Vilain and Vilain XIIII (pronounced Vilain-Quatorze [vilɛ̃ katɔʁz] , sometimes written with the more standard Roman numerals Vilain XIV ) is a Belgian noble family. Their coat of arms is basically "Sable, on a chief argent a label of the field" ( French : De sable, au chef d'argent chargé d'un lambel du champ ), a colour scheme that is present from the earliest Vilains in the 15th century, and is also seen in the Vilain XIIII arms, which have the "XIIII" added to it.
22-619: They were descendants of the important medieval family of Vilain in Ghent; the name "Vilain XIIII" probably comes from the coat of arms of Philippe de Liedekercke , chamberlain of emperor Charles V, who had 16 quarters in his coat, the fourteenth (bottom row, second from the left) of which was the coat of Vilain. The three main branches of the family were the Princes of Issenghien (the De Gand, dite Vilain branch),
44-430: A royal household . Historically, the chamberlain superintends the arrangement of domestic affairs and was often also charged with receiving and paying out money kept in the royal chamber. The position was usually awarded as an honour to a high-ranking member of the nobility (nobleman) or the clergy , often a royal favourite . Roman emperors appointed this officer under the title of cubicularius . The Chamberlain of
66-524: Is (according to Frans van Kalken). The intention was probably to distinguish two branches of the family – according to Piet Lenders, between a younger and an older branch of the Vilains. Van Kalken says that the 'XIIII' goes back to a certain Josse Vilain, a bastard son of Philippe Vilain, when his natural father gave him 14 acres of land. The suffix thus distinguished the illegitimate from the legitimate branch of
88-512: Is kept in the Vanden Steen family for many generations afterwards, and adds many other titles as well By 1369, this was no longer in the hands of the Vilain family But: At one time, the Vilain family was Lords of Doel Chamberlain (office) A chamberlain ( Medieval Latin : cambellanus or cambrerius , with charge of treasury camerarius ) is a senior royal official in charge of managing
110-402: Is the residence and administrative headquarters in ancient and post-classical monarchies , and papal household for popes , and formed the basis for the general government of the country as well as providing for the needs of the sovereign and their relations. It was the core of the royal court , though this included many courtiers who were not directly employed by the monarch as part of
132-585: The Catholic parties, or the Liberal parties. The first known generations were politicians (often bailiff or mayor) in Geraardsbergen and Aalst ; the family also owned the county of Wetteren until 1796, and the city coat of arms still bears the XIIII of the family. The family name is pronounced vilain quatorze , and written 'XIIII' and not, in the conventional style, 'XIV'. There are various theories as to why this
154-570: The Counts of Aalst (the Vilain XIIII branch), and the Counts of Guines (originally also De Gand dite Vilain, later Vander Steene). One branch lived at the Chateau of Leut (or Leuth) from 1822 until 1922, when the last of 7 daughters of Vicomte Charles Vilain XIIII died. The oldest mentions of "Villain XIIII" date back to the 16th century, but its origin is unknown. Politically, they were usually part of either
176-513: The Holy Roman Church enjoys very extensive powers, having the revenues of the papal household under his charge. As a sign of their dignity, chamberlains bore a key, which in the seventeenth century was often silvered, and actually fitted the door-locks of chamber rooms. Since the eighteenth century, it has turned into a merely symbolic, albeit splendid, rank -insignia of gilded bronze. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with
198-566: The Medieval Latin cambellanus, camerlingus, camerlengus ; Italian camerlingo ; Spanish camerlengo , compounded of Old High German Chamara, Kamara [Latin camera , "chamber"], and the German suffix -ling . Some of the principal posts known by this name: Around the year of 2012, The Grand Chamberlain of The Council, Alauddin bin Abu Bakar, on emergency broadcast had announced the divorce between
220-558: The Sultan and his third wife. [1] June 7, 2015. The Grand Chamberlain of Brunei announced the newborn prince of Deputy Sultan, Crown Prince of Brunei . Ober-Kammerherr or Kammerherr ( Russian : обер-камергер or камергер ). Historically, postelnichiy (постельничий) was the ceremonial post at the court of a Grand Duke . Later, in 1772, at the court of the Tsar the German term Kammerherr
242-457: The Vilain family; including A less well-known branch of the family, with members: This is supposedly the first title of the Vilain family, with origins lost in time (or alternatively given to the family at the time of Zegher I, Castellan of Ghent). Omitting the earlier, less certain bearers of the title, we have; In 1414, a Daniel Vilain was owner of seignory Welle in the Land of Beveren. The title
