It is common to see past leaders and royalty referred to by their first name plus a suffix, such as "Alexander the Great", "Richard the Lionheart", "Pepin the Short", "Edward the Elder" etc. I recognize every case is different, but generally speaking where did the nicknames come from? Who chose it? Did the king/leader "approve" the nickname, or was it simply bestowed on them by others? If so, who? Were the nicknames used while the individuals were still alive or was it usually bestowed on them after they died? (Also, is there an official term for the descriptor other than "nickname"?)