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The German nobility (deutscher Adel) and royalty were status groups of the medieval society in Central Europe, which enjoyed certain privileges relative to other people under the laws and customs in the German-speaking area, until the beginning of the 20th century.
Baron Hieronymus von Münchhausen (1720–1797), on the basis of which Rudolf Erich Raspe wrote the tales of Baron Munchausen. [1] 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.
The word baron can be traced to the Late Latin word “baro,” which refers to a male servant, mercenary, or soldier. The word “barus” in Salic and Alemannic Law can also be traced to the modern word baron, and the word barus also refers to a mercenary or male of a similar social rank.
The German equivalent of baron, Freiherr, or “free lord” of the empire, originally implied a dynastic status, and many Freiherren held countships without taking the title of count (Graf). When the more important of them styled themselves counts, the Freiherren sank into an inferior class of nobility.
Honorifics are words that connote esteem or respect when used in addressing or referring to a person. In the German language, honorifics distinguish people by age, sex, profession, academic achievement, and rank. In the past, a distinction was also made between married and unmarried women.
28 kwi 2021 · • Freiherr (Baron) Title. Freiherr translates as Free Lord and is a later incarnation of the more Edler (Lord), yet it is regarded as higher in rank within the German system of nobility. It would be comparable to a Baron of the English aristocracy, or a Thane of the Scottish noble system.
Freiherr/Freifrau – Baron (ess) – literally “free lord,” third lowest rank within the nobility. Freiin – unmarried daughter of a baron. Fürst (in) – Prince (ss) * see note below. Graf/Gräfin – Count (ess) – equivalent to the British earl.
