ealdorman

An ealdorman, sometimes spelled aldorman, was a senior royal official and noble in Anglo-Saxon England. The term derives from Old English ealdorman, literally “elder man,” and denotes a high-ranking administrator, military leader, and judge who acted on behalf of the king.

Ealdormen typically governed a shire (county) and held authority over administration, taxation, justice, and defense within their territories. They supervised local judges, presided over courts, and could command the king’s armies in regional campaigns. In the royal council known as the Witan, ealdormen were among the leading advisers and often played a central role in implementing royal policy.

The office varied in rank and power; some ealdormen governed large regions, sometimes sharing power with bishops or other nobles. Their authority was delegated by the king and grounded in the obligation to protect and govern in the monarch’s name. They were among the principal agents of royal government and could be powerful regional magnates.

By the late Anglo-Saxon period, the term began to fade as the Norman Conquest introduced the title of earl as the regional governor's equivalent or successor in many areas, and the administrative system was reorganized. In later centuries the word passed into use as alderman, contributing to the development of modern municipal offices and local councils in English-speaking regions.