Hofmeister (literally "court-master" or "house-master" in German; Latin: Magister, Praefectus curiae) was a historical office in medieval Europe, particularly within the Holy Roman Empire. The Hofmeister was an official who acted as an aide to royalty, a senior nobleman, or a cleric. Later, the term also came to refer to a schoolmaster who looked after the welfare of students in addition to their education.
Roles
In the service of royalty and other magnates
A Hofmeister was one of the highest offices in the courts of German emperors and kings, and also existed in other princely courts and the courts of smaller dynasties. The official's role was initially concerned with the direction of the royal household and serving privately on the monarch's person. In the 15th century, the position evolved into a government office, and in the German princely courts it became equivalent to a privy counsellor or cabinet minister, sometimes comparable to the Master of the Household in the modern British royal court.
In the service of prelates
The title Hofmeister was also given to someone who acted as an adlatus (assistant) to an abbot within a monastery.
In service of education
Later, a Hofmeister could also be a house-tutor responsible for the care of his students beyond their formal education. In some areas, an administrator for a greater good is still known as a Hofmeister when he would otherwise be called a house-tutor.
Theatre
The office gave its name to Der Hofmeister, a tragicomedy by Jakob Michael Reinhold Lenz (1774).
