Designing Your Character & Other Handy Things 2

Medieval Castle Workers

Court Officials:
Court officials or office-bearers (one type of courtier) derived their positions and retained their titles from their original duties within the courtly household. With time such duties often became archaic, but titles survived involving the ghosts of arcane duties, generally dating back to the days when a noble household had practical and mundane concerns as well as high politics and culture. Such court appointments each have their own histories. They include:

Chamberlain: An officer of the royal household responsible for the Chamber, meaning that he controlled access to the person of the king. He was also responsible for administration of the household and the private estates of the king. The Chamberlain was one of the four main officers of the court, the others being the Chancellor, the Justiciar, and the Treasurer.

Chancellor: The officer of the royal household who served as the monarch's secretary or notary. The Chancellor was responsible for the Chancery, the arm of the royal government dealing with domestic and foreign affairs. Usually the person filling this office was a Bishop chosen for his knowledge of the law. "Keeper of the barrier, secretary, usher of a law court," so called because he worked behind a lattice at a basilica or law court.

Justiciar: The head of the royal judicial system and the king's viceroy, when the actual viceroy was absent from the country.

Treasurer: The chief financial officer of the realm and senior officer of the Exchequer.

Constable: An officer of high rank in medieval monarchies, usually the commander of all armed forces, especially in the absence of the ruler. the keeper or governor of a royal fortress or castle. An officer of a hundred in medieval England, originally responsible for raising the military levy but later assigned other administrative duties

Master of the Horse: The third official of the royal household. The master of the horse is the third dignitary of the court, and was always a member of the ministry (before 1782 the office was of cabinet rank), a peer and a privy councilor. All matters connected with the horses and formerly also the hounds of the sovereign, as well as the stables and coach houses, the stud, mews and previously the kennels, are within his jurisdiction. The practical management of the Royal Stables and stud devolves on the chief or Crown Equerry, formerly called the Gentleman of the Horse, whose appointment was always permanent.

Almoner: A person whose function or duty is the distribution of alms on behalf of an institution, a royal personage, a monastery, etc.

Butler: The chief male servant of a household, usually in charge of serving food, the care of silverware, etc. a male servant having charge of the wines and liquors.

Cofferer: One who keeps treasures in a coffer. a coffer is a box or chest, especially one for valuables.

Cup-Bearer: A servant who fills and serves wine cups, as in a royal palace or at an elaborate banquet.

Dapifer: One who brings meat to the table; hence, in some countries, the official title of the grand master or steward of the king's or a nobleman's household.

Doorward: Was an office in medieval Scotland whose holders, eventually hereditary, had the theoretical responsibility of being warden of the king's door, i.e. protecting the king's property.

Falconer: A person who hunts with falcons or follows the sport of hawking. a person who trains hawks for hunting.

Gentleman of the Bedchamber: A Gentleman of the Bedchamber was the holder of an important office in the royal household of the Kingdom of England from the 11th century, later used also in the Kingdom of Great Britain. The duties of the office involved waiting on the king when he ate in private, helping him to dress, guarding the bedchamber and closet, and providing companionship.