Feudal Lordship
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A feudal lordship is either a Lord of Regality (a gift of The Crown) or a feudal baron, and occasionally both. They are ancient titles of nobility in Scotland. A Lord of Regality ranks above a feudal baron, and below a Lord of Parliament which is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. Lords of regality and feudal barons originally sat in parliament, (along with the Peerage). The feudal rights were gradually emasculated and with the demise of the Scottish parliament in 1707 their right to sit in parliament ceased altogether (unless, that is, they were also a Peer. Peerage rights are dealt with elsewhere).
Lords of Regality are invariable addressed as 'Lord Smith', whilst feudal barons are addressed as 'Lord Placename' or 'Lord of Placename'.
Regalities were all but abolished by Act of (he UK) Parliament in 1747, following the Jacobite Uprising. A feudal barony no longer carries any political power or privilege, the last of these being abolished by Act of (the Scottish) Parliament in november 2005.
A female feudal baron is usually referred to as 'Lady Placename'. The wife of a Lord receives the courtesy title 'Lady Placename', but the husband of a Lady is just plain Mr. Surname'.
Lords of regality and feudal barons are not to be confused with a manorial lordship.
Scottish titles, in order of precedence, are as follows: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, Lord (of Parliament), Baronet, Knight, feudal Baron, Clan Chief, Esquire/Gentleman.
[edit] References
- Register of the Great Seal of Scotland;
- Abolition of Feudal Tenure Act, Scotland;
- Statutes of 1592;
- Baronetcy Warrants of Charles I.
