Feudal baron

Historically, feudal barons were the first nobles, the King's men, who held land directly from the Crown and were granted a legal jurisdiction over their territory, the barony. Now, the dignity of a feudal baron is a personal title and carries with it no special powers beyond the title of 'baron', certain qualities and precedence, and a few heraldic privileges.

The English feudal barony, or "barony by tenure", now has no distinct legal position. It was a form of feudal land tenure, namely per baroniam (Latin for "by barony") under which the land-holder owed the service of being one of the king's barons. It must be distinguished from a barony, also feudal, but which existed within a county palatine, such as the barony of Halton within the Palatinate of Chester.^[1] The duties and privileges owed by feudal barons cannot now be defined exactly but involved respectively the provision of soldiers to the royal feudal army on demand by the king, and the attendance at the king's feudal court, the precursor of parliament. The estate-in-land held by barony if containing a significant castle as its caput and if especially large, that is to say consisting of more than about 20 knight's fees (each loosely equivalent to a manor), was termed an "honour". These manors invariably included many that were subinfeudated.

In contrast, the Scottish feudal barony retains a dignity preserved by the "Abolition of Feudal Tenure, etc (Scotland) Act 2000". A feudal barony is the only title of dignity legally assignable and able to be legally alienated from the bloodline of its previous possessor.

Feudal Baron titles exist in England and Scotland. From the time of the Conquest they were land based titles of tenure. These titles of tenure were titles of dignity; not peerage. Most English Feudal Barons were converted to baronies of writ or peerage according to the Abolition Act of 1660. The baronies not converted became baronies of free socage, a dignity title. Scottish baronies are governed by the Lord Lyon. Feudal baronies are among the only titles that can be legally transferred as they are considered non-physical property within the UK.^{[citation needed]}

The Irish feudal barony also existed.

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