Rosemont Bailiff of Meierij

Godeschalk Roesmont lived in Maurick castle and was the Bailiff of Meierij. There are four generations of Roesmonts who take the name Godschalk.

Jon Presco

A bailiff (from Late Latin baiulivus, adjectival form of baiulus) is a governor or custodian (cf. bail); a legal officer to whom some degree of authority, care or jurisdiction is committed. Bailiffs are of various kinds and their offices and duties vary greatly.

The rank of bailiff was used in Flanders, Holland, Hainault, Zealand and in the north of France. The bailiff was a civil servant who represented the ruler in town and country. In Flanders the count usually appointed the bailiff and in France the king. The position originated in France when Philip II Augustus installed the first bailiff. In the northern parts of continental Europe this position was known as “baljuw” a direct derivative of the French word “bailli” but other words were…