Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online

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Forester
(848 words)

In Central Europe, the profession of forester goes back to the early Middle Ages. The master of forests (Latin magister forestariorum) in the medieval royal and seigneurial ban forests was usually a noble vassal with administrative duties and jurisdiction within the forest. In the early modern period, the masters of forests, like the foresters (Latin forestarii) under their direction, were replaced by foresters in the service of the territorial sovereign. As a rule, these foresters were responsible to the demesne and treasury. Their office was often hereditary. The master…

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Selter, Bernward, “Forester”, in: Encyclopedia of Early Modern History Online, Editors of the English edition: Graeme Dunphy, Andrew Gow. Original German Edition: Enzyklopädie der Neuzeit. Im Auftrag des Kulturwissenschaftlichen Instituts (Essen) und in Verbindung mit den Fachherausgebern herausgegeben von Friedrich Jaeger. Copyright © J.B. Metzlersche Verlagsbuchhandlung und Carl Ernst Poeschel Verlag GmbH 2005–2012. Consulted online on 19 March 2024 <http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/2352-0272_emho_SIM_019330>
First published online: 2015
First print edition: 20180126



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