Baronage of Scotland
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| Nobility of the baronage of Scotland |
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| Convention of the Three Estates |
In Scotland, the titles of "baron" or "baroness" refer to holders of a barony within the Baronage of Scotland, a rank of the ancient Scottish nobility. These are heritable titles of honour, traditionally granted by Crown charter as free baronies. Their legal recognition is upheld by various institutions, including the Court of the Lord Lyon, the Scottish Parliament, institutional writers and official sources such as the Scottish Law Commission.
Although being historically referred to as feudal barons, this terminology has become obsolete. Following the Abolition of Feudal Tenure etc. (Scotland) Act 2000, which came into force in 2004, Scottish baronies ceased to be connected to land ownership. They became non-territorial dignities, or personal honours in law, with no associated land rights. The correct modern usage is simply "baron".
Scottish barons are recognised as noble but are not peers and do not belong to the Peerage of Scotland. By contrast, an English barony is a peerage title, though under the Tenures Abolition Act 1660, some feudal baronies remain as baronies held by free socage. The peerage status of Scottish barons is disputed; they are considered minor barons, holding noble titles of lower rank than peers. The Scottish equivalent of an English baron is a Lord of Parliament, which is a peerage title and ranks above a baron. Scottish barons are acknowledged as titled nobility, affirmed by the Lyon Court's 1943 Petition of Maclean of Ardgour, which recognised barones minores (minor barons) as part of Scotland's historic feudal nobility.
Scottish baronies differ from British peerage and baronetage titles in that they may be succeeded by alienation, not solely by inheritance. Unlike these titles, they are not governed by strict succession rules and have remainders to "heirs and assignees", as stated in Crown charters. These titles are also excluded from the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925, since they are not newly created honours but existing dignities recognised in law.
The heraldic privileges associated with baronies are regulated by the Lord Lyon King of Arms, who retains authority over arms in Scotland. A Scottish barony may be inherited or alienated to any individual, regardless of gender. The institution of the Scottish baronage predates the Scottish peerage, and the two continue to coexist.