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{{Short description|Governmental office}}
{{About|the governmental official title}}
{{Redirect2|Grand chancellor|The Chancellor||Grand Chancellor (disambiguation){{!}}Grand Chancellor|and|The Chancellor (disambiguation)}}
{{Executive}}

'''Chancellor''' ({{langx|la|cancellarius}}) is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the {{lang|la|cancellarii}} of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the {{lang|la|[[cancelli]]}} (lattice work screens) of a [[basilica]] (court hall), which separated the judge and counsel from the audience. A chancellor's office is called a '''chancellery''' or '''chancery'''. The word is now used in the titles of many various officers in various settings (government, education, [[religion]]). Nowadays the term is most often used to describe:
*The head of the government
*A person in charge of foreign affairs
*A person with duties related to justice
*A person in charge of financial and economic issues
*The head of a university

==Governmental positions==
===Head of government===
====Austria====
The [[Chancellor of Austria]] (''{{lang|de|Bundeskanzler}}''), is the head of the Government of Austria. Since 2025, the Chancellor of Austria is [[Christian Stocker]].<ref> Official list of Austrian chancellors since 1945 https://www.bundeskanzleramt.gv.at/bundeskanzleramt/geschichte/kanzler-seit-1945.html ; retrieved April 23rd, 2025</ref>

====Germany====

The [[Chancellor of Germany]] (''{{lang|de|Bundeskanzler}}'') is the [[head of government]] in Germany. In [[Politics of Germany|German politics]], the ''{{lang|de|Bundeskanzler}}'' is equivalent to a [[prime minister]] and is elected by the ''{{lang|de|[[Bundestag]]}}'' ("Federal Diet", the directly elected federal parliament) every four years on the beginning of the electoral period after general elections. Between general elections, the Chancellor (together with the whole cabinet) can only be removed from office by a ''{{lang|de|konstruktives Misstrauensvotum}}'' ([[constructive vote of no confidence]]), which consists of the ''Bundestag'' electing a successor.<ref>Grundgesetz der Bundesrepublik Deutschland</ref>

Since 2025, the Chancellor of Germany is [[Friedrich Merz]] of the [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany]] (CDU).

The former [[German Empire]], the [[Weimar Republic]] and [[Nazi Germany]] had the equivalent position of ''{{lang|de|Reichskanzler}}'' as the head of the executive. Between 1871 and 1918, the Chancellor was appointed by the [[German Emperor]]. During the [[Weimar Republic]] (1919-1933), the Chancellor was chosen by the [[President of Germany (1919–1945)|President]] and stood under his authority. This continued (formally) during the first year of the Nazi regime until the death of President Paul von Hindenburg in 1934. Between 1934 and 1945, [[Adolf Hitler]] combined the roles of head of state, head of government and leader of the ruling party, being officially titled "''{{lang|de|Führer und Reichskanzler}}''" (literally "Leader and Chancellor").

====Switzerland====
=====Swiss Confederation=====
In [[Switzerland]], the [[Chancellor of Switzerland|Chancellor]] ({{langx|de|links=no|Bundeskanzler}}, {{langx|fr|links=no|Chancelier fédéral}}, {{langx|it|links=no|Cancelliere della Confederazione}}) is not the political head of government, but rather its chief administrator as the Chief of Staff of the Swiss Federal Government. He is elected by the Swiss [[Federal Assembly (Switzerland)|Federal Assembly]] ({{langx|de|links=no|Bundesversammlung}}, {{langx|fr|links=no|Assemblée fédérale}}, {{langx|it|links=no|Assemblea federale}}) to head the Federal Chancellery ({{langx|de|links=no|Bundeskanzlei}}) — the general staff of the seven-member executive [[Federal Council of Switzerland|Federal Council]], the Swiss federal government. The Chancellor participates in the meetings of the seven Federal Councilors with a consultative vote and prepares the reports on policy and activities of the council to parliament (assembly). The chancellery is responsible for the publication of all federal laws.

