An Imperial Court (or imperial court) is the noble court of an empire (see List of empires).
For example:
- The imperial court (Holy Roman Empire) of the Holy Roman Empire.
- The noble court of an Emperor of China, Emperor of Japan, Emperor of Ethiopia, Emperor of Austria, Emperor of India, Emperor of Persia, etc.
- The pre-Meiji period Imperial Court in Kyoto
- The noble courts of the Roman Empire, German Empire, Austro-Hungarian Empire, Ottoman Empire, Zulu Empire, Mughal Empire, Byzantine Empire, etc.
In addition, the idea of an "Imperial Court" has given its name to:
- Imperial Court System, non-profit organization in North America
- Imperial Courts, Los Angeles, California, public housing
Famous quotes containing the words imperial and/or court:
“If you are ambitious of climbing up to the difficult, and in a manner inaccessible, summit of the Temple of Fame, your surest way is to leave on one hand the narrow path of Poetry, and follow the narrower track of Knight-Errantry, which in a trice may raise you to an imperial throne.”
—Miguel De Cervantes (1547–1616)
“Of all things in life, Mrs. Lee held this kind of court-service in contempt, for she was something more than republican—a little communistic at heart, and her only serious complaint of the President and his wife was that they undertook to have a court and to ape monarchy. She had no notion of admitting social superiority in any one, President or Prince, and to be suddenly converted into a lady-in-waiting to a small German Grand-Duchess, was a terrible blow.”
—Henry Brooks Adams (1838–1918)