Majordomo of His Holiness
The Majordomo of His Holiness is the first of the palatine prelates and oversees the Apostolic Palaces.
It was Alexander V (1410) who created the new office of *magister domus*, which he shared with the Master of the Holy Hospice in overseeing the Apostolic Palaces. However, a few years later, Martin V, in order not to leave the papal household in the hands of a layman, established the *praefectus S. Palatii*, separating the governance of the Holy Palace from the Apostolic Chamber. The title of Prefect of the Holy Palace appears in a list of personnel from the year 1460 under Pius II (cf. G. Marini, *Archiatri pontifici*, II, Rome 1825, p. 152).
Later, however, the title of Prefect was changed to that of Majordomo by order of Urban VIII. By a brief of Clement XII dated 3 August 1731, the office was included among the prelates of the *fiocchetto*. The same Pontiff, in the constitution *Apostolatus*, established in perpetuity the office of the Majordomo of His Holiness as "governor of the conclave for the proper conduct of the conclave" and decreed that his jurisdiction and faculties would remain in force even during a sede vacante (cf. G. Moroni, XLI, pp. 247-280).
The Majordomos of His Holiness were always invested with patriarchal or archiepiscopal dignity; upon elevation to the cardinalate, they either relinquished the office or assumed the title of Pro-Majordomo, having a Majordomo at their side. With the restoration under Pius VI, the title of Prefect of the Apostolic Palaces and Majordomo of Our Lord returned (Notizie per l'anno 1818, Rome 1818, p. 187). The duties of the Majordomo gradually became more clearly defined. In addition to overseeing the Apostolic Palaces, where the Majordomo also exercised civil and criminal jurisdiction, extended even to the territory of Castel Gandolfo, he also supervised the Hospice of the Convents, Castel Sant'Angelo, the Florentine Office, the central palatine office, the Master of the Household, the Foriere, the Master of the Horse, the legal office, and the medical corps. He was a kind of governor. His attributions were later more precisely defined by the motu proprio of Gregory XVI, dated 16 December 1832. On 19 November 1848, Pius IX invested the office of Prefect of the Apostolic Palaces in Cardinal Giacomo Antonelli, then Pro-Secretary of State, elevating him to the rank of palatine cardinal. Beside him, he placed a Majordomo with reduced powers. Thus, the Prefecture of the Apostolic Palaces, together with the General Administration of the Property of the Holy See, became a distinct office from the Majordomate and was almost always entrusted to the Cardinal Secretary or Pro-Secretary of State.
Leo XIII, by a double motu proprio dated 11 December 1880, separated the office of Prefect of the Apostolic Palaces from that of Administrator of the Property of the Holy See, creating the Cardinal Commission for the Administration of the Property of the Holy See, and again sanctioned the organic regulations concerning the office of Prefect of the Apostolic Palaces and Majordomo of His Holiness. However, the first title soon disappeared again, later giving way (1906) to an office of Sub-Prefect or Vice-Prefect of the Apostolic Palaces, whose incumbent, Benedict XV, by a brief dated 10 September 1914, elevated to the rank of palatine prelate. But in 1918, he reunited the Prefecture with the Majordomate, appointing his Majordomo as its incumbent.
By a brief dated 16 December 1926, Pius XI suppressed the Prefecture of the Apostolic Palaces and the Majordomate, dividing their attributions between the Master of the Chamber and the General Administration of the Property of the Holy See (v.).
Though still listed in the *Annuario Pontificio*, the attributions of the Majordomo are now combined with those of the Master of the Chamber.