Card of the Day: The Lord High Constable of England

The ninth card in the 1935 Silver Jubilee Series by Churchman’s Cigarettes shows the Lord High Constable of England. The Lord High Constable is the seventh highest ranking of the Great Officers of State. He ranks beneath the Lord Great Chamberlain and above the Earl Marshal. Today, the holder of this office is only called out for coronations.
Originally the commander of the royal armies and the Master of the Horse, The Lord High Constable was also, along with the Earl Marshal, considered the president of the Court of Chivalry (also known as the Court of Honour). The role was especially important during the feudal era when martial law was administered in the court of the Lord High Constable.

In order to become a Lord High Constable, a man had to be created as such by the Sovereign who granted the constableship as a grand sergeanty with the Earldom of Hereford. Since the time of Henry VIII, the rank has not existed as a separate office with the exception of coronations of a monarch. Today, overall, the Earl Marshal carries out the traditional duties of the office.