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The word baron derives from an Old French word baro ('man' in the sense of 'vassal'): Et quant ce virent li baron de l'ost, qui estoient herbergié d'autre part del port... ("And when the barons of the host [of fighting men at Constantinople] appeared, who were garrisoned in another part of the harbor...")
William the Conqueror 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. All who held their barony "in chief of the king" (i.e. 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 distinguishes greater or lesser baronies. Within a century of the Norman Conquest, as in Thomas BecketSaint Thomas a Becket (or Thomas Becket (ca. 1115 December 29, 1170) was Archbishop of Canterbury from 1162 to 1170. He engaged in a conflict with King Henry II over the rights and privileges of the Church and was assassinated by followers of the king.'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 LordsThis article is about the British House of Lords. See also the historical Irish House of Lords. The House of Lords is a component of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also includes the Sovereign and the British House of Commons. The House of Lor, while the lesser barons, Magna Carta1215 placed certain checks on the absolute power of the monarchy. Magna Carta ( Latin: Great Charter , written in 1215, is an English charter which limited the power of English Kings, specifically King John, from absolute rule. In effect, Magna Carta requ (1215) stipulated, would receive summons only in general, through the sheriffSheriff is both a political and a legal office held under English common law, Scots law or American common law, or the person who holds such office. Modern usage United States In the United States a sheriff is generally the highest elected law-enforcements. Thus appeared a definite distinction, which eventually had the effect of restricting to the greater barons the rights and privileges of peerage.
The King of England could create a new barony in one of two ways: by a writ of summons directing someone to Parliament, or by letters patentLetters patent are a type of legal document which is an open letter issued by a monarch or government granting a right, monopoly, title, or status to someone or some entity such as a corporation. The opposite of letters patent is letters close which are p. 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.
Angela Burdett-CouttsAngela Burdett-Coutts (born Angela Burdett 24 April 1814 in Piccadilly, London 30 December 1906) was the daughter of Sir Francis Burdett, Baronet, a Whig MP, and Sophia Coutts, who was the daughter of Thomas Coutts, the wealthy banker who founded Coutts b became the first woman created baroness in her own right in 1871, by Queen Victoria.In Scotland, the word "baron" refers to the holder of a feudal barony, which does relate to land ownership. The Scots system does not have baronies as in England, but "Lordships of Parliament". Generally, the more modern baronies pass only to heirs male. However, in the cases of Scottish Lordships of Parliament and of ancient English baronies a daughter can inherit provided she has no brothers.
In the late twentieth century Britain introduced the concept of non-hereditary life peers. All appointees to this distinction have taken place at the rank of baron, though in principle nothing prevents the creation of a life peerage of higher rank.
Normally one refers to or addresses Baron X as Lord X and his wife as Lady X. In the case of women granted life peerages in their own right, however, convention styles them as Baroness X rather than Lady X -- see for example Baroness Thatcher. 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 [Forename] [Surname]. After the death of the father or mother, the child may continue to use the style Honourable.
In the republics of continental Europe, the title of "Baron" retains a purely social prestige, with no particular political privileges. In Tonga, as opposed to the situations in Europe and in Japan, barons continue to hold and exercise significant political power.
Compare baronet.
Several communes in France have the name Baron :
And note: