The first thing to do, before knowing the meaning of the term chancellor, is to discover its etymological origin. In this case we can see that it is a word of French origin, as it derives from “chancelier”. This was the name by which the person who was in charge of guarding what was the seal of the crown was known.
However, we must know that this Gallic term derives, in turn, from the Latin, “cancellarius”, which can be translated as “the one who cancels.”
According to DigoPaul, the notion of chancellor refers to an authority that, according to the country, fulfills different functions. A chancellor can be from the president of the nation to the minister of Foreign Affairs, through the person in charge of an educational establishment and the secretary of a diocese.
At a general level, therefore, it can be said that a chancellor is an official who occupies a position of great importance. In some parliamentary systems, the chancellor is the head of government.
In the case of Germany, for example, the chancellor is appointed by the president from a vote that takes place in the Federal Parliament (the Bundestag). The German Chancellor has a four-year term, although he can be re-elected without limitations.
In many Latin American countries the foreign minister is called chancellor. This is the official who is in charge of State diplomacy and the management of ties with the rest of the nations. As with other ministers and with the secretaries of a government, their choice rests with the president.
Throughout history there have been numerous foreign ministers and all, in one way or another, have left their mark. However, one of the most relevant was the Prussian Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, popularly known as “the Iron Chancellor.” This pseudonym was intended to show the determination, courage and firmness that he had and presented when it came to achieving each and every one of the objectives that had been set.
If he has become a historically relevant figure, it is because he is responsible for German unification. Hence, he can establish that he became a fundamental person in the political frameworks of the nineteenth century in Europe.
He belonged to a noble family and bequeathed illustrious phrases such as “a great man is known by three signs: generosity in design, humanity in execution and moderation in success”
The idea of chancellor also appears in the field of education. Catholic universities have a great chancellor, who is the most important authority of the establishment at the ecclesiastical and formal level. The academic manager, on the other hand, is the rector.
Continuing with Catholicism, a chancellor can be a deacon or a priest whose function is to file the minutes of a diocese. It also fulfills the role of notary, having the power to certify documents and perform various administrative tasks.
