HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

A chamberlain (
Medieval Latin Medieval Latin was the form of Literary Latin used in Roman Catholic Western Europe during the Middle Ages. In this region it served as the primary written language, though local languages were also written to varying degrees. Latin functione ...
: ''cambellanus'' or ''cambrerius'', with charge of treasury ''camerarius'') is a senior royal official in charge of managing a royal household. Historically, the chamberlain superintends the arrangement of domestic affairs and was often also charged with receiving and paying out money kept in the royal chamber. The position was usually honoured upon a high-ranking member of the
nobility Nobility is a social class found in many societies that have an aristocracy. It is normally ranked immediately below royalty. Nobility has often been an estate of the realm with many exclusive functions and characteristics. The character ...
(nobleman) or the
clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, but usually involve presiding over specific rituals and teaching their religion's doctrines and practices. Some of the ter ...
, often a
royal favourite Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a c ...
. Roman emperors appointed this officer under the title of ''
cubicularius ''Cubicularius'', Hellenized as ''koubikoularios'' ( gr, κουβικουλάριος), was a title used for the eunuch chamberlains of the imperial palace in the later Roman Empire and in the Byzantine Empire. The feminine version, used for the ...
''. The Chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church enjoys very extensive powers, having the revenues of the papal household under his charge. As a sign of their dignity, they bore a key, which in the seventeenth century was often silvered, and actually fitted the door-locks of chamber rooms. Since the eighteenth century, it has turned into a merely symbolic, albeit splendid,
rank Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as: Level or position in a hierarchical organization * Academic rank * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy * ...
-insignia of gilded bronze. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign.


Description

Historically, many institutions and governments – monasteries, cathedrals and cities – also had the post of chamberlain, who usually had charge of finances. The Finance Director of the
City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...
is still called the Chamberlain, while
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the Un ...
had a chamberlain who managed city accounts until the early 20th century.


Etymology

From the Old French ''chamberlain, chamberlenc'', Modern French ''chambellan'', from Old High German ''Chamarling, Chamarlinc'', whence also the Medieval Latin ''cambellanus, camerlingus, camerlengus''; Italian ''camerlingo''; Spanish ''camerlengo'', compounded of Old High German ''Chamara, Kamara'' atin ''camera'', “chamber” and the German suffix ''-ling''.


Posts

Some of the principal posts known by this name:


Austria

* Kammerherr, or Kämmerer (with a charge of finances, treasury)


Brunei Brunei ( , ), formally Brunei Darussalam ( ms, Negara Brunei Darussalam, Jawi: , ), is a country located on the north coast of the island of Borneo in Southeast Asia. Apart from its South China Sea coast, it is completely surrounded by t ...

*Grand Chamberlain of The Councils of Brunei titled as ''Yang Amat Mulia Pengiran Penggawa Laila Bentara Istiadat Diraja Dalam Istana''. The current Grand Chamberlain is Pengiran Haji Alauddin Pengiran Paduka Tuan Pengiran Haji Abu Bakar. Around the year of 2012, The Grand Chamberlain of The l, Alauddin bin Abu Bakar, on emergency broadcast had announced the divorce between the Sultan and his third wif

June 7, 2015. The Grand Chamberlain of Brunei announced the newborn prince of Al-Muhtadee Billah, Deputy Sultan, Crown Prince of Brunei.


Byzantine Empire

* Koubikoularios * Parakoimomenos *
Praepositus sacri cubiculi The ''praepositus sacri cubiculi'' (Latin: "provost of the sacred bedchamber", in gr, πραιπόσιτος τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου κοιτῶνος, praipositos tou eusebestatou koitōnos) was one of the senior palace offices in the L ...


Denmark

*Hofmarskallen ( Court Marshal) **Kammerherre **Kammerdame * Lord Chamberlain of Denmark


France

* Grand Chamberlain of France * Grand Chamberman of France


Germany

*Kammerherr, or Kämmerer (with a charge of finances, treasury)


Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a political entity in Western, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its dissolution in 1806 during the Napoleonic Wars. From the accession of Otto I in 962 ...

*Kammerherr, or Kämmerer (with a charge of finances, treasury) *Reichskämmerer (imperial chamberlain) * Lord Chamberlain of the Archduchess


Japan

* Grand Chamberlain of Japan and Chamberlain of Japan


Norway

* Lord Chamberlain of Norway


Poland

* Podkomorzy


Portugal

* Chamberlain-Major of Portugal * Chamberlain of the Prince of Portugal


Roman Empire

* Admissionales *
Praepositus sacri cubiculi The ''praepositus sacri cubiculi'' (Latin: "provost of the sacred bedchamber", in gr, πραιπόσιτος τοῦ εὐσεβεστάτου κοιτῶνος, praipositos tou eusebestatou koitōnos) was one of the senior palace offices in the L ...
*
Cubicularius ''Cubicularius'', Hellenized as ''koubikoularios'' ( gr, κουβικουλάριος), was a title used for the eunuch chamberlains of the imperial palace in the later Roman Empire and in the Byzantine Empire. The feminine version, used for the ...


