Furst
Furst, often written Fürst in German, is a term with multiple uses in German-speaking contexts. As a noun, Fürst means a prince or sovereign ruler of a principality. In medieval and early modern Germany and the Holy Roman Empire, a Fürst was a member of the high nobility who ruled a Fürstentum (principality). The rank and privileges of a Fürst varied by territory, and the title could be hereditary within noble houses or conferred by a ruling prince. The word is etymologically linked to the concept of ruling authority and governance.
In modern usage, Fürst survives primarily as a surname and as a transliteration choice in non-German texts.
Variants and related terms include Fuerst, Fürsten (plural) and Fürstentum (principality). The term appears in historical