In the Middle Ages, the warden was responsible for protecting and defending a castle or fortress.
The closest etymological antecedent of the term alcaide is found in the Hispanic Arabic alqáyid . This word , in turn, derives from the classical Arabic qā»id , which refers to someone who leads a troop .
The concept of warden varies according to the context. In the past, especially until the last stretch of the Middle Ages , this is what the person most responsible for the defense and protection of a fortress or castle was called.
The medieval warden
Although the specific functions of the warden were associated with his jurisdiction , at a general level it can be said that he was the military leader of the fortification . At times, however, he also had political or civil responsibilities of different kinds.
These wardens governed spaces that, due to their characteristics, required particular administration and very careful surveillance. Access to this position was decided by the king, who gave the wardens the task of guarding and organizing these types of sites.
In this framework, the warden directed the troops that assumed defensive tasks. It is important to indicate that the work of these people used to extend to the territories surrounding the site.
The notion after the Middle Ages
After the Middle Ages, someone who assumed the management and maintenance of a royal site began to be called warden. In this sense, the warden could be the head of a palace .
In this way, the warden took care of the furniture, ornaments and the rest of the objects of the palace complex; kept the keys; kept a record of servants and workers; and distributed the rooms for those who worked in the building, for example .
Warden of the maidens
It is important to refer to a hereditary and honorific position that, between the middle of the 14th century and the final stretch of the 17th century , existed in the Crown of Castile : the alcaide de los donceles . As the name itself indicates, their tasks were linked to the leadership of the maidens, who were the young men of the nobility who had not yet been ordained as knights.
The maidens were at the monarch's service permanently, even when there was no war . The warden, then, was in charge of the troop made up of young men and was even dedicated to the military training of these boys.
The warden is the authority in charge of guaranteeing security in a prison.
The concept today
With the passage of time , the idea of warden acquired another use that remains today. Today, a warden is an individual who is in charge of a prison .
The warden is the official whose mission is to guarantee security in a prison. Its main activity is based on the supervision of the various measures and actions that allow inmates to be kept under control.
The wardens lead the inspections of the cells, ensuring that the detainees do not have weapons or illegal substances. In addition, they are involved in tasks aimed at the social reintegration and reeducation of prisoners, with which they have to manage resources and facilities such as recreation points and libraries .