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Baron is a specific title of nobility. The word baron comes from Spanish barón, itself from Frankish baro meaning "freeman, warrior"; it merged with cognate Old English beorn meaning "nobleman." Ultimately it seems to mean a burden bearer.

Western European feudal and modern titles

Britain

In the British peerage system, barons rank below viscounts, being the lowest rank in the peerage. A female of baronial rank has the honorific baroness. A baron may hold a barony (plural baronies), if the title relates originally to a Feudal Barony by tenure, although such tenure is now obsolete in England and any such titles are now held in gross, if they survive at all, as very few do, sometimes along with some vestigial manorial rights, or by grand serjeanty.

Outside of the UK, the baronial rank is sometimes confused with the non-peerage title of baronet.

William I introduced "baron" as a rank into England to distinguish the men who had pledged their loyalty to him (see Feudalism). Previously, in the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of England, the king's companions held the title of earls and in Scotland, the title of thane. All who held their barony "in chief of the king" (that is, directly from William and his successors) became alike barones regis (barons of the king), bound to perform a stipulated service, and welcome to attend his council. Before long, the greatest of the nobles, especially in the marches, such as the Earls of Chester or the Bishops of Durham, might refer to their own tenants as "barons", where lesser magnates spoke simply of their "men" (homines).

Initially those who held land direct of the crown by military service, from earls downwards, all alike bore the title of baron, but under Henry II, the Dialogus de Scaccario already distinguished greater (who held in baroniam by knights' service) or lesser baronies (generally smaller single manors). Within a century of the Norman Conquest, as in Thomas Becket's case (1164), there arose the practice of sending to each greater baron a special summons to the council that evolved into the House of Lords, while the lesser barons, Magna Carta (1215) stipulated, would receive summons only in general, through the sheriffs. Thus appeared a definite distinction, which eventually had the effect of restricting to the greater barons the rights and privileges of peerage.

Later, the sovereign could create a new barony in one of two ways: by a writ of summons directing someone to Parliament, or by letters patent. Writs of summons featured in medieval times, but creation by letters patent has become the norm. Baronies thus no longer directly relate to land ownership, following the Modus Tenendi Parliamenta (1419), the Feudal Tenure Act (1662), and the Fines and Recoveries Act (1834) which enabled such titles to be dis-entailed.

In Scotland, the rank of baron is a rank related to feudal nobility of Scotland and refers to a holder of a feudal barony, a feudal superiority over a proper territorial entity erected into a free barony by a Crown Charter, and not a rank of Peerage. The Scottish equivalent of an English baron is a Lord of Parliament.

In the twentieth century Britain introduced the concept of non-hereditary life peers. All appointees to this distinction have taken place at the rank of baron.

In addition, Baronies are often subsidiary titles, thus being used as courtesy titles by the eldest sons of earls.

Style of address

Non-Scottish barons are styled The Right Honourable The Lord . Barons' wives are styled The Right Honourable The Lady . Baronesses in their own right are either titled The Right Honourable The Baroness or The Right Honourable The Lady , mainly based on personal preference (for an example of the former, see Margaret Thatcher). Right Honourable is frequently abbreviated to Rt Hon. When referred to by the Sovereign in public instruments, The Right Honourable is changed to Our right trusty and well-beloved, with counsellor attached if they are a Privy Counsellor.

Courtesy barons are styled simply Lord , and their wives are Lady . The style of Right Honourable is not used for them.

Normally one refers to or addresses Baron X as Lord X and his wife as Lady X. In the case of women who hold baronies in their own right, they can be referred to as Baroness X as well as Lady X. In direct address, they can also be referred to as My Lord or My Lady. The husband of a Baroness in her own right does not receive a style. Children of Barons and Baronesses in their own right, whether hereditary or for life, have the style The Honourable . After the death of the father or mother, the child may continue to use the style Honourable.

Scottish feudal barons style their surnames similarly to Clan Chiefs, with the name of their barony following their name, as in John Smith of Edinburgh. Traditionally this is extended to: John Smith of Edinburgh, Baron of Edinburgh. Their wives are styled Lady Edinburgh or Jane Smith of Edinburgh, Baroness of Edinburgh. Most formally ( and in writing) they are styled The Much Honoured John Smith of Edinburgh, Baron of Edinburgh. Verbally Scottish barons may be addressed with the name of their barony, as in Edinburgh or else as Baron without anything else following which is present would suggest a peerage barony.

Coronet

An English Peerage baron is entitled to a coronet bearing six silver balls (or pearls) around the rim. The actual coronet is only worn on certain ceremonial occasions, but a baron can bear his coronet of rank on his coat of arms above the shield.

Scottish feudal barons are entitled to a red cap of maintenance (chapeau) turned up ermine. The chapeau is identical to the red cap worn by an English baron, but without the silver balls or gilt. This is sometimes depicted in armorial paintings between the shield and the helmet. Aditionally, if the baron is the head of a family he may include a chiefly coronet which is similar to a ducal coronet, but with four strawberry leaves.

Germany

In pre-republican Germany all the knightly families (sometimes distinguished by the prefix "von") eventually were recognised as of baronial rank. Families which had always held this status were called Original Nobility, or Uradel, and were heraldically entitled to a seven pointed coronet. Families which had been ennobled at a definite point in time had only five points on their coronet. These families held their titles from their lord. The holder of an allodial (i.e. free-standing) barony was thus called a Free Lord, or Freiherr, and its various variations occupied the same rank as a foreign Baron, exclusively (as in the Holy Roman Empire) or concurrently.

Today there is no legal privilege associated with hereditary titles. The offspring of holders of original titles may choose to distinguish themselves from a later-ennobled family by abbreviating "von" as "v.", however, many baron surnames do not contain any such prefix. Generally, all male members of a baronial family inherited the title Baron equally, and were so called from birth. As a result, it was much easier to inherit a German barony than, say, a French or English one, and the title may therefore be considered to rank below even an English baronet, though higher than an armigerous esquire.

In other languages

The title was quite common in most European countries, in various languages (whether Germanic, Romance, Slavonic or other), often in a slightly modified form. The following list includes the male and female forms and (sometimes) the territorial domain. Notice, especially for the 'alternative' Freiherr-type titles, that the existence of a word does not always imply an actual domestic use: it is often a mere rendering of foreign realities.

Elsewhere

Like other major Western noble titles, Baron is sometimes used to render certain titles in non-western languages with their own traditions, even though they are not necessarily historically unrelated and thus hard to compare, which are considered 'equivalent' in relative rank.

This is the case with China's Nan (男), hereditary title of nobility of the fifth rank (男爵), as well as its derivatives and adaptations:

• the Korean Namjak (男爵) or Chamise
• the Japanese equivalent Danshaku (男爵)
• the Vietnamese equivalent Nam tước

In some republics of continental Europe, the unofficial title of "Baron" retains a purely social prestige, with no particular political privileges.

In the Polynesian island monarchy of Tonga, as opposed to the situation in Europe, barons are granted this imported title (in English), alongside traditional chiefly styles, and continue to hold and exercise some political power.

Furthermore it is customary in Western languages to use the word Baron to render somewhat 'equivalent' ranks in non-related aristocratic hierarchies in exotic cultures.

Fictional barons

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• Baron Von Slagle, known to most as Justinian the Great, ruler of the Justinian Empire, second member of the Justinian Dynasty
• Baron Marius Pontmercy, a principal character in Victor Hugo's classic novel, and also the popular musical, Les Miserables.
• Baron Vladimir Harkonnen, ruler of House Harkonnen in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert.
• Baron Von Doffie, a one-time character in The Avengers episode, "The Joker".
• Baron Non Curt, another one-time character, from The Avengers episode, "They Keep Killing Steed".
• Baron Von Frankenstin, Fredrick Frankenstein's dead grandfather in Mel Brooks Young Frankenstein.
• Baron Von Gothos, in Star Trek: The Original Series.
• Baron von Munchhausen, hero of the fantastical book by the same title.
• Baron Klaus Wulfenbach, ruler of most of Europe in the steampunk/gaslamp fantasy comic series Girl Genius.
• Baron is the traditional title of a patriarch of a Dragonmarked house in the world of Eberron.
• Baron Hardup, in traditional pantomime, a straitened nobleman
• Beer Baron, in The Simpsons Homer sells alcohol illegally leading to the media calling him the Beer Baron.
• Baron Von Kiss-a-Lot, in The Simpsons, Marge has her taxi bill sent Artie Ziff, who she calls Baron Von Kiss-a-Lot, when in fact such a person exists. The baron was a one time character with a heavy German accent and very large lips.
• Baron Von Chickenpants, in The Simpsons, Bart takes a chicken carcass and wears it as pants declaring himself to Lisa as "Baron von Chickenpants"..
• Baron Karza, the archenemy of the Micronauts.
• Baron Wolfgang von Strucker, archenemy of Nick Fury, agent of Shield.
• Baron Bean, a comic strip (1916-1919) drawn by George Herriman of Krazy Kat fame.
• Baron Leon Belmont from Castlevania: Lament of Innocence.
• Baron DeGhost, the antagonist of The Fantastic Adventures of Unico.
• Baron Humbert Von Gikkemgen from The Cat Returns
• Baron Myles of Olau the royal spymaster in the Tortall series written by Tamora Pierce
• Baron George Cooper of Pirate's Swoop the second, secret royal spymaster in the Tortall series written by Tamora Pierce
• Baron mordo:a fictional marvel character as an enemy of doctor strange.
• Red Baron, frozen pizza brand/mascot.

Sources and references

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. {{cite encyclopedia}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

• Sanders, I. J. English Baronies: A Study of their Origin and Descent, 1086–1327. Clarendon Press, 1960.
• Heraldica
• The Royal Ark

• Noble titles
• Peerage
• Barons
• Baronies
• Given names