Marshal

modern French maréchal), which in turn is borrowed from Old Frankish *marhskalk (="stable boy, keeper, servant"), being still evident in Middle Dutch maerscalc, marscal, and in modern Dutch maarschalk (="military chief commander"; the meaning influenced by the French use).

English mare and modern German Mähre, meaning "horse of bad quality") and *skalk- "servant" (cf.

In England during the First Barons' War the title "Marshal of the Army of God and Holy Church" was bestowed upon Robert Fitzwalter by election.

The function of the Marshal of the Court varies according to national tradition, but frequently he is the chief of staff of the monarch's household (meaning the palace and other domains).

Often, the charge includes also the honorary privilege as chief of the protocol to announce formally the arrival of VIP guests at audiences, state dinners, and conferences in the monarch's premises.

The term is also used in more ordinary contexts, such as modern pageantry; for example, the grand marshal of a parade is often an honored guest or dignitary.

In addition to coordinating other ushers in attending guests, the wedding marshal may be a messenger between parties to signal the impending start of the service or communicate delays.

The additional conferring of police powers led to the creation of the "Corps of the Maréchaussée" ("Marshalcy"; the forerunner of the modern Gendarmerie) and to an Ancien Régime Court of Justice called the "Tribunal of the Constable and the Marshals of France" which was competent for judging military personnel and civilians alike in cases of petty violations of the law.

In the present-day Netherlands, the Koninklijke Marechaussee ("Royal Marshalcy") is a national military police force with civilian competences, similar to the French Gendarmerie nationale.

Marshals Service assists with court security and prisoner transport, asset forfeiture, serves arrest warrants and seeks fugitives.

At least one local railroad servicing company's part-time public safety staff, which are both fire and police trained, is supervised by a chief marshal.

Marshals are elected by the trustees to serve a fixed term, and chiefs of police can be fired at will by whoever hired them, just like any other employee.

As of 2010, the marshal of San Benito County has been disbanded as an independent organization, with its employees becoming part of the sheriff's office.

Marshals are elected by the trustees to serve a fixed term, and chiefs of police can be fired at will by whoever hired them, just like any other employee.

In the Atlanta metro counties, marshal's offices enforce evictions, foreclosures, subpoenas, civil forfeitures, judgements, seizure, liens, repossession, and garnishment.

Town marshals are fully sworn state certified police officers though the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy, having law enforcement authority statewide; therefore, it is not at all uncommon for Town Marshals to be seen outside of their bailiwicks assisting other police agencies.

Deputy marshals are fully sworn state law enforcement officers with statewide authority.

However, municipalities (like Fort Worth), that have both a police force as well as a city marshal's office, often utilize the police as the general law enforcement agency of the municipality, while court security and process service is provided by the city marshal's office.

In municipalities that do not have a police department, the city marshal's office sometimes serves as the agency that provides general law enforcement services to residents.

The hereditary title of "marshal" at one time designated the head of household security for the King of England.

[15] The task of maintaining law and order within the king's court then devolved upon the office of Knight Marshal (established in 1236).

[citation needed] In 1595, Queen Elizabeth I issued letters patent giving powers to a marshal to maintain order within the City of London.

As of 2009[update], one city marshal, currently Colonel Billy King-Harman, CBE, still acts as peacekeeper to the Lord Mayor of London, leading processions and representing the Lord Mayor at all Entries of Troops (challenging and then escorting those few regiments entitled to march though the City of London).

Robert de Keith's great-grandson, William, was raised to the peerage as Earl Marischal by James II in about 1458.

The marischal was to serve as custodian of the Royal Regalia of Scotland, and protect the king's person when attending parliament.

A military corps having such duties was first created in 1337, placed under the command of the Constable of France (the Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Armed Forces), and named the Connétablie.

While its existence ensured the relative safety of French rural districts and roads, the Maréchaussée was regarded in contemporary England (which had no effective police force of any nature) as a symbol of foreign tyranny.

In 1789, on the eve of the French Revolution, the Maréchaussée numbered 3,660 men divided into small detachments called brigades.

The title "Marshal of France" is a Dignité d'État ("State Dignity") in the contemporary French Republic, not only a military rank.

The marechaussee formed the only police force in many small cities like Venlo, especially in the southern provinces of Limburg and North Brabant.