=====Swiss cantons=====
In most Swiss cantons there is a State Chancellor who heads the central administrative unit of the cantonal government.<ref>See German Wikipedia article [[:de:Staatskanzlei|Staatskanzlei]]</ref> In the [[Canton of Geneva]], the first documents attesting to the existence of a Chancellor go back to the 12th century. In the 16th century the Chancery is officially described as the permanent secretariat of the executive and legislature. The first of these functions still constitutes an important part of its activities in Geneva and other cantons.<ref>Web site of Geneva Chancellery 
 www.ge.ch/chancellerie/services-cha.asp retrieved March 2018.</ref> In the [[canton of Bern]], the Chancellor is elected by the Grand Council (i.e. Parliament) and has the task of supporting the Grand Council and the Executive Council in carrying out their tasks. The Chancellor directs the staff of the Executive Council, supports the President of the Government and the Executive Council in the performance of their duties, and usually participates as an advisor to the President of the Grand Council in Grand Council sessions.<ref>Web site of the Bern Chancellery (French version)  www.rr.be.ch/rr/fr/index/der_regierungsrat/der_regierungsrat/staatsschreiber.html</ref>

===Foreign minister and diplomatic official===
In most countries of [[Latin America]], the equivalents to "chancellor" (''Canciller'' in [[Spanish language|Spanish]] and ''Chanceler'' in [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]]) are commonly used to refer to the post of [[foreign minister]]. It is often used as a synonym to the full titles of the [[minister of foreign affairs|ministers of foreign affairs]]. Likewise, the ministry of foreign affairs in Spanish-speaking countries in the Americas is referred to as the ''Cancillería'' or in Portuguese-speaking Brazil as ''Chancelaria''. However, in Spain the term ''canciller'' refers to a [[civil servant]] in the Spanish [[diplomatic service]] responsible for technical issues relating to foreign affairs. As to the German foreign service, the term ''Kanzler'' (chancellor) refers to the administrative head of a diplomatic mission.

===Functions related to justice and the law===
====Finland====
In Finland the [[Chancellor of Justice of Finland|Chancellor of Justice]] (''{{lang|fi|Oikeuskansleri}}'', ''{{lang|sv|Justitiekanslern}}'') supervises the legality of actions taken by the [[Government of Finland|government]] and monitors the implementation of basic civil liberties. In this special function the chancellor also sits in the Finnish [[Cabinet (government)|Cabinet]], the [[Finnish Council of State]].

====Sweden====
In Sweden the [[Chancellor of Justice]] or ''{{lang|sv|Justitiekanslern}}'' acts as the [[Solicitor|Solicitor General]] for the [[Government of Sweden|Swedish Government]]. The office was introduced by [[Charles XII of Sweden]] in 1713. Historically there was also a [[Lord High Chancellor of Sweden|Lord High Chancellor]] or ''{{lang|sv|Rikskansler}}'' as the most senior member of the [[Privy Council of Sweden]]. There is in addition to this a University Chancellor or ''{{lang|sv|Universitetskansler}}'', who leads the National Agency for [[List of colleges and universities in Sweden|Higher Education]].

====United Kingdom====
In the legal system of the United Kingdom, the term can refer to these officials:

*[[Chancellor of the Exchequer]], the [[finance minister]]. As one of the [[Great Offices of State|Great Officers of State]], the Chancellor is generally seen as second only to the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]] in political potency. The title dates back to the [[England|Kingdom of England]]. When the term ''chancellor'' is used in British politics, it almost always refers to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. As ''Second Lord of the Treasury'', the Chancellor has an official residence at 11 [[Downing Street]], next door to the ''First Lord of the Treasury'', the [[Prime Minister of the United Kingdom|Prime Minister]], at 10 Downing Street, in London.

