Name for a Royal Caretaker?

[ecto_gammat]

I'm working on a story that's a fusion with an old Russian fairy tale my grandmother used to tell me. The story itself is set at an undisclosed time in an undisclosed place (probably 17th or 18th century Europe for argument's sake, but it's not really necessary to the story). My main character is a prince who lost his parents when he was very young

Comments

[beccastareyes]

Regent? Normally, a regent is someone from the nobility (often a relative of the king/queen) that the prince's parents trust to both run the country well and actually turn over the position once the prince comes of age. While s/he is responsible for the prince in a general sense, any parental-type actions beyond 'make sure the prince is cared for and educated' might depends on the regent's personality and relationship with the old king/queen.

[ecto_gammat]

Yes! Regent is definitely the word I could not think of. Thank you!

[melyanna]

I think you're looking at some sort of combination of a regent and a steward.

[ecto_gammat]

That's exactly it! Thank you!

[cat_mcdougall]

I think the word you're looking for is "Regent"? They're the ones that handle the business of running the country/area while the heir is under age.

[ecto_gammat]

Regent is definitely the consensus =)

[lyonesse]

hm. seems to me that a regent stands in place of the ruler, but someone else would probably be the child's caregiver, both being vast jobs.

[sushidog]

Agreed; and the Regency wouldn't be left to a servant (except in the broadest sense); the Regent will be either a trusted minister or someone of the correct bloodline, usually an uncle. If the prince is very young, he'll have a wetnurse/nanny, but he'll probably also have a household staff, consisting, in all probability, of roughly equal parts useful working class servants and fairly useless young/minor members of the nobility on sinecures, to raise him. They won't have any part in ruling the country though.

[profbutters]

And a tutor, who would be well-educated and entrusted with quite a lot.

Also, you may have been thinking of "protector," as in "my Lord Protector," which was Richard's III's title before he usurped the throne.

[sushidog]

I was thinking Richard III too; perhaps not a good model in this case though!

[darker_fae]

I think in the situation you describe two people would be involved.One to rule the kingdom until the child came of age and someone who would have responsibility for the Prince.

The person who ruled the kingdom would be the REGENT they would be a relative such as an uncle.If no family member existed then a high ranking nobleman would take the position handing over eventually to the young Prince.

1. One who rules during the minority, absence, or disability of a monarch.
2. One acting as a ruler or governor.

The person looking after the Prince if no family member were available would be a servant of long standing whose family had served the Prince's for generations and who was totally trusted.This would be the RETAINER (Family Retainer/Old Family Retainer)

a. An employee, typically a long-term employee.
b. A servant or an attendant, especially one in the household of a person of high rank.

The retainer would NOT also be Regent.