Barones

Barones - latin for Baron.

The word baron comes from the Old French baron, from a Late Latin baro "man; servant, soldier, mercenary" (so used in Salic Law; Alemannic Law has barus in the same sense). Isidore in the 7th century thought the word was from Greek βαρύς "heavy" (because of the "heavy work" done by mercenaries), but the word baro is of Hispanic barón that presumably origin from word baro of Old Frankish origin, cognate with Old English beorn meaning "warrior, nobleman", "free man". Cornutus in the first century already reports a word barones which he took to be of Gaulish origin. Hispanic barón that origin from Frankish baro.

In Poland, the title was refered to higher nobility holding high offices and jurisdiction, representing the King. It include Chamberain (podkomorzy), Lord of Regality (starosta), and Jugdes that acted in the name of the King. It sometimes also refere to Castellans and Voivodes but those where not barones but of higher rang - Comites. According to Długosz in his „Clenodiach”, the title of baron was refered to all knight families of ancient origin.

As all titles where prohibited in Poland in the middle of 17-th century - except few Russian and Lithuania prince titles - families where not allowed to use any title. During the partition time, any family that could document land posession and having ancestors holding offices of Lord of regality and Chamberlain where automatically qualified for the baron title if family accepted foreign authority.

In the Clan of Ostoja, only one person wanted to achieve the title of baron, it was Czechowicz in Austria. Since Chechowicz did not have any heir, this line of the family extinct and so there are no "modern" or "foreign" titles in the Clan but the ancient ones.