeed special, since only they are by birth able to wield [[FunctionalMagic Shinsoo]] immediately, as their families have special ties to the power-granting Guardians.

* The Princesses of Jahad and the Ten Great Families in ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod''. They are indeed special, since only they are by birth able to wield [[FunctionalMagic Shinsoo]] immediately, as their families have special ties to the power-granting Guardians.

* The Zahard family and the 10 supporting families in ''Webcomic/TowerOfGod''. They are indeed special, since only they are by birth able to wield [[FunctionalMagic Shinsoo]] immediately, as their families have special ties to the power-granting Guardians.

* Creator/TerryPratchett's ''Literature/{{Discworld}}''. Particularly in ''Discworld/FeetOfClay'', where the Dragon King of Arms meticulously traces noble lines and deplores how he must produce coats-of-arms for the low-born, and in the [[Discworld/TheWeeFreeMen Tiffany Aching]] books, where the baron's son Roland, after a stint as a RoyalBrat, is the only boy that Tiffany can talk to because all the rest are afraid to talk to a witch.

** The Dressrosa arc explains the Celestial Dragons a bit. The World Government was originally founded by twenty kingdoms, whose royal families were then invited to live in Mariejois, the capital of the WG. 19 of the royal houses were soon replaced by other, lesser nobles, such as the Riku family replacing the [[spoiler:Donquixote]] family in Dressrosa. The only family who refused was the Nefertari family of Alabasta, who actually count more as TheBeautifulElite than AristocratsAreEvil. Yes, this means that [[EverythingsBetterWithPrincesses Vivi]] and [[ReasonableAuthorityFigure Cobra]] are technically World Nobles.

Not to be confused with [[RoyalBlood royals]], people who just hold [[UsefulNotes/KnightFever knighthoods]], BlackBlood, AlienBlood, "Literature/{{Bluebeard}}", the freeform vulgar joke "TheAristocrats", nor the [[Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon Disney]] film ''Disney/TheAristocats''. Or Angels from ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' and Mulians from ''Anime/RahXephon'', both of which have "blue" as a blood type. ''Further'' not to be confused with the television series ''Series/BlueBloods'', although the title is an amusing play on words.

* In one of the oldest surviving RobinHood tales, Robin carefully inquires of the sorrowful knight whether he was a newly created one, finding out he is of BlueBlood before he helps him. Robin himself is a yeoman then and for centuries after, but in the Elizabethan to Victorian times, he became, often, a disinherited earl. Maid Marian, likewise for centuries a shepherdess, also became a frequent noblewoman then. In the 20th century, Robin went back to yeoman, for a RagsToRiches rise, but Marian still is often noble.

* Kal-El, aka Clark Kent aka Franchise/{{Superman}} is a scion of the House of El, a noble family of scientists who in most continuities had much wealth, power, and influence over all of Krypton. Of course, it didn't stop all of Krypton from disbelieving [[CassandraTruth Jor-El]]'s prediction that Krypton would nuke itself. By extension, Clark's cousin [[ComicBook/{{Supergirl}} Kara]] and son [[ComicBook/{{Superboy}} Jon]] are also a part of this family, and Superman's clone [[ComicBook/{{Superboy}} Conner Kent]] was made an honorary member of the family by Superman. All three of them wear the Superman S, which is generally explained as being the House of El's family crest. Of course, given Krypton's destruction, all members of Superman's family live like normal everyday people on Earth.
* ''Franchise/{{Batman}}'':
** Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, as well. Unlike Supes, he ''lives'' like it. His family is basically responsible for building Gotham City. In fact, Bob Kane chose the name "Wayne" after an American Revolutionary soldier, Anthony Wayne (some writers suggest Bruce is an actual descendant), making him the closest to nobility you can get in the States.
** Thomas Elliot (Hush) and Oswald Cobblepot's (Penguin) families once occupied a similar place in Gotham's social elite until they became {{Impoverished Patrician}}s.
** The Kane family, Bruce's relatives on his mother's side, are another example, though they tend to live relatively modestly compared to him.

** Bruce Wayne, aka Batman, as well. Unlike Supes, he ''lives'' like it. His family is basically responsible for building Gotham City. In fact, Bob Kane chose the name "Wayne" after an American Revolutionary soldier, Anthony Wayne (some writers suggest Bruce is an actual descendent), making him the closest to nobility you can get in the States.

!!Examples

[[folder:Comics Books]]

[[folder:Film -- Animation]]
* ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride'' features Lord and Lady Everglot, whose enormous manor indicates that their family once had wealth to go with their title, but the mostly empty rooms and the safe full of cobwebs indicate that they are now, to quote Lord Everglot in the couple's introductory song, [[ImpoverishedPatrician "land-rich, bankrupt aristocracy without a penny to their name".]] Their heritage prompts them to look down on the NouveauRiche Van Dorts, as William is a SelfMadeMan who earned his fortune rather than inheriting it (and has yet to learn manners to go with his money), but [[ArrangedMarriage engaging Victoria to Victor Van Dort]] is the Everglots' surest path [[NobilityMarriesMoney back to financial stability, while Victor will get a title that allows his parents to socialise with society's elite,]] and so the Everglots try to swallow their pride.

[[folder:Film -- Live Action]]

[[folder:LiveActionTV]]

* In the ''Series/DoctorWho'' serial ''[[Recap/DoctorWhoS14E1TheMasqueOfMandragora The Masque Of Mandragora]]'', the Duke and his uncle the Count. There are also a fair number in the FeudalFuture serials.
** The Doctor himself is implied to be high-born or even aristocratic. Indeed, in the EU he comes from one of the oldest Houses on Gallifrey.
** The Tenth Doctor special "Planet of the Dead" has the thrill-seeking cat burglar Lady Christina de Souza as guest companion.

[[folder:PlayByPostGames]]

[[folder:TabletopGames]]

[[folder:{{Theatre}}]]

[[folder:VideoGames]]

[[folder:{{Webcomics}}]]

[[folder:WebOriginal]]

[[folder:WesternAnimation]]

[[folder: Real Life]]

[[folder:{{Comics}}]]

* Bruce Wayne, aka Franchise/{{Batman}}, as well. Unlike Supes, he ''lives'' like it. His family is basically responsible for building Gotham City. In fact, Bob Kane chose the name "Wayne" after an American Revolutionary soldier, Anthony Wayne (some writers suggest Bruce is an actual descendent), making him the closest to nobility you can get in the States.

[[folder:{{Film}}]]
* A major plot point of the movie ''Film/{{Penelope}}'' is that the title 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)).]]

[[folder:{{Literature}}]]

%%* ''Literature/LordPeterWimsey''

%%* Most of the Strahls in ''VideoGame/MeineLiebe'' is this.