Marcher Lord

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A Marcher Lord is the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman empire)

Border Lords

In this context the word "march" means a border region or frontier, and is cognate with the verb "to march," both ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European *mereg-, "edge" or "boundary."

In English history, Marcher Lords were strong, trusted Lords appointed by the King to guard the borders with Wales and Scotland. The greatest Marcher Lords along the Welsh border, known as the Welsh Marches included the Earl of Chester, Earl of Gloucester, Earl of Hereford, Pembroke, and Earl of Shrewsbury while the most powerful Marcher Lords on the Scottish border were the earls of Northumberland and Bishops of Durham.

Powers and privileges

Marcher Lords had special, privileged status with more rights and powers than other Anglo-Norman lords; in fact, they had nearly all of the rights that belonged to the King in other parts of the Kingdom. For example, Marcher Lords could establish forests with forest laws, grant charters to towns, build castles without a Royal license, raise armies and wage private wars, establish markets and fairs, and control weights and measures. Other royal rights enjoyed by Marcher Lords were the rights of wreck of the sea, royal fish, treasure trove, and estates forfeited by traitors. (A.C. Reeves, The Marcher Lords, Dyfed: Christopher Davies, 1983, p.15)

The word for such a Lord's border demesne is march, also used to render the mark of a continental margrave. In one case, this very term is preserved in the comital title of Marcher Lords in one specific border area: Earl of March.

In a similar way, some strong Earldoms in strategic border areas were granted the privileged status of county palatine, such as that based on Chester, a term analogous with the continental count palatine (in German Pfalzgraf) but not so equivalent as the margrave.

Marcher Lord

Border Lords

Powers and privileges

See also