England: Royal Officials

Like all royal governments of the time, there was a bureaucracy to administer the kingdom. The form of this government was based on the old Roman model and is recognizable as similar to modern governments. The positions shown below were generally held by nobles, or senior clergymen. Each of these fellows had a permanent staff of educated lay or clerical commoners to do the actual work.

Government in this period was in a state of transition. The kingdoms were still seen as the personal property of the kings and the royal government was, in theory anyway, simply a lot of people who looked after the king's personal affairs. But, as you can see, even in the early 14th century, the government was dividing into two parts, one to run the kingdom and the other to look after the king's personal affairs (which were still entangled with national affairs.)

(Number indicates relative rank)

1. Lord High Steward: King's Main Man, under whom are

         2. Lord High Chancelor: Runs civil administration, under

         whom are

                  3. Lord High Treasurer, looked after cash on hand

                  4. Lord President of the Council, gathered knowledgeable, or simply powerful,

                  people as advisors on the king's council

                  5. Lord Privy Seal: holds the Great Seal, necessary to make anything official

                  Lord Chief Justice (ran the kingdom's legal system ): under whom are

                           Justiciars in each Shire

                           Sheriff: runs government of a shire

                  6. Lord Great Chamberlain [permanently held by the Earls of Oxford]: Runs

                  royal household, under whom are

                           10. Lord Steward: handles king's estates

                           11. Lord Chamberlain: royal living arrangements

                           Wardrobe: royal purse, purchases, and stores,

                           including arms

                  Chancellor of the Duchy of Aquitaine, supervises Royal interests in

                  Gascony and Guyenne, each of which is run by a

                           Royal Senechal.

         7. Lord High Constable of England: runs armed forces, under whom are

                  8. Marshal: runs army, shares authority over

                           Warden of the Northern Marches, usually a Percy

                           Lieutenant General: may be created to supervise operations in a

                           particular area..

                           Lords Lieutenant of Array: runs militia in each shire,

                  9. Lord High Admirals, run the fleet

                           Lord High Admiral of the North

                           Lord High Admiral of the East, share authority over

                                    Warden of the Cinque Ports