Dijkgraaf
Encyclopedia
A dijkgraaf, dike-warden, or dike-reeve is the chair
of a Dutch
water board
. He is the equivalent of a mayor
in local government and a Queen's Commissioner
in provincial government, chairing both the legislative and executive council, while having both ceremonial and representational roles as well as his own portfolios. The term goes back to pre-medieval days.
Literally the term means "Dike count
", like other titles ending in -graaf (equivalent to English -grave and German -graf
) of feudal origin, but remained a functional official. The government bodies in the Netherlands today in order of rank are 1) National, 2) Provincial, 3) Municipal, and 4) Water boards. In medieval times and earlier however, the water boards were the same as municipal, and since it was a country of duchies, the Water board (Waterschap) was in governmental terms the equivalent of a city (Stad), and thus also the highest form of government.
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
of a Dutch
Politics of the Netherlands
The politics of the Netherlands take place within the framework of a parliamentary representative democracy, a constitutional monarchy and a decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state...
water board
Water board (The Netherlands)
Dutch water boards are regional government bodies charged with managing the water barriers, the waterways, the water levels, water quality and sewage treatment in their respective regions...
. He is the equivalent of a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
in local government and a Queen's Commissioner
Queen's Commissioner
The Queen's Commissioner is the head of a province in the Netherlands, who is chairman of both the Provinciale Staten and the Gedeputeerde Staten , but only has a right to vote in the latter...
in provincial government, chairing both the legislative and executive council, while having both ceremonial and representational roles as well as his own portfolios. The term goes back to pre-medieval days.
Literally the term means "Dike count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
", like other titles ending in -graaf (equivalent to English -grave and German -graf
Graf
Graf is a historical German noble title equal in rank to a count or a British earl...
) of feudal origin, but remained a functional official. The government bodies in the Netherlands today in order of rank are 1) National, 2) Provincial, 3) Municipal, and 4) Water boards. In medieval times and earlier however, the water boards were the same as municipal, and since it was a country of duchies, the Water board (Waterschap) was in governmental terms the equivalent of a city (Stad), and thus also the highest form of government.