*The [[Lord Chancellor]] (''Lord High Chancellor'', ''King's Chancellor'') is one of the oldest offices of state, dating back to the [[Kingdom of England]], and older than [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|Parliament]] itself. Theoretically, the Lord Chancellor is the ''Chancellor of Great Britain.'' A former office of "Chancellor of Ireland" was abolished in 1922, when all but [[Northern Ireland]] left the United Kingdom. The Lord Chancellor is the ceremonially second-highest-ranking non-royal subject in [[Order of precedence in the United Kingdom|precedence]] (after the [[Archbishop of Canterbury]]). In addition to the now primarily ceremonial duties as Chancellor, the office is now invariably held by the [[Secretary of State for Justice]], who is the political head of the [[Ministry of Justice (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Justice]]. Previously, the Chancellor also held the roles of:
**Head of the English, but not Scottish, judiciary. In previous centuries, the Lord Chancellor was the sole judge in the '''[[Court of Chancery]]'''; when, in 1873, that court was combined with others to form the [[High Court of England and Wales|High Court]], the Lord Chancellor became the nominal head of the Chancery Division. The Lord Chancellor was permitted to participate in judicial sittings of the House of Lords; he also chose the committees that heard appeals in the Lords.  The ''de facto'' head of the Chancery Division was the Vice-Chancellor, and the role of choosing appellate committees was in practice fulfilled by the [[Senior Lord of Appeal in Ordinary]].
**Speaker of the [[House of Lords]]. These duties are now undertaken by the [[Lord Speaker]]. [[Jack Straw]] was the first Lord Chancellor to be a member of the House of Commons, rather than the House of Lords or its predecessor, the Curia Regis, since [[Christopher Hatton|Sir Christopher Hatton]] in 1578.<ref>{{cite EB1911 |wstitle=Hatton, Sir Christopher |volume=13 |page=63 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/speech030309a.htm |title=Constitutional continuity: Jack Straw speech at the London School of Economics |date=3 March 2009 |access-date=5 March 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090313034740/http://www.justice.gov.uk/news/speech030309a.htm |archive-date=13 March 2009 }}</ref>
*The [[Chancellor of the High Court]] is the head of the [[Chancery Division]] of the High Court of Justice.  Before 2005, the judge occupying this position was known as the Vice-Chancellor, the Lord Chancellor being the nominal head of the Division.

* In a [[county palatine]] or [[liberty (division)|liberty]], where a local lord exercised personal jurisdiction that elsewhere was reserved to [[the Crown]], the head of the lord's administration was often titled "chancellor". {{anchor|Temporal chancellor}}<!-- [[temporal chancellor]] redirects here-->Where the lord was a bishop (as with the [[Bishop of Ely]] in [[Isle of Ely]] or the [[Archbishop of York]] in [[Hexhamshire]]) then this officer was called the '''temporal chancellor''' to  distinguish him from the bishop's [[Chancellor (ecclesiastical)|ecclesiastical chancellor]]. While palatine and liberty jurisdictions are practically obsolete, the ceremonial title chancellor remains in use:
**[[Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster]]: in effect, as the [[sinecure]] position of a [[minister without portfolio]], often given to senior politicians so they have a seat in the [[Cabinet (government)|cabinet]].
**[[Chancellor of Cornwall]], Keeper of the Great Seal, second only to the [[Lord Warden of the Stannaries]] within the [[Duchy of Cornwall]].

