confessor, royal

Priest who heard the king's confession in medieval Christian countries. First evident among 8th-century Franks, when confessors were usually important bishops or abbots not resident at court, by the 13th century royal confessors were regular members of Europe's royal households, but were generally of lesser rank. They were often chosen from the Dominican order.

Apart from their duties of hearing the king's confession, assigning penance, and granting absolution, confessors were commonly employed as administrators and diplomats, where the international connections of their order proved useful. They were in a position to influence policy, and many became important prelates and sometimes cardinals. Royal confessors also existed in the Byzantine Empire, when they were known as pater pneumatikos.