Arch-Treasurer



An Arch-Treasurer (Erzschatzmeister, Archithesaurarius) is a chief treasurer, specifically the great treasurer of the Holy Roman Empire. The title of Arch-Treasurer was only ceremonially significant, as it was only used in the coronation of Emperors.

History
During the 30 Years' War, Frederick V, Elector Palatine, lost his electorate and title of Arch-Steward in February 1623 to Maximilian I, Elector of Bavaria. The electorate and Arch-Stewardship was given to Bavaria by the emperor Ferdinand II. After the war, a new electoral position was given to Frederick's son, Charles, and the office of Arch-Treasurer was created for him in 1652.

In 1706, the Bavarian elector was banned, so the palatine elector returned to the office of Arch-Steward while the office of Arch-Treasurer was transferred to the Elector of Hanover in 1710. The Bavarian elector was reinstated in 1714, so the Bavarian, Palatine and Hanoverian electors' offices changed to Arch-Steward, Arch-Treasurer and Arch-Bannerbearer, respectively, but the House of Hanover kept using the shield of the Arch-treasurership anyway (see Royal coat of arms of Great Britain).

The Hanoverian elector returned to the Arch-Treasurer office in 1777, when the Palatine branch of the House of Wittelsbach inherited Bavaria and the Arch-Steward office. They retained their offices until the end of the empire in 1806.