Quoting Gordon Barlow <barlow@candw.ky>: > > constable - 1. "The chief officer of the household, court, > administration, or > > military forces of a ruler." > > > > No mention of horses, stables etc. except that constable originally comes > from > > the Latin "comes stabuli" count or officer of the stable, but the meaning > had > > changed to the one given above before the word was adopted into English > from > > the French. > > Liz > > "Officer of the stable" sounds a pretty menial job at first hearing, but I > suppose it would have been the cultural equivalent of Minister of Transport > for a regional ruler. Is that likely? > > Gordon Barlow > Hi Gordon, That may have been the case originally for a constable, but not with regard to a staller. A staller was originally an officer of the Norwegian court, in the 10th century. The staller to Edward the confessor, according to the OED, was more like a field-marshall, of chief administrator, the King's right-hand man. A very high appointment, hardly menial and not an "officer of the stable"! Liz

>> > Liz >> >> "Officer of the stable" sounds a pretty menial job at first hearing, but I >> suppose it would have been the cultural equivalent of Minister of Transport >> for a regional ruler. Is that likely? >> >> Gordon Barlow >> >Hi Gordon, > >That may have been the case originally for a constable, but not with regard to a >staller. A staller was originally an officer of the Norwegian court, in the >10th century. > >The staller to Edward the confessor, according to the OED, was more like a >field-marshall, of chief administrator, the King's right-hand man. Not really in the job description - the development of the office is as indicated, and Gordon's suggestion of Minister of Transport sounds about right. Asgar had personal qualities which took him higher than the position of influence which another in his position might have attained. Robert, Earl of Leicester, was Master of the Horse to Queen Elizabeth - which in no way limited his influence over the lady. -- Eve McLaughlin Author of the McLaughlin Guides for family historians Secretary Bucks Genealogical Society