Dijkgraaf (official)
A dijkgraaf (lit. '
Literally the term means "Dike count", like other titles ending in -graaf (equivalent to English: -grave and German: -graf) of feudal origin, but remained a functional official. The government bodies in the Netherlands today in order of rank are:
- National
- Provincial
- Municipal
- Water boards.[citation needed]
In medieval times and earlier however, the water boards were the same as municipal, and since it was a country of duchies, the Water board (Waterschap) was in governmental terms the equivalent of a city (Stad), and thus also the highest form of government.
References
- Dijkgraaf definition (Dutch)
- Water Canon[Ministry of Transport, Public Works and Water Management
- First female dijkgraaf Joan Leemhuis-Stout (Dutch)