A chancellor can assume different functions.
A chancellor is an authority who, depending on the country, fulfills different functions. A chancellor can range from the president of the nation to the minister of Foreign Affairs , including the person in charge of an educational establishment and the secretary of a diocese.
The first thing to do, before moving forward with the meaning of the term, is to discover its etymological origin. In this case we can see that it is a word of French origin, since it derives from chancelier . This was the name by which the person in charge of guarding the crown seal was known.
However, you must know that this Gallic term derives, in turn, from the Latin cancellarius , which can be translated as "he who cancels."
Duties of the chancellor
At a general level, therefore, it can be said that a chancellor is an official who holds 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 based on 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 Minister of Foreign Affairs is called chancellor. This is the official in charge of State diplomacy and the management of links with the rest of the nations. As with other ministers and secretaries of a government, their choice falls to the president.
Otto von Bismarck was a renowned German chancellor.
The figure of Otto von Bismarck
Throughout history there have been numerous chancellors 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.” With this pseudonym the aim was to make clear the determination, courage and firmness he had when it came to achieving all the objectives he had set for himself.
If he has become a historically relevant figure, it is above all because he was largely responsible for German unification. Hence it can be established that he became a fundamental character in the political networks of the 19th century in Europe .
Bismarck 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.”
Chancellor of education
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 person in charge, on the other hand, is the rector .
Continuing with Catholicism, a chancellor can be a deacon or a priest whose role is to archive the records of a diocese. It also fulfills the role of notary , having the power to certify documents and perform various administrative tasks.