A title or degree of nobility; originally, the possessor of a fief, who had feudal tenants under him; in modern times, in France and Germany, a nobleman next in rank below a count; in England, a nobleman of the lowest grade in the House of Lords, being next below a viscount.
In the 1800s the baron was the lowest of the five ranks of the peerage.
After 1066, the tenants-in-chief who held their lands directly from the king. Gradually, a distinction between the greater and lesser barons emerged, so that by the late 13th century the greater barons began to attend Parliament under summons from the king. The first use of the style ‘baron' in an individual's name came in 1387. The Baron ranks in precedence below a count, carrying the title ‘ your excellency.' In the SCA, a Baron is a regional lord responsible for a unit, generally a city. ‘Landed' barons are thus attached to a city, responsible for the administration and maintenance of those lands. 'Court' barons have no such land, and are granted the title as a courtesy grant, usually for service to the Crown or kingdom.
Noble rank between a Earl and Dol.
Being a Barony, we have a Baron and a Baroness, Madelaine and Ephraim. Their duties and actual political power are very limited. They can hold Court, speak for the Crown (current King and Queen) on occaison and give awards. Not to be confused with the Seneschal who runs the actual buisness of the Barony.
the highest rank of tenant in the feudal system, holding land directly from the king in return for knight service.
a nobleman (in various countries) of varying rank
a British peer of the lowest rank
a member of the lowest rank of British peerage , ranking below a viscount
a Lord, especially in the 11th and 12th centuries, a TENANT-IN-CHIEF holding an HONOR or capital manor in return for military service, later a peer called to Parliament by a WRIT OF SUMMONS.
an important nobleman who had usually been given land by the king
Vassal who held land directly from the crown and served as a member of the King's great council. It was not, of itself, a title, but rather a description of the Tenants in Chief class of nobility.
Title A title in the lesser nobility. A Baron hereditarily owns and administers a village. Unlike "count", this definition is strict: no village, no barony. A "Great Baron" owns and administers several villages, and may be considered lesser or greater nobility depending on the circumstances.
A landed baron is the ceremonial head of a barony; a court baron may be a past baron of a barony, or may have been awarded a court barony at the king's discretion.
a heriditary title, the 5th and lowest order of the nobility
strictly speaking, someone who holds his lands ('barony') direct from the Crown, which used to be accompanied by certain privileges, particularly as regards the administration of justice base right the right of someone holdings lands from a former vassal who had granted (usually sold) the lands to him, and not from the superior of the lands. It can also be called "base ( or base) fee. What would normally happen in such a case, would be that the seller would undertake in the grant to get the buyer infeft by the superior of the land also, so that he would have two titles to it
1) the lowest hereditary rank of titled nobility in certain European countries and Japan. 2) in Great Britain, peerage title ranking below that of viscount, usu. hereditary. 3) in the Middle Ages, a feudatory of specified rank holding his rights and title directly from the king. 4) in Norman territories, the feudal rank immediately above that of seigneur.
Old French "man"] A vassal who holds directly from the crown and serves as a member of the king's great council. It is not, of itself, a title, but rather a description of the Tenants in Chief class of nobility. (MEDIEV-L. Medieval Terms) Related terms: Baronage / Barony
Baron is a specific title of nobility or a more generic feudal qualification. The word baron comes from Spanish baron, itself from Frankish baro meaning "freeman, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman." Ultimately it seems to mean a burden bearer.