Grand Duke of Russia

This is a list of those members of the Russian Imperial Family who bore the title Velikiy Knjaz (usually translated into English as Grand Duke, but more accurately Grand Prince). This courtesy title was borne by the sons and male-line grandsons of the Emperors of Russia, along with the style of His Imperial Highness. They were not sovereigns, but members and dynasts of the House of the reigning Emperor.

For those Grand Dukes who were rulers of Russia, see List of Russian rulers.

The title Grand Prince is the English translation of the Russian Великий князь. The Slavic "knyaz" and the Baltic "kunigaitis" (both nowadays usually translated as Prince) is a cognate of King.

The title Grand Prince originated from 9th century when rulers of Kievan Rus' were so styled. In later medieval Russian states (the Rus') it already was used simultaneously by several rulers in the more expanded Rurikid dynasty and additionally by rulers of neighboring Lithuania (Gediminid dynasty).

The title velikiy knyaz continued as a courtesy title for all or several members of the dynasty, such as the Grand Duke of Russia during Russia's imperial era from the 17th century, although these Grand Princes were not sovereigns. For those Grand Dukes who were rulers of Russia, see List of Russian rulers.

Bearing the title Velikiy Kniaz originally had no specific rules: it traditionally belonged to all dynasts, and additionally, dynasts were created by the act of granting the title to some other heirs. Until the 19th century, the Russian Imperial House was usually in a precarious situation, having often no more than a couple of male dynasts, if even that many. The number to use the title was thus not abundant. Empress Elisabeth of Russia, after all male-line descent had been exhausted, made her sister's son, the future Peter III of Russia a dynast and a Grand Duke, although he was not of male-line descent.

...
Wikipedia