What is a Baron?

Question

I can't get a clear explination from many sources

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please && thank you

Alex, the geek of European Monarchy

Answer 1

A Baron is the lowest hereditary ranking of the non-royal aristocracy.

In order of precedence the peerage consists of:

Duke/Duchess

Marquess/Marchioness

Earl/Countess

Viscount/Viscountess

Baron/Baroness

Many of these titles were given a long,long time ago for services to the monarchy.Many of the older titles came with lands,income,and positions of authority(all the better to serve the monarch).

Answer 2

A baron is the lowest level of the British nobility.  There is the heredity title of baronet but a baronet is not a member of the house of lords and is merely called "sir".

English noble titles are as follows:

Duke

Marquis

Earl

Viscount

Baron.

In addition there are baronets and seigniers.

It is common for noblemen to have a secondary title.  Thus, a duke may have a secondary title of earl of x and a third title of baron of y.  In that case, his eldest son will use the title of earl and that son's eldest son will use the title of the baron.  In reality they are not members of Lords, but are may bear the title.

In German nobility, the baron and freiherr are at the same level as our baron.  Germans also have princes in the nobility, whereas in Britain princes are only found in the royal family.

All British nobles except for the dukes, are called "My lord" when you address them.  A duke is "Your grace" unless he is in the royal family where one uses "Your royal highness".

Answer 3

A Baron is a rank in a peerage system.

It is the lowest titled ranking in British peerage.

In Scotland and France it is not a rank of peerage, but a name for a feudal ruler.

In Germany (in the old days) it was a title given to all the knightley families.

In Spain it is nowdays just a honorary title with no real substance to it.

Answer 4

go here:  scroll down to number 9.

http://www.heraldica.org/topics/odegard/...

Then again, this is from another source, and contradicts the first...I've had the same problem doing research for a book.  Particularly Marquess vs. Count.  Obviously, the viscount, usually the oldest son of the count, should come directly after count.  How can there be Marquess in between?

Earl is British for Count.

6th-8th c.).

A duke (Latin dux, literally "leader") was the governor of a province, usually a military leader.

A count (Latin comes, literally "companion") was an appointee of the king governing a city and its immediate surroundings, or else a high-ranking official in the king's immediate entourage (the latter called "palace counts" or "counts Palatine").

A marquis was a count who was also the governor of a "march", a region at the boundaries of the kingdom that needed particular protection against foreign incursions (margrave in German).

A viscount was the lieutenant of a count, either when the count was too busy to stay at home, or when the county was held by the king himself

A baron (a later title) was originally a direct vassal of the king, or of a major feudal lord like a duke or a count

A castellan (châtelain) was the commander in charge of a castle.  A few castellanies survived with the title of "sire".