laatadel
Laatadel is a Dutch historiographical term used to describe the portion of the nobility that was ennobled at a later stage in history, as opposed to the ancient or old nobility. The word literally means “late nobility” and functions as a descriptive category within the broader study of noble estates. In practice, laatadel comprises families that gained noble status through grants of nobility or royal favor in the later Middle Ages and in early modern periods, often for service in the military, administration, diplomacy, or governance.
The concept is closely related to, but distinct from, other noble classifications. Uradel refers to the old
In the Low Countries and neighboring regions, laatadel families contributed to social mobility within a hierarchical
Today, laatadel is primarily a historical and genealogical category used to analyze the dynamics of social