I have been honoured to receive a number of awards from the Hungarian noble House of Cseszneky (de Csesznek(Vár) et Milvány) and its head, His Illustrious Highness Count Miklós M. M. Cseszneky. H.Ill.H. the Count is my cousin, and we share descent from the House of Rurik of Russia and the medieval Kings of Poland. The awards below have been made in the context of an exchange of honours from my own Royal House and my recent appointment as an Honorary Fellow and  Member of the Academic Advisory Council of the Hungarian Association of African, American, Asian and Oceanian Nobles which is under the Count’s direction.

1. Hereditary Grand Cross of the Order of Duke Ketel

2. Bagatur of Gniezno

The title of Bagatur was originally a Turkic and Mongol honorific that has been compared to a knighthood. Although the title may be (as here) awarded with a territorial designation, this does not refer to a fiefdom, but rather to the holder as hero of that place. Historically, if the title comes with a territorial reference it is because the person carried out a heroic deed in that place, typically in the battlefield. In this regard it is very similar to a British victory title: e.g. Viscount Montgomery of Alamein or Earl Mountbatten of Burma. Nowadays, it can refer to any important event, personal or ancestral achievement that took place there. Therefore, the territorial designation can be any place in the world. The choice of Gniezno therefore reflects and honours my remote ancestors, the first Princes of Gniezno and rulers of the Polanes. Today, each member of the Royal House Polanie-Patrikios is a Prince or Princess of Gniezno, and my heirs will also inherit the title of Bagatur.

3. Elteber of the Krivichs

The hereditary honour of Elteber is the Pecheneg equivalent of Duke or Margrave. It originally referred to the position of a client king within the Turkic khaganates. The Krivichs were a tribal union of Early East Slavs between the 6th and 12th centuries AD, and have a historic connection with Belarus and the Princes of Polotsk, thus directly referencing the position of the Royal House Polanie-Patrikios as pretender to the Byelorussian throne.

4. Blood Brother of His Illustrious Highness the Count Cseszneky

The status of blood brother is the utmost honour one can receive in the Equestrian Civilizations.

5. Companion of Saint Bruno

This title is hereditary, being attached to the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi. It commemorates St Bruno of Querfurt, the first Christian to begin evangelizing the Pechenegs.

6. Apostle of the Pechenegs

This title is hereditary, attached to the Abbey-Principality of San Luigi.

7. Örkönd-oba

The Pecheneg honorific of Örkönd-oba approximately means “Free Lord” or “Father of Liberty”.