Familiaris


In the Middle Ages, a familiaris, more formally a familiaris regis or familiaris curiae, was, in the words of the historian W. L. Warren, "an intimate, a familiar resident or visitor in the household, a member of the familia, that wider family which embraces servants, confidents, and close associates." Warren adds that the term "defies adequate translation", but is distinct from courtier, "for the king employed his familiares on a variety of administrative tasks."
The familiares of a king are collectively referred to as the familia regis, which evolved into a private royal council—in England during the reign of Henry III and in France during that of Philip V. In England, it was known as the concilium familiare or concilium privatum and in France as the magnum consilium. The familiares regis may have already formed an inner royal council in Sicily during the reign of Roger II.