Inhaber

A Proprietor, or Inhaber, was a term used in the Habsburg military to denote special honors extended to a noble or aristocrat. The Habsburg army was organized on principles developed for the feudal armies in which regiments were raised by a wealthy noble, called the Inhaber (proprietor) who also acted as honorary colonel. Originally, he raised the regiment, funded its needs, and received a portion of its revenue, which might be plunder or loot. He also shared in its shame or its honors. The Prussian (‹See Tfd›German: Regimentschef) and Imperial Russian military adopted a similar system. In the United Kingdom there is a similar honorary title called colonel-in-chief.