Buzási Enikő szerk.: In Europe' Princely Courts, Ádám Mányoki, Actors and venues of a portraitist's career (A Magyar Nemzeti Galéria kiadványai 2003/1)
János Kalmár: POWER AND THE PRINCELY COURT IN EARLY 18th-CENTURY EUROPE
Ceremonial procession of Emperor Charles VI and his household into Graz in 1728 to receive homage as the prince of Styria from the vassal orders. Engraving Vienna, Osterreichische Nationalbibliothek Burgundy was felt in the further evolution of the (Habsburg) imperial court offices. In Burgundy, the grand steward (grand maître d'hôtel) stood at the top of the entire hierarchy. The senior offices following in rank were the grand chamberlain, grand cup-bearer, and grand master of the horse (grand écuyer), who from then on performed the role of the court marshal. 50 Functionaries in the royal household From the end of the 15 th century, the head functionary in the Habsburg court was also the (imperial) grand steward (Obersthofmeister), who likewise oversaw the entire household. Directly beneath him was the steward in charge of the kitchen and food supplies, the chamberlain in charge of plates, platters and dishware, the court pastor and the chaplain. The grand steward also supervised the activities of the bodyguards and guardsmen, the royal orchestra, library, historians, architects, landscapers, members of the court theatrical troupe (including poets, composers, musicians, singers, dancers, and stagehands), the various craftsmen (gilders, silver- and goldsmiths, lapidaries, and painters), and also the court doctors, apothecaries, orderlies, and barbers. In addition to running the household, the grand steward had to perform entertainment and ceremonial functions: on festive occasions, he had to appear in public in the ruler's entourage. As the highestranking dignitary, he had to receive foreign princes in the ruler's name. 51 The grand chamberlain (Oberstkämmerer) always remained near to the ruler. His task was to see to his intellectual and physical needs. According to a German lawbook of the court, the grand chamberlain had free access to the ruler at times when even his own family members were not permitted to disturb him. 52 Clearly the holder of this office was a particular favourite. The grand chamberlain escorted high-ranking guests to see the ruler, and those wishing an audience with the ruler applied to him, as it was his decision who should be granted such a favour and when. He was aware of all the news and intrigues of the court, for it was one of the tasks of the footmen (Kammerdiener) under his charge to pass on all the information they came across. While the chamberlains (Kammerherr) played a role in royal display, it was the footmen who were at the direct service of the ruler. The ruler's doctors, orderlies, and apothecaries, his doormen, quartermasters, dressers, lackeys, and court jesters were all supervised by the grand chamberlain's office. The grand chamberlain also oversaw the superintendents of the various court collections, and the painters, jewellers, seal cutters, sculptors and tailors working on court commissions. 53 The head of the medieval royal household had been the court marshal, who commanded the army during wartime and performed the most essential organisational duties during the migration of the court. But with the nobility no longer playing a role in the military and with the court settled in one location, the marshal had to relinquish many of these important tasks. In 1683 his previous jurisdiction in court judicial matters was largely taken over by the Austrian Court Chancellor. Thus, the office of court marshal had clearly lost its former significance. Nevertheless, as quartermaster, the marshal was the first to come in contact with the guests of the court. In this capacity, he had the important task of receiving ambassadors and other persons of rank according to protocol. He greeted important dignitaries at the gates to the city and escorted them to their quarters in a formal procession. 54 The fourth high office was the master of the horse (Ob er Stallmeister) . He was in charge of the riding school, the armoury, and the carriage house. He also saw to the horses' oat supply, and oversaw the activities of the
