Also 6 langrave, 6–7 lantgrave, 7 landtgrave. β. 6 lan(t)z-, landisgrave, 7 lants-, landsgrave. [a. MHG. lantgrâve (G. landgraf) = MLG. landgrave (Du. landgraaf): see LAND sb. and GRAVE sb.4] In Germany, a count having jurisdiction over a territory, and having under him several inferior counts; later, the title of certain German princes.
1516. Fabyan’s Chron. (1811), II. VII. 328. After the deth of hir husbonde, Langraue, duke of Thorynge in Almayne.
1560. Daus, trans. Sleidane’s Comm., 57 b. Then was he led to Duke George of Saxonie, and to the Lantzgrave.
1616. J. Wheler, in Buccleuch MSS. (Hist. MSS. Comm.), I. 179. A daughter of the Lantsgrave of Hessen.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Landgrave, or Landsgrave.
1673. Ray, Journ. Low C., 78. The Lantgrave of Darmstadt.
1756. Nugent, Gr. Tour, II. 421. Hanau had formerly counts of its own, but the last of them dying in 1736 without issue, it devolved to the landgrave of Hesse Cassel.
1839. Penny Cycl., XI. 192/1. The Temporal princes were:—the archduke of Austria … the landgraves of Hessen-Cassel and Hessen-Darmstadt … the landgrave of Leuchtenburg [etc.].
† b. In the colony of Carolina (see quots.). Obs.
1702. S. Carolina Stat. (1836), I. 42. The upper house, consisting of the Landgraves and Casiques … are … a middle state between Lords and Commons.
1707. J. Archdale, Carolina, 13. They are there by Patent, under the Great Seal of the Provinces, call’d Landgraves and Cassocks, in lieu of Earls and Lords.
Hence Landgraveship = LANDGRAVIATE. Landgravess = LANDGRAVINE.
1669. Locke, Dft. Constit. Carolina, xii. in 33rd D. K. R., 259. Upon ye devolution of any landgraveship or cassiqueship.
1716. M. Davies, Athen. Brit., III. Crit. Hist., 107. At Jena in the Landgraveship of Thuring.
1762. trans. Busching’s Syst. Geog., IV. 429. Caroline Christina, who had been espoused Landgravess of Hesse-Philipsthal. Ibid., V. 504. Christina Magdalena, Landgravess-dowager to Hesse-Homburg.
1809. Southey, Q. Rev., II. 329. The Landgraveship with which Locke had been requited for his legislative labours.
