etatsråd

Etatsråd was a Danish and Norwegian title, which was conferred by the king until 1909 and entailed a third-class rank in the order of precedence, and thus the right to enroll one's daughters in Gisselfeld Convent and Vemmetofte Convent. It was awarded to civil servants and some business people. Although literally meaning 'councilor of state', the title was purely honorary. The title could also be obtained by depositing a sum of money in the king's coffers. The same was true of other honorary titles such as justitsråd (Norwegian justisråd, 'councilor of justice') and kancelliråd (Norwegian kanselliråd, 'councilor of the chancellery'). Shipping magnate Hans Niels Andersen, for example, held the title. A particularly distinguished variant was the title gehejmeetatsråd ('privy councilor'), wh...