barons

Baron is a historic title of nobility used in many European countries, usually denoting a feudal lord who held a barony—a territory granted by a sovereign—and owed military and other service to his overlord. The baron typically presided over his lands, administered local justice, and could provide troops for the sovereign's army. The precise status and duties varied by region and era.

In England, baron is the lowest rank of the peerage. Barons were part of the baronage and, under the feudal system, their lands formed the basis of their power. From the 14th century onward the title became a formal hereditary or life peerage rather than a purely military tenure. In France, baron was a noble rank among the high nobility, often second only to counts in the estates of the realm. In the Holy Roman Empire, the corresponding title was Freiherr, or "free lord," which indicated noble status and jurisdiction over imperial lands; in the Low Countries and Ireland similar rank structures existed.

Today, the baronial title survives as part of many constitutional monarchies’ nobility systems, often without governing authority. The baron’s lands, the barony, historically formed the seat of power; in modern usage, many baronies remain historic or ceremonial, while some titles are granted as hereditary or life peerages that confer membership in a country’s legislature or equivalent body.