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#1733093655200264-426: The earliest (no date, later than 1424) of these we find is Jean Vilain, lord of Sint-Jans-Steene, who married Marguerite de Grave dite de Liedekerke; their son Adrien Vilain was Lord of Sint-Jans-Steene and Baron of Assenede and married Jossine van Praet. Other sources already give this branch the "De Gand, dite Vilain" name, naming Adrien as Lord of St-Jans-Steene, Rassenghien, Liedekercke, Leeuwe (or Leeuw), Lombeke; he
286-407: The family. Old sources claim an origin for the family going back to the time of Emperor Otto I. Whether there is any basis for this or whether this is a mystification is unclear. The origin and tree given there are as follows (always from father to son): Branch of Hugues II, son of Hugues (from the same non-trustworthy old sources): Without the XIIII, there was a family "Vilain de Gand": Perhaps
308-656: The household of the sovereign. Historically, many institutions and governments – monasteries, cathedrals and cities – also had the post of chamberlain, who usually had charge of finances. The Finance Director of the City of London is still called the Chamberlain, while New York City had a chamberlain who managed city accounts until the early 20th century. From the Old French chamberlain, chamberlenc , Modern French chambellan , from Old High German Chamarling, Chamarlinc , whence also
330-421: The household, often by appointing them as valet de chambre or the local equivalent. Among many of these households there are certain great offices which have become, in course of time, merely hereditary . In most cases, as the name of the office would suggest, they were held by those who discharged personal functions about the sovereign. Gradually, in ways or for reasons which might vary in each individual case,
352-409: The household. There were often large numbers of employees in the household, strictly differentiated by rank, from nobles with highly sought-after positions that gave close access to the monarch, to all the usual servants such as cooks, footmen , and maids. The households typically included military forces providing security. Specialists such as artists, clock-makers and poets might be given a place in
374-566: The office alone survived, the duties either ceasing to be necessary or being transferred to officers of less exalted station. In the modern period , royal households have evolved into entities which are variously differentiated from national governments . Most modern households have become merely titular . In Japan, the Imperial Household Agency (宮内庁, Kunaichō) is the agency within the Government of Japan responsible for supporting
396-451: The origin of the Vilain XIIII name above); around 1570, we find Jacqueline Vilain de Liedekercke, married to Philippe van Royen, knight, Lord of Gyseghem (Gijzegem); their daughter Marie van Royen (died 1595) married Philippe Triest, lord of Auweghem, mayor of Ghent ("premier echevin" of the Keure of Ghent), member of the very important Triest family of Ghent. This seems to be a very old branch of
418-450: The quarter of Gand-Vilain in their weapon, but dropped the name. In 1466, we find in Ghent the death of a Joosyne Vilain, wife of Jacobs van Raveschoot, already with the armories of Vilain (and Raveschoot). The Van Raveschoots were a family of the Borluuts, so amongst the high nobility of Ghent. An older branch (or older name of the same family?) is Vilain de Liedekercke (or Liedekerke; see
440-600: The royal court. The chamberlains are not employed by the court but serve during ceremonial occasions such as state visits, audiences, and official dinners. In Thailand the head of the Bureau of the Royal Household is titled the Lord Chamberlain (เลขาธิการพระราชวัง). He has several Grand Chamberlains as his deputy, usually in charge of a specific portfolio. Royal household A royal household or imperial household
462-446: Was a Counsellor and Chamberlain of Duke Jean I of Bourgogne. He died in 1449. Martin de Gand-Vilain is his son. Other sources list Jean de Gand dit Vilain, died 8 July 1449, Lord of Huisse/Huise/Huyse, Pamel, Leeberghe (Ledeberg), Borcht (Burcht) and Zwijndrecht, married to Goenele Raes; father of Jean de Gand dit Vilain (married Marguerite Gruuthuse) and Christophe de Gand dit Vilain (married Jeanne de Lannoy) The family Vanden Steen kept
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#1733093655200484-648: Was introduced. The Ober-Kammerherr was responsible for the audiences granted to members of the Royal Family . Since the beginning of the 18th century, the Ober-Kammerherr was the most senior appointed official of the Russian Imperial Court associated with the household of the sovereign. The most notable figures were: In Sweden there are ten serving chamberlains ( Swedish : kammarherrar ) and four serving cabinet chamberlains (kabinettskammarherrar) at
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