Steward (office)
A steward is an official who is appointed by the legal ruling monarch to represent them in a country and who may have a mandate to govern it in their name; in the latter case, it is synonymous with the position of regent, vicegerent, viceroy, king's lieutenant (for Romance languages), governor, or deputy (the Roman rector, praefectus, or vicarius).
Etymology
From Old English stíweard, stiȝweard, from stiȝ "hall, household" + weard "warden, keeper"; corresponding to Dutch: stadhouder, German Statthalter "place holder", a Germanic parallel to French lieutenant.
The Old English term stíweard is attested from the 11th century. Its first element is most probably stiȝ- "house, hall" (attested only in composition; its cognate stiȝu is the ancestor of Modern English sty). Old French estuard and Old Norse stívarðr are adopted from the Old English.
The German and Dutch term (Middle High German stat-halter) is a parallel but independent formation (a calque of lieutenant) corresponding to obsolete English stead holder (stede haldare 1456; also stedys beryng (1460), sted-haldande (1375) steadward, steadsman).
In medieval times, the steward was initially a servant who supervised both the lord's estate and his household. However over the course of the next century, other household posts arose and involved more responsibilities. This meant that in the 13th century, there were commonly two stewards in each house—one who managed the estate and the other, the majordomo, to manage domestic routine. Stewards commonly earned up to 3 to 4 pounds per year. Stewards took care of their lord's castles when they were away. Also, stewards checked on the taxes of the serfs on their lords' manors.
In the
British Isles
The
Low Countries
In the Netherlands, it developed into a rare type of de facto hereditary head of state of the thus crowned Dutch Republic.
Stadtholders were appointed by
Northern Europe
Danish Statholder
- In Denmark, a ministerial high office of royal governor in the capital, at Copenhagen Castle
Norwegian Statholder
In Norway, the office of Statholder existed both during the
The term Statholder (from German Statthalter) means "place holder" (i.e., the one governing on behalf of the king). The modern Norwegian spelling is stattholder.
Southern Europe
Ban of Croatia
The Croatian office of the Ban was equivalent to a viceroy. The Ban was appointed by the monarch (King of Croats until 1102, King of Hungary 1102–1526, Austrian ruler 1527–1918) with a mandate to govern a part of country, or whole country, in the name of the King of Dalmatia, Croatia, and Slavonia.
Ban of Bosnia
Eastern Europe
The Russian equivalent of "stadtholder" is
Freemasonry
The office of Steward or Grand Steward is an elected office of merit in
See also
- Bailli
- Ban of Croatia
- Butler
- Castellan
- Chamberlain (office)
- Mayor of the Palace
- Seneschal
- Viceroy
- Luogotenente
References
- ^ See Matthew's Bible: Luke Chapter 16, 1537, p. 55, and Luke 16:1:KJV in the King James Version, 1611, compare Luke 16:1 in the New International Version, 1973 onwards
- ^ "Freemasons NSW & ACT - Home". www.masons.org.au.
- ^ "MASONIC LODGE OFFICER DUTIES". masonic-lodge-of-education.com.