Court officials of the Kingdom of Navarre


The court officials of the Kingdom of Navarre, five in number, were in charge of the smooth functioning of various aspects of the royal court at Pamplona. In the tenth and eleventh centuries these officials were often the youthful sons of the high nobility, for whom a period at court served as an education. Officials were often rotated, but rarely can their dates of appointment be determined precisely. Rather they are known from the official Latin titles by which they were known in royal charters, to which they often appeared as witnesses. While earlier officials tended to move on to inherit lordships and leave court, in the late eleventh century individuals appear in the same office for longer periods of time and may have been appointed for life.
The chronological lists below are not exhaustive, since there exist large gaps in the historical record. The Latin title connected to an office could vary. Instances where the same official bore a different title are noted, as are the dates of the atypical charters.
In 1362 the court officials of Charles II were the butler, herald, chamberlain, chamber clerk, majordomo, chaplains, chef, forrero, escudero de la forrería, cup-bearer, treasurer, butcher, confessor, pages, equerry, and grooms. The office of constable was brought over from France.

Majordomo

The majordomo was the chief officer of the court, who oversaw all the other officers. The office may have been held on a rotational basis, since several officials appear in and out of office. One majordomo held the post of butler simultaneously, as evidenced by a charter of 1072.
NameFirst record in officeFinal record in officeTitle
Gómez Auréliez952959Maior domus
Gómez992992Maior domus
García Sánchez996996Maior domus
Lope Sánchez10111024Maior domus
Lope López10151015Maior domus
Gómez Sánchez10181033Maior domus
Álvaro Fortúnez10401042Maior domus
Galindo Iñíguez10421042Maior domus, Maior quoquorum
Fortún Velásquez10471047Maior domus
Jimeno Manciónez10541060Maior domus
Íñigo Sánchez10561066Maior domus
García Iñíguez10631064Maior domus
García Fortúnez10711073Maior domus
Lope Velásquez10721076Maior domus, also Botellarius
Velasco García10781087Maior domus

Cup-bearer

The cup-bearer was the official in charge of keeping the royal court fed. Like the office of majordomo this one may have been rotational.
NameFirst record in officeFinal record in officeTitle
Fortún Jiménez956956Pincerna
Sancho Fortúnez997997Architriclinus
Aurelio Sánchez10181031Architriclinus
García Sánchez10241024Architriclinus
Galindo López10401040Pincerna
Íñigo López10421042Architriclinus
Fortún Iñíguez10631066Pincerna
Lope Iñíguez10631063Pincerna
Sancho Aznárez10681072Pincerna, Propinator
García Fortúnez10711071Pincerna

Butler

The butler was the official in charge of the wine cellar, much like a modern wine steward. One butler held the post of majordomo simultaneously, as evidenced by a charter of 1072. There is no direct evidence in the charter record of rotation of this office, but several individuals appear to have been both butler and cup-bearer at different times.
NameFirst record in officeFinal record in officeTitle
Lope Iñíguez10111020Botellarius
Aznar Fortúnez10151015Botellarius
Sancho Jiménez10331033Botellarius
Jimeno Sánchez10401040Botellarius
Velasco García10561064Botellarius
Lope Muñoz10661072Botellarius
Lope Velásquez10721072Botellarius, Botecarius, also Maior domus
Sancho Sánchez10781087Botellarius

Armour-Bearer

The armour-bearer was in charge of the royal armoury and possibly also the king's guard. The connection with weaponry is visible in the list of synonyms for this term, all of which contain the Latin root fer-, signifying iron: alferiz, fertorarius, inferartis, and offertor. This office changed hands with higher frequency than the others, and there is also evidence of rotation. It is the only office for which two officers are cited in the same charter: Fortún Jiménez and Ortí Ortiz were both inferartes in a charter of 1043.
NameFirst record in officeFinal record in officeTitle
Fortún Jiménez959959Armiger
Galindo Gómez10301030Armentarius
Fortún Jiménez10431043Inferartis
Ortí Ortiz10431043Inferartis
Galindo López10441044Offertor
Lope García10581058Alferiz
Lope García10601060Armiger
Jimeno García10621064Armiger
Fortún Iñíguez10631063Fertorarius
Lope Iñíguez10631064Fertorarius
Fortún Iñíguez10631063Fertorarius
García Fortúnez10651071Offertor, Fertorarius, Tallator
Pedro García10661072Armiger
Lope Iñíguez10661066Offertor
Íñigo Sánchez10721072Alferiz
Fortún Iñíguez10721087Armiger
Íñigo Sánchez10721076Armiger
Sancho García10721075Offertor

Marshal

The marshal had charge of the royal stables. While there is no direct evidence of rotation in this office, no individual held it for more than three years.
NameFirst record in officeFinal record in officeTitle
García Auréliez957959Stabularius
Fortún Jiménez992992Stabularius
Lope Iñíguez996996Stabularius
García Sánchez997997Stabularius
Jimeno Fortúnez10201020Stabularius
Sancho Datiz10421043Stabularius
García García10581062Stabularius
García Sánchez10631064Stabularius
Fortún Álvarez10661066Stabularius
Lope Sánchez10681070Stabularius
Lope Vélaz10711072Stabularius
García Fortúnez10721072Stabularius
Lope Iñíguez10721075Stabularius
Sancho García10871090Stabularius