The Bishop

Lore & Background

It also details historical usage under feudalism, where 'lord' described relationships between overlords, mesne lords, and vassals, and the substantive title 'Lord of the Manor' which derived from presiding over a manorial court.

Reader's Guide

The source covers modern usage of 'Lord' as a substantive title in British peerage (e.g., Lord of Parliament, Lord of the Isles, Lord of Mann), as a courtesy title for younger sons of peers, and in the judiciary (e.g., Lords Justices of Appeal, Lords of Council and Session).

Did You Know?

• The word 'lord' originates from the Old English hlāford, meaning 'loaf-ward' or 'bread-keeper', reflecting a Germanic tribal custom of a chieftain providing food for followers.
• The appellation 'lord' is primarily applied to men, but women can be styled as 'Lord', for example the Lord of Mann (previously held by the Queen of the United Kingdom) and female Lord Mayors.
• Under feudalism, a liege lord was a person to whom a vassal owed sworn allegiance, and a feudal baron was a true titular dignity with the right to attend Parliament.
• The title 'Lord of the Manor' is a recent usage by historians; medieval documents simply used 'lord of X', with X being the manor name.
• The House of Lords includes Lords Spiritual—the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, the Bishops of London, Winchester and Durham, and the twenty-one longest-serving bishops of the Church of England.