In the
Middle Ages
In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...
, a ''familiaris'' (plural ''familiares''), more formally a ''familiaris regis'' ("familiar of the king") or ''familiaris curiae''
[In medieval documents, ''curiae'' may also be spelled ''curiæ'' or ''curie''.] ("of the court"), was, in the words of the historian
W. L. Warren, "an intimate, a familiar resident or visitor in the
oyalhousehold, a member of the ''familia'', that wider family which embraces servants, confidents, and close associates." Warren adds that the term "defies adequate translation", but is distinct from
courtier
A courtier () is a person who attends the royal court of a monarch or other royalty. The earliest historical examples of courtiers were part of the retinues of rulers. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the official ...
, "for the king employed his ''familiares'' on a variety of administrative tasks."
The ''familiares'' of a king are collectively referred to as the ''familia regis'', which evolved into a private royal council—in
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
during the reign of
Henry III (1216–72) and in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
during that of
Philip V (1316–22). In England, it was known as the ''concilium familiare'' or ''concilium privatum'' (
Privy Council) and in France as the ''magnum consilium'' (great council, the ''
Conseil du Roi''). The ''familiares regis'' may have already formed an inner royal council in
Sicily
(man) it, Siciliana (woman)
, population_note =
, population_blank1_title =
, population_blank1 =
, demographics_type1 = Ethnicity
, demographics1_footnotes =
, demographi ...
during the reign of
Roger II
Roger II ( it, Ruggero II; 22 December 1095 – 26 February 1154) was King of Sicily and Africa, son of Roger I of Sicily and successor to his brother Simon. He began his rule as Count of Sicily in 1105, became Duke of Apulia and Calabria in ...
(1130–54).
Notes
Sources
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*Bournazel, Eric. ''Le Gouvernement Capétien au XII
e siècle, 1108–1180: Structures sociales et mutations institutionelles''. Paris: 1975.
*
Chalandon, F. ''Histoire de la domination normande en Italie et Sicile''. 2 vols. Paris: 1907.
*
Chibnall, M. "Mercenaries and the ''Familia regis'' under Henry I". ''History'' 62 (1977), 15–23.
*Garufi, C. A. "Sull'ordinamento amministrativo normanno in Sicilia, Exchiquier o diwan? Studi storico diplomatici". ''Archivio storico italiano'', 5th series, 27 (1901), 225–63.
*Green, Judith A. ''The Government of England under Henry I''. Cambridge: 1986.
*
Hollister, C. W. ''The Military Organization of Norman England''. Oxford: 1965.
*Jolliffe, J. E. A. ''Angevin Kingship''. New York: 1955.
*Olivier-Martin, François. ''Histoire du droit français des origines à la Révolution''. 2nd ed. Paris: 1951.
*
Warren, W. L. ''Henry II''. Berkeley: 1973.
*Warren, W. L. ''The Governance of Norman and Angevin England, 1086–1272''. London: 1987.
{{refend
Medieval occupations