Historical Romanian ranks and titles


This is a glossary of historical Romanian ranks and titles used in the principalities of Moldavia, Wallachia and Transylvania, and later in Romania. Many of these titles are of Slavic etymology, with some of Greek, Latin, and Turkish etymology; several are original. Various boier titles correspond to various honorary services at the Court, but often they were associated with various actual governmental duties as well.
Mare, vel or baș are composing parts used with other titles. Synonymous with the Byzantine "Megas", they precede a title or rank: Mare Vornic, Mare Stolnic, Vel Paharnic, Vel Pitar, Vel Logofăt, Baș Boier, etc.

Middle Ages

Name of the rankEtymologyDescription
AprodHungarian apródofficial in charge of justice or fiscal affairs, or introducing guest to the court.
ArmașRomanian Armă, arm + suffix -așofficial in charge of security, prisons and executions.
Banprobably Sarmatian, Persian or AvarThe title of medieval rulers of parts of Wallachia since the 13th century. The Wallachian bans were military governors. Territory over which a ban ruled in Wallachia was called a banat.
BecerRomanian beci, cellar court cook.
BoierSlavic bolyarinA hereditary aristocrat.
CămărașRomanian cămară, pantryperson in charge of the rooms and pantries of the court.
CăminarRomanian camină, tax, from Slavicperson in charge of collecting some taxes.
ChelarGreek kellarios, ultimately from Latin cellarium, storeroomperson in charge of the court's cellars and food stores.
ClucerSlavic kliučiari, from the word for "key"a person in charge of the court household and servants, cf. Master of the Royal Court, Russian boyar title klyuchnik.
CneazSlavic Knyaz, ultimately from Germanicchieftain or judge of some villages
CondicarRomanian condică, register book, from Greek kódikperson in charge of the court archives, archivist.
ComisGreek kómisMaster of the Horse.
CuparRomanian cupăboyar in charge with filling the cups at the boyar's table
DomnRomanian a domni, to rule, Latin Dominus, lord/mastertitle of rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia
Domnitor who is the lord, from Romanian Domn, Lordthe official title of the ruler of Romania between 1859 and 1881.
DregătorRomanian a drege, to fix, to plangeneral term referring to most officials at the court, with roles ranging from counsellorship to administration, justice or military organisation.
JitnicerRomanian jitniță, granary, from Slavic žitnica, derived from žito, ryeperson in charge of the court granary.
JudeLatin judex, cf Romanian județ, a jurisdiction generally translated as "county"judge and/or mayor of a region.
GrămăticGreek grammatikóssecretary.
Hatmancf. Hetman, from Polish, ultimately from Germana Moldavian equivalent of spătar.
HospodarSouth Slavic gospodartitle of rulers of Wallachia and Moldavia in Slavic documents.
IspravnicSlavic izpravnika representative of the Domnitor in a county.
LogofătGreek logothetēschancellor.
MedelnicerSlavic "medelnica", copper wash-basina boier title; literally, the person who pours water on hands to wash them before meals.
PaharnicSlavic root "bowl"/"goblet"/"cup" cf. Romanian pahar, "glass"person in charge of the wine supplies, loosely corresponds to "Royal Cup-bearer", akin to Polish Cześnik, but with a different etymology.
PârcălabHungarian porkolábhead of a county.
PârgarGerman Bürger, via Hungarian polgár.member of the local council of a town.
Pitarfrom Pita breadbread supplier of the court.
Polcovniccf. Polkovnikcommander of a regiment.
PortarRomanian Poartă, gateGatekeeper, for example Portar de Suceava.
PostelnicSlavic postel, "bed"; cf. Russian postelnichya boier title; literally "a person in charge of royal chambers"; loosely corresponds to Chamberlain.
ȘătrarSouth Slavic šatraboyar in charge of the watch of the military camp during war.
SfetnicSlavic suvetnikvoivode/domnitor's adviser.
SpătarGreek spathariosIn Wallachia, holder of the royal sword and bludgeon and second in rank in the army after the voivode.
StarosteSlavic Starostaguildmaster, the leader of a guild.
StolnicSlavic Stolnika boier rank and the position at the court in the history of Moldavia and Wallachia, a seneschal; a person in charge of the royal table.
SlugerSlavic služarperson in charge of meat supplies for the court.
VătafSlavic vatahoverseer of various kinds.
VistierLatin vestiarius, a person in charge of the wardrobea title of treasurer.
VoievodSlavic Voivoderuling prince, commander-in-chief of the army, titles of the Wallachian and Moldavian rulers; they were also known as domnitori.
Vorniccf. Slovak nádvorníkofficial in charge of justice and internal affairs

