Plural of baronet; members of the lowest rank of the British hereditary nobility, ranking below barons.
From baronet, which combines baron (from Old French baron, from Medieval Latin baro) with the diminutive suffix -et. The title was created in 1611 by King James I as a means to raise revenue.
Baronets are like the 'budget' version of nobility—James I literally invented the rank to make money by selling titles! It's one of history's most transparent monetization schemes dressed up in formal heraldry.
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