====Some states in the United States====
Some [[U.S. state]]s, like [[Delaware Court of Chancery|Delaware]], [[Tennessee Chancery and Probate Courts|Tennessee]], and [[Mississippi Chancery Courts|Mississippi]], still maintain a separate [[Court of equity|Court of Chancery]] with jurisdiction over [[Equity (law)|equity]] cases. Judges who sit on those courts are called chancellors.
<!-- Is this relevant? Among the states that once had the judicial office of chancellor, but have now abolished it, is [[New York Court of Chancery|New York State]]. In 1789, after [[George Washington]] had been elected the first President of the United States, he traveled to the temporary national capital, New York City, to be sworn in to office. By tradition, the presidential oath is administered by the [[Chief Justice of the United States]] except in cases of emergency. Of course, at the time Washington took office there was no chief justice or any other federal judges, as there was not yet a president to appoint them. Therefore, the oath of office was administered to Washington by the highest-ranking judge available, [[Robert Livingston (1746-1813)|Robert Livingston]], the chancellor of New York State.-->

===Other governmental positions===
====Denmark====
In Denmark, the office of chancellor (or royal chancellor) seems to have appeared in the 12th century, and until 1660 it was the title of the leader of the state administration (a kind of a "Home Office" but often with foreign political duties). Often he appeared to be the real leader of the government. From 1660 until 1848, the title continued as "Grand Chancellor" or "President of the Danish Chancellery", and was replaced in 1730 by the title "Minister of Domestic Affairs".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/Denmark.html|title=Denmark|work=World Statesmen.org}}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=Source is an online encyclopedia, i.e. a tertiary source. As a self-published source it may also fail verifiability criteria (see WP:SPS)|date=March 2016}}

====Estonia====
In Estonia, a Chancellor (''{{lang|et|Kantsler}}'') directs the work of a [[ministry (collective executive)|ministry]] and coordinates institutions subject to the ministry, comparably to a [[Permanent secretary|Permanent Secretary]] in Great Britain. A ministry can also have one or several Vice-Chancellors (''Asekantsler''), who fulfill the duties of the Chancellor, when they are absent.<ref>[http://www.riigiteataja.ee/ert/act.jsp?id=28463 VABARIIGI VALITSUSE SEADUS] {{in lang|et}}</ref> The [[Chancellor of Justice]] (''{{lang|et|Õiguskantsler}}'', currently [[Ülle Madise]]) supervises the legality of actions taken by the [[Government of Estonia|government]] and monitors the implementation of basic civil liberties.<ref>[http://www.riigiteataja.ee/ert/act.jsp?id=12788991 ÕIGUSKANTSLERI SEADUS] {{in lang|et}}</ref>

====United States====
In the United States, the only "chancellor" established by the federal government is the Chancellor of the [[Smithsonian Institution]], a largely ceremonial office held by the [[Chief Justice of the United States]]. As the Smithsonian is a research and museum system, its use of the title is perhaps best thought of as akin to a [[Chancellor (education)|university's chancellor]].

==Ecclesiastical position==
{{main|Chancellor (ecclesiastical)}}
The chancellor is the principal record-keeper of a [[diocese]] or [[eparchy]], or their equivalent. The chancellor is a notary, so that he may certify official documents, and often has other duties at the discretion of the bishop of the diocese: he may be in charge of some aspect of finances or of managing the personnel connected with diocesan offices, although his delegated authority cannot extend to vicars of the diocesan bishop, such as [[vicars general]], episcopal vicars or judicial vicars. His office is within the "[[Diocesan chancery|chancery]]". Vice-chancellors may be appointed to assist the chancellor in busy chanceries. Normally, the chancellor is a priest or deacon, although in some circumstances a layperson may be appointed to the post.<ref>[[1983 Code of Canon Law|CIC]] 482; [[CCEO]] 252—§1.</ref> In the eparchial curia a chancellor is to be appointed who is to be a presbyter (priest) or deacon and whose principal obligation, unless otherwise established by the particular law, is to see that the acts of the curia are gathered and arranged as well as preserved in the archives of the eparchial curia.<ref>Canon 482 [...]<br/>
:§2. If it seems necessary the chancellor can be given an assistant whose title is vice-chancellor.
:§3. The chancellor as well as the vice-chancellor are by the law itself notaries of the eparchial curia.