Phanariote era

Name of the rankEtymologyDescription
AgaTurkish ağa, military commander.chief of a law enforcement agency
AlaiceaușTurkish alay and çavuşmaster of ceremonies
BeizadeaTurkish beyzadehospodar's son.
BinișliuTurkish binişlicourt waiter.
BuhurdargiuTurkish buhurdurperson in charge with the court spice pot
CafegiuTurkish kahvecipersons who served the coffee at the court.
Caftangiucaftan, mantle, of Turkish origin.person who put the boyarial mantle on the back of the new appointed boyars.
CalemgiuTurkish kalemcıclerk.
CapuchehaieTurkish kapikâhayadiplomatic representative of the Wallachian/Moldavian rulers to the Ottoman court.
CapugiuTurkish kapucuguard of the Sultan and executer of secret orders, including deposing or assassinating of the princes of Wallachia and Moldavia
CaraghiosTurkish karagözcourt buffoon
Cavas-bașaTurkishkavas and başcourt servant who guarded the door of the prince's room.
CeaușTurkish çavuşmessenger or doorman
ChehaiaTurkish kehayarepresentative of the Domnitor at the Ottoman court.
CiohodarTurkish çuhadarperson in charge of the shoes of the ruler.
CiubucciuTurkish çubukçuperson in charge of the pipes of the ruler.
Divan EfendiTurkishOttoman clerk who worked as a translator at the court, who was also a spy of the Sultan
DivictarTurkish divitdarcourt clerk in charge with the ink and writing supplies.
DragomanGreek dragománosinterpreter, translator.
GealatTurkish cellâtexecutioner.
GeamgirgiuTurkishservant in charge of the prince's bedsheets.
Gus-bașaTurkishservant in charge of the books with the boyar's ranks.
IbrictarTurkishservant who was in charge of the kettle which held the water for washing prince's hands.
IciolanTurkish içoğlanboy servant
IdicliuTurkishservant in charge of the horses
IsbașaTurkishclerk in charge with the petitions at the Court.
IuzbațaTurkish yüz, a hundredcommander over the hundred soldiers who defended the Court
LipcanTurkish lipkanofficial courier between the Porte and the Wallachian and Moldavian Courts.
MabeemgiuTurkishservant in charge with the mabeems
MazilTurkish mazul or Southern Russian mazil boiar of the landed gentry holding no public function.
MehmendarTurkish mihmandara boyar accompanying the ruler, taking care of the lodging.
MeteregiuTurkisha servant in charge with the prince's washing basin
Mucurdar, Muhurdar, MuhardagiuTurkish mühürdara person in charge with the Court's seals.
MumbașirTurkish mübaşirtax collector
NerghelegiuTurkish nargileciservant in charge with the prince's nargile
NazârTurkish nāzırgovernor of a Turkish city
PaiaTurkish pāyeboyar without a public function
PehlivanTurkish Pehlivanacrobat of the court, often brought from Constantinople.
Peschirigi-bașaTurkishservant in charge with giving to the prince the towel for drying himself.
RahtivanTurkishservant in charge with the prince's horse harnesses.
Serdarfrom Turkish sardar, ultimately from Persiancommander of an army.
Ṣeitarcourt buffoon