What Is: a Seneschal

Every drama has to have its curmudgeon, and it the Arthurian tales that role is almost always filled by King Arthur's loyal but unlikable half-brother Kay.  A skilled knight and loyal, but tending toward bluntness and being a braggart, Kay is foot in mouth, sword in hand.  Despite a tinge of jealousy on Kay's part for Arthur's luck in becoming King, Arthur trusts Kay with one of the most sensitive post in a king's command, that of seneschal. 

A seneschal (Sin-ess-shal), is more of a European term than English.  Plantagenet rulers would've been familiar with the term and appointed seneschals to handle affairs in their Continental domains.  Depending on his post, a seneschal could be a steward, handling household affairs, particularly the administration of servants.  He might also function as a bailiff or marshal, punishing any wrongdoing or criminal conduct in the King's household, or taking command of troops.  In England, those roles were handled by bailiffs, reeves, sheriffs, stewards, marshals and other officials.  However, in Europe, seneschals were often highly-placed royal administrators, functioning as governors and commanders of key outposts and garrisons.  Thus, being named a seneschal was a post of high honor and usually went to a skilled administrator, trusted knight and experienced commander, often a great noble or even a member of the royal family.