In the [[1983 Code of Canon Law]] for the [[Latin Church]] of the Catholic Church, the chancellor may be a layperson, and not necessarily a presbyter or deacon. The office of the Chancellor is mandatory in all diocesan (eparchial) curia. The primary function of the Chancellor is to keep the curial records properly. Beal, ''New Commentary on the Code of Canon Law'', Paulist Press, Mahwah, New Jersey, 2000, [https://books.google.com/books?id=JKgZEjvB5cEC&pg=PA635 p.&nbsp;635].</ref>

In England, the [[Consistory court]]s of the [[Church of England]] are each presided over by a Chancellor of the Diocese.

In the [[United Methodist Church]], each [[Annual conferences within Methodism|Annual Conference]] has a Conference Chancellor, who is the Annual Conference's legal adviser and representative. While the Annual Conference usually hires outside professional counsel in matters that require legal representation, that hiring and representation is done under the supervision, and with the consent, of the Conference Chancellor.<ref>As an example, see the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (www.txcumc.org).</ref>

==Educational position==

{{main|Chancellor (education)}}

A chancellor is the leader, either ceremonial or executive, of many public and private universities and related institutions.

The heads of the [[New York City Department of Education]] and the [[District of Columbia Public Schools]], who run the municipally-operated public schools in those jurisdictions, carry the title of Chancellor. New York State also has a Chancellor of the [[University of the State of New York]], the body that licenses and regulates all educational and research institutions in the state and many professions (not to be confused with the [[State University of New York]], an actual institution of higher learning).

In a few instances, the term chancellor applies to a student or faculty member in a high school or an institution of higher learning who is either appointed or elected as chancellor to preside on the highest ranking [[judicial]] board or [[tribunal]]. They handle non-academic matters such as violations of behavior.

In Germany many heads of university administration carry the title ''{{lang|de|Kanzler}}'' (Chancellor) while the academical heads carry the title ''{{lang|de|Rektor}}'' (Rector). In order to avoid any misunderstanding, the head of the German Federal Government is therefore usually called by the official title ''{{lang|de|Bundeskanzler}}'' ('''Federal''' Chancellor).

