Master of the Horse
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (March 2012) |
Master of the Horse is an official position in several European nations. It was more common when most countries in Europe were monarchies, and is of varying prominence today.
Magister Equitum (Ancient Rome)
The original Master of the Horse (
The Magister Equitum was granted a form of
After the
The title
Master of the Horse (United Kingdom)
Historical role
The Master of the Horse in the
, are within his jurisdiction.The practical management of the
Exclusive of the
Modern role
The current Master of the Horse is Lord de Mauley.[1]
Today the Master of the Horse has a primarily ceremonial office, and rarely appears except on state occasions, and especially when the Sovereign is mounted. The Crown Equerry has daily oversight of the Royal Mews, which provides vehicular transport for the Sovereign, both cars and horse-drawn carriages. Train travel is arranged by the Royal Travel Office, which also co-ordinates air transport.
The Pages of Honour, who appear only on ceremonial occasions, and the
Grand Squire of France
In
Oberststallmeister (Austria)
In the Habsburg monarchy, the Oberststallmeister, together with the Obersthofmeister, Oberstkämmerer and Oberstmarschall, was one of the four principal functions on the Court, reserved to the high nobility. The Oberststallmeister was in charge of the court stables, the riding school and the fleet of court carriages and other forms of transport. The thoroughbred horses and magnificent equipages were a cornerstone of aristocratic display, that gave this function its prestige. [2]
Oberststallmeister (Germany)
In Germany the master of the horse (Oberststallmeister) was a high court dignitary in several German Courts. In the Holy Roman Empire, his office was merely titular, the superintendence of the Emperor's stables having been carried out by the Oberstallmeister, an official corresponding to the crown equerry in England.
Caballerizo mayor (Spain)
The Caballerizo mayor was the Officer of the Royal Household and Heritage of the Crown of Spain in charge of the trips, the mews and the hunt of the King of Spain.
The Office of "Caballerizo mayor" was one of the main Offices of the Royal Household in charge of the Royal Stables and everything related to the transportation of the Monarch. When the King sorted out from the Royal Palace, the Caballerizo had the main position behind him and the major rang over the other Court Officials. He managed as well the stables, the carriages and the horses. He was assisted by the "Primeros Caballerizos" (First Equerries) who were nominated by him.
He was in charge of the Royal hunt as "Montero mayor" (Great Hunter) holding, in many cases, the "Alcaldías" (Majorships) of the Spanish royal sites.
Papal Master of the Horse
The Master of the Horse, Cavallerizzo Maggiore, or Hereditary Superintendent of the Stables of the Palaces, was a hereditary position held by the
Riksstallmästare/Överhovstallmästare (Sweden)
The holder of the title Master of the Horse of the Realm (Riksstallmästare) in Sweden was not one of the Great Officers of the Realm, but rather one of the Lesser Officers of the Realm. He was the superintendent of the Royal Stables and of the realm's stud farms. As such he was important in military matters, and often he had a tight connection with the army, and then especially with the army's cavalry units. His duties were partly taken over by the Master of the Horse (Överhovstallmästare).
Equerry (Russia)
Konyushy (
Konyushy was a
Koniuszy (Kingdom of Poland and Grand Duchy of Lithuania)
"Koniuszy" (corresponding to the
From the 14th to 16th centuries, a "koniuszy" was a dignitary (dygnitarz) in the
Georgia
In the
Hungary
In the Kingdom of Hungary the master of the horse (Hungarian: főlovászmester) was one of the high officials of the royal household.
Asia
Similar posts were common in the imperial courts of China and Japan, the royal courts of Korea, and elsewhere in East Asia. The position, known as "Sima" in Chinese (司马), literally means "Master of the Horse". It was first created in the Western Zhou dynasty, with responsibility for military administration and conscription. The position was below the Three Grand Offices and equivalent in status to the six ministers. It was often grouped with four other positions also named with the "Si-" (control, administer) prefix as the "five officials" (五官). The title was used in different ways in subsequent dynasties. The Han Dynasty awarded "Grand Sima" as an additional title to high generals, in which context it is often translated into English as "Marshal".
"Sima" also became
The Siamese kingdom of Ayutthaya had a Master of the Royal Elephants. The holder of this office was titled Krom Phra Gajapala (Thai: กรมพระคชบาล). Beneath him in rank was a Master of the Royal Horse who was titled Krom Phra Asvaraja (Thai: กรมพระอัศวราช). This demonstrated that the ancient Siamese attached more importance to the maintenance of war Elephant than a cavalry force.[3]
See also
- Constitution of the Roman Republic
- Constable
- Equerry
- Cursus honorum
- List of British ministries
- Marshal
References
- ^ "Appendix To Court Circular". Court Circular. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 28 July 2018.
- ^ Hasburger.net
- ^ Wales, Horace Geoffrey Quaritch (1934). Ancient Siamese Government and Administration. p. 143.
- public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Master of the Horse". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 872–873. This article incorporates text from a publication now in the