fons honorum

noun1

1. •
   A person who, by virtue of sovereignty, holds the exclusive right to create and confer legitimate titles of nobility and orders of chivalry.

   • In 1919 Pʻun-kʻaṅ taiji bKra-śis-rdo-rje was appointed kung, the only attempt by the Dalai-Lama to succede the defunct Chinese Ch’ing dynasty as fons honorum. — 1973