Russian Empire

'' Ober-Kammerherr'' or '' Kammerherr'' (russian: обер-камергер or камергер}. Historically, '' postelnichiy'' (постельничий) was the ceremonial post at the
court A court is any person or institution, often as a government institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in acco ...
of a Grand Duke. Later, in 1772, at the court of the
Tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the ter ...
the German term ''Kammerherr'' was introduced. The ''Ober-Kammerherr'' was responsible for the audiences granted to members of the Royal Family. Since the beginning of the 18th century, the ''Ober-Kammerherr'' was the most senior appointed official of the
Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...
n Imperial Court associated with the
household A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is i ...
of the sovereign. The most notable figures were: *
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
Alexander Danilovich Menshikov Prince Aleksander Danilovich Menshikov (russian: Алекса́ндр Дани́лович Ме́ншиков, tr. ; – ) was a Russian statesman, whose official titles included Generalissimo, Prince of the Russian Empire and Duke of Izho ...
1727 - 1728 *
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
1730 - 1740 *
Duke Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are rank ...
Ernst Johann von Biron 1730 - 1740 *
Count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...
Pyotr Borisovich Sheremetev 1761 - 1768 * Boris Vladimirovich Stürmer 1916 - 1917, the last Ober-Kammerherr of
Tsar Tsar ( or ), also spelled ''czar'', ''tzar'', or ''csar'', is a title used by East and South Slavic monarchs. The term is derived from the Latin word ''caesar'', which was intended to mean "emperor" in the European medieval sense of the ter ...
Nicholas II.


Serbia in the Middle Ages

* Kaznac


Sweden

In Sweden there are ten serving chamberlains ( sv, kammarherrar) and four serving cabinet chamberlains (kabinettskammarherrar) at the royal court. The chamberlains are not employed by the court but serve during ceremonial occasions such as state visits, audiences, and official dinners.


Thailand

In
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
the head of the
Bureau of the Royal Household The Bureau of the Royal Household (BRH) ( th, สำนักพระราชวัง) is an agency of the monarchy of Thailand. In addition to a range of administrative and ceremonial responsibilities, the bureau also serves as a conduit for ...
is titled the Lord Chamberlain (เลขาธิการพระราชวัง). He has several Grand Chamberlains as his deputy, usually in charge of a specific portfolio.


United Kingdom

* Lord Great Chamberlain (one of the
Great Officers of State Government in medieval monarchies generally comprised the king's companions, later becoming the Royal Household, from which the officers of state arose, initially having household and government duties. Later some of these officers became ...
) *
Lord Chamberlain The Lord Chamberlain of the Household is the most senior officer of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom, supervising the departments which support and provide advice to the Sovereign of the United Kingdom while also acting as the main c ...
(senior executive Officer of the Royal Household) *
Chamberlain of the City of London The Chamberlain of the City of London is an ancient office of the City of London, dating back to at least 1237. The Chamberlain is the finance director of the City of London Corporation. They are the financial adviser, accountant, receiver and pa ...
(a High Officer of the
City Corporation A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including (but not necessarily limited to) cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. The term can also be used to describe municipally own ...
, its Director of Finance. The appointment of a City Chamberlain is first recorded in 1276; his duties related to the City Chamber, where monies were kept. He also presided over the admission of
Freemen of the City of London The Freedom of the City (or Borough in some parts of the UK) is an honour bestowed by a municipality upon a valued member of the community, or upon a visiting celebrity or dignitary. Arising from the medieval practice of granting respected ...
, and continues to do so today.) *
Chamberlain of the Exchequer Chamberlain may refer to: Profession *Chamberlain (office), the officer in charge of managing the household of a sovereign or other noble figure People *Chamberlain (surname) **Houston Stewart Chamberlain (1855–1927), German-British philosop ...
, treasury official in the English Exchequer *
Lord Chamberlain of Scotland Holders of the office of Lord Chamberlain of Scotland are known from about 1124. It was ranked by King Malcolm as the third great Officer of State, called ''Camerarius Domini Regis'', and had a salary of £200 per annum allotted to him. He ancien ...
(a historic Office of State in the Kingdom of Scotland from 1124 to 1703)


United States

*Chamberlain of the City of New York


Vatican

* Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church * Papal Gentleman (formerly known as
Papal Chamberlain A Papal Gentleman, also called a Gentleman of His Holiness, is a lay attendant of the pope and his papal household in Vatican City. Papal gentlemen serve in the Apostolic Palace near St. Peter's Basilica in ceremonial positions, such as escorting d ...
(Cameriere di spada e cappa))


See also

*
Court appointment Court appointments are the traditional positions within a royal, ducal, or noble household. In the early Middle Ages, when such households were established, most court officials had either domestic or military duties; the monarch's closest adviser ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Chamberlain (Office) Positions of authority Government occupations Court titles Monarchy and money