A nobleman in England, France, and Germany, of a rank next below that of duke. Originally, the marquis was an officer whose duty was to guard the marches or frontiers of the kingdom. The office has ceased, and the name is now a mere title conferred by patent.

nobleman (in various countries) ranking above a count

a nobleman who is below a Duke, but above an Earl or Count

the title of a nobleman ranking above a count but below a duke, usu. trans. marquess in British English.

Marquis is a fetish magazine owned, operated, published and primarily photographed by Peter W. Czernich. Based in Germany, Marquis covers a wide array of topics related to the worldwide fetish subculture.