Great Officers of State Facts for Kids

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 two: one serving state and one serving household. They were superseded by new officers, or were absorbed by existing officers. Many of the officers became hereditary and thus removed from practical operation of either the state or the household.

Especially in the Norman kingdoms these offices will have common characteristics. In the United Kingdom, the Great Officers of State are traditional ministers of The Crown who either inherit their positions or are appointed to exercise certain largely ceremonial functions or to operate as members of the government. Separate Great Officers of State exist for England and for Scotland, as well as formerly for Ireland. It was the same in the Kingdoms of Sicily and Naples. Many of the Great Officers became largely ceremonial because historically they were so influential that their powers had to be resumed by the Crown or dissipated.

England
Holy Roman Empire
Scotland
See also

England

This section is transcluded from Great Officers of State (United Kingdom)#England

Initially, after the Norman Conquest, England adopted the officers from the Normandy Ducal court (which was modelled after the French court) with a steward, chamberlain and constable. Originally having both household and governmental duties, some of these officers later split into two counterparts in Great Officer of the State and officer of the royal household, while other offices were superseded by new offices or absorbed by existing offices. This was due to many of the offices becoming hereditary because of feudalistic practices, and thus removed from the practical operation of either the state or the Royal Household. The Great Officers then gradually expanded to cover multiple duties, and have now become largely ceremonial.

Holy Roman Empire

Page from an armorial showing the arms of Emperor Frederick III, c. 1415 – c. 1493

Page from an armorial showing arms of Kaiser Maximilian I, c. 1508 – c. 1519

German Kurrent script, in which the armorial sources are written

Princes elector held a "High Office of the Empire" (Reichserzämter) analogous to a modern Cabinet office and were members of the ceremonial Imperial Household. The three spiritual electors were Arch-Chancellors (German: Erzkanzler, Latin: Archicancellarius): the Archbishop of Mainz was Arch-Chancellor of Germany, the Archbishop of Cologne was Arch-Chancellor of Italy, and the Archbishop of Trier was Arch-Chancellor of Burgundy. The six remaining were secular electors, who were granted augmentations to their arms reflecting their position in the Household. These augments were displayed either as an inset badge, as in the case of the Arch Steward, Treasurer, and Chamberlain—or dexter, as in the case of the Arch Marshal and Arch Bannerbearer. Or, as in the case of the Arch Cupbearer, the augment was integrated into the escutcheon, held in the royal Bohemian lion's right paw.

Imperial office	German	Latin	Elector
Arch-Cupbearer	Erzmundschenk	Archipincerna	King of Bohemia
Arch-Steward (or Arch-Seneschal)	Erztruchseß	Archidapifer	Elector Palatine to 1623
			Elector of Bavaria, 1623–1706
			Elector Palatine, 1706–1714
			Elector of Bavaria, 1714–1806
Arch-Treasurer	Erzschatzmeister	Archithesaurarius	Elector Palatine, 1648–1706
			Elector of Hanover, 1710–1714
			Elector Palatine, 1714–1777
			Elector of Hanover, 1777–1814
Arch-Marshal	Erzmarschall	Archimarescallus	Elector of Saxony
Arch-Chamberlain	Erzkämmerer	Archicamerarius	Elector of Brandenburg
Arch-Bannerbearer	Erzbannerträger	Archivexillarius	Elector of Württemberg

Scotland

This section is transcluded from Great Officers of State (United Kingdom)#Scotland

The term "officer of state" is sometimes used loosely of any great office under the Crown. As in England, many offices are hereditary. A number of historical offices ended at, or soon after, the Treaty of Union 1707. There are also a number of Officers of the Crown and Great Officers of the Royal Household. These Officers of State were also called "Officers of the Crown" despite there being a separate group of officers so named that are not officers of state and, unlike the officers of state, did not sit or vote in meetings.

As of 2023, the Scottish Great Officers of State are as follows:

Order	Office	Holder during 1707	Current holder	Notes
Greater Officers of State
1	Lord High Chancellor	James Ogilvy 1st Earl of Seafield	—	Merged with Lord High Chancellor of England in 1701 to form the office of Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain.
2	Lord High Treasurer (Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General, and Treasurer of the New Augmentation)	In commission: Commissioners of the Treasury of Scotland — James Ogilvy 1st Earl of Seafield (Lord High Chancellor) David Boyle 1st Earl of Glasgow (Treasurer-depute) The Honourable Francis Montgomerie (Treasurer in Parliament)	—	Merged with Lord High Treasurer of England in 1701 to form the office of Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain.
3	Lord Keeper of the Privy Seal	James Douglas 2nd Duke of Queensberry	—	Vacant since the death of Gavin Campbell, 1st Marquess of Breadalbane in 1921.
4	Secretary of State	Hugh Campbell 3rd Earl of Loudoun John Erskine 23rd and 6th Earl of Mar	—	Office abolished in 1709.
Lesser Officers of State
5	Lord Clerk Register	James Murray Lord Philiphaugh	Elish Angiolini	Since 1817, also Keeper of the Signet in Scotland.
6	Lord Advocate (His Majesty's (Lord) Advocate)	Sir James Stewart of Goodtrees	Dorothy Bain	—
7	Treasurer-depute	David Boyle 1st Earl of Glasgow	—	Office abolished by the Acts of Union 1707.
8	Lord Justice Clerk	Adam Cockburn Lord Ormiston	Leeona Dorrian Lady Dorrian	—
Abolished Officers of State
n/a	Comptroller of Scotland	—	—	Merged into the office of Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.
n/a	Master of Requests for Scotland	—	—	Merged into the office of Lord Secretary of Scotland.

Great Officers of State facts for kids

Contents

England

Holy Roman Empire

Scotland

See also