==Historical uses==
*[[Grand chancellor (China)|Chancellor or Grand Chancellor]] is the common translation of the Chinese title ''zǎixiàng'' ([[Chinese language|Chinese]]: {{lang|zh|{{linktext|宰相}}}}), or ''chéngxiàng'' ({{lang|zh|{{linktext|丞相}}}}), which in [[imperial China]] was the highest-ranking executive official serving under the emperor. See also: [[Chancellor of the Tang dynasty]].
*The {{Nihongo|'''[[Daijō-daijin]]''' or '''Dajō-daijin'''<ref>''Kenkyusha's New Japanese-English Dictionary'', Kenkyusha Limited, {{ISBN|4-7674-2015-6}}</ref>|太政大臣|extra="Chancellor of the Realm"}} was the head of the ''[[Daijō-kan]]'' (Great Council of State) during and after the [[Nara period]] and briefly under the [[Meiji Constitution]].
*The [[Archchancellor|chancellor]] in the government of the [[Holy Roman Empire]].
*There are two ancient Egyptian titles sometimes translated as chancellor. 
**The "royal sealer" (xtmtj-bity or xtmw-bity), a title which conveyed a certain rank at the royal court, attested since the First Dynasty (about 3000&nbsp;BC).<ref>Toby A. H. Wilkinson, ''Early Dynastic Egypt'', Routledge 1999, p.&nbsp;131</ref> People holding the post include [[Imhotep]] and [[Hemaka]].<ref>Michael Rice, ''Who's Who in Ancient Egypt'', Routledge 2001, p.&nbsp;63</ref>
**The "Keeper of the Royal Seal" (or ''overseer of the seal'' or ''treasurer''—imy-r xtmt<ref>''pBerlin 10035'' in U. Luft, ''Urkunden zur Chronologie der späten 12. Dynastie, Briefe aus Illahun'', Wien 2006, 69 ff.</ref><ref>''pLouvre 3230 B'' in E. Wente, ''Letters from Ancient Egypt'', Atlanta, 1990, 92</ref>) was responsible for the state's income. This position appears around 2000&nbsp;BC. Officials holding the post include [[Chancellor Bay|Bay]] or [[Irsu]], Khety<ref>''Memoirs'', Egypt Exploration Society—1958, p.&nbsp;7</ref> [[Meketre]],<ref>[http://www.insecula.com/us/article/F0009782.html Serdab of the Chancellor Meketre] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050828134423/http://www.insecula.com/us/article/F0009782.html |date=August 28, 2005 }}</ref> and Nakhti.<ref>Michael Rice, ''Who's Who in Ancient Egypt'', Routledge 2001</ref>
*For centuries, the [[King of France]] appointed the [[Chancellor of France]] ({{langx|fr|Chancelier de France}}), a [[Great Officers of the Crown of France|Great Officer of the Crown]], as an office associated with that of [[keeper of the seals]]. The ''chancelier'' was responsible for some judicial proceedings. During the reigns of [[Louis XVIII of France|Louis XVIII]], [[Charles X of France|Charles X]] and [[Louis Philippe of France|Louis Philippe]], the Chancellor of France presided over the Chamber of Peers, the upper house of the royal French parliament.
*In the [[Kingdom of Poland of the Jagiellons|Kingdom of Poland]] from the 14th century, there was a royal chancellor (''{{lang|pl|[[Kanclerz]]}}''). In the [[Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]] (1569–1795), the four chancellors were among the ten highest officials of the state. [[Poland]] and [[Lithuania]] each had a Grand Chancellor and a Deputy Chancellor, each entitled to a senatorial seat, responsible for the affairs of the whole Kingdom, each with his own chancery. See [[Offices in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth]].
*The [[List of chancellors of Burgundy|chancellor]] was the highest non-hereditary rank in the government of the [[Duchy of Burgundy]].
*In the [[Russian Empire]], the chancellor was the highest rank of civil service as defined by the [[Table of Ranks]] and on the same grade as [[field marshal]] and [[General Admiral]]. Only the most distinguished government officials were promoted to this grade, such as [[foreign minister]]s [[Alexander Gorchakov]] and [[Aleksei Petrovich Bestuzhev-Ryumin|Alexey Bestuzhev-Ryumin]].
*In [[Norway]] the [[Chancellor of Norway]] (modern Norwegian: ''Norges rikes kansler'', "Chancellor of Norway's Realm") was the most important aide of the [[King of Norway]] during the [[Middle Ages]]. He issued laws and regulations, and was responsible for day-to-day administration of the kingdom. From 1270, the Chancellor resided in [[Bergen]]. [[Haakon V of Norway]] moved the Chancellor's residence to [[Oslo]]; on 31 August 1314 the [[Provost (religion)|provost]] of [[St Mary's Church, Oslo|St Mary's Church]] became Chancellor on a permanent basis. He was given the [[Great Seal of the Realm (Norway)|Great Seal of the Realm]] "for eternity." The Chancellors were originally chosen from the [[clergy]]. The position lost its importance after [[Jens Bjelke]]'s tenure, and was abolished in 1679.<ref>Jan Eivind Myhre, Edgeir Benum, ''Oslo bys historie: Byen ved festningen: fra 1536 til 1814'', 1992</ref>
* The [[Lord Chancellor of Scotland]]. 
*The ''canghellor'' of medieval [[Wales]] administered the peasantry of the king's [[demesne]] and was charged with holding the king's pleas and "waste".<ref>[[Wade-Evans, Arthur]]. ''[[s:Page:Welsh Medieval Law.djvu/431|Welsh Medieval Law]]''. Oxford Univ., 1909. Accessed 31 Jan 2013.</ref