A Marcher Lord was a strong and trusted noble appointed by the King of England to guard the border (known as the Welsh Marches) between England and Wales.
A Marcher Lord is the English equivalent of a margrave (in the Holy Roman empire) or a marquis (in France). 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".
The greatest Marcher Lords included the earls of Chester, Gloucester, Hereford, Pembroke and Shrewsbury (see also English Earls of March).
Read more about Marcher Lord: County Palatine, Formation of The Welsh March, Marcher Powers, Intermarriage With The Welsh, End of Marcher Powers, Later Claims
Famous quotes containing the word lord:
“The poorest man may in his cottage bid defiance to all the forces of the Crown. It may be frail—its roof may shake—the wind may blow through it—the storm may enter—the rain may enter—but the King of England cannot enter!—all his forces dare not cross the threshold of the ruined tenement!”
—William Pitt, The Elder, Lord Chatham (1708–1778)