View source for Margrave

The title of Margrave (Marquis or Marquess) dates to Charlemagne's reign, when the emperor appointed trusted noblemen of military background to oversee newly acquired territories, frontier lands known as marches. The word Graf, 'leader,' was combined with march, and the word Margraf or Margrave was born. The titles Duke (from the Latin dukis) and Count (comte, from the Old French for companion) also date to the era of the Carolingians.

Rhiannon Ottersdale
Middle Kingdom Historian