baron
Sign in to savethumb|The heraldic crown for Spanish barons
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A baron is a nobleman or member of the aristocracy who historically held land and authority granted by a monarch. The title remains significant in many countries today as part of their noble ranking systems, though the actual power and privileges associated with it have changed greatly over time.
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Article
24 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Britain and Ireland
- History
- Irish barons
- Coronet
- Style of address
- Scottish barons
- Chapeau and helm
- Style of address
- Continental Europe
- France
- Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte
- King Louis XVIII
- Germany
- Italy
- Low Countries
- Nordic countries
- Russia
- Spain
- Other
- In fiction
- See also
- References
- Sources
thumb|The heraldic crown for Spanish barons
Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than a lord or knight, but lower than a viscount or count. Often, barons hold their fief – their lands and income – directly from the monarch. Barons are less often the vassals of other nobles. In many kingdoms, they were entitled to wear a smaller form of a crown called a coronet.