Seneschal of the Realm (Swedish: riksdrots; Danish: Rigsdrost; Norwegian: Drottsete; Finnish: Valtakunnandrotsi; other plausible translations are Lord High Steward or Lord High Justiciar) is a Danish and Swedish supreme state official, with at least a connotation to administration of judiciary, who in medieval Scandinavia was often a leader in the government.
The word drots/drost seems to be of German origin (Truchsess) and means a steward or a leader of the household; in Dutch language however, a drost or drossaard was a historical kind of bailiff in parts of the Low Countries.
During the Scandinavian Early Middle Age it developed into an even more powerful political position.
[1] The office seems to have appeared in Denmark in the 13th century and a bit later in Sweden and Norway.
In North Western Germany the word “Landdrost” was used for noble district caretakers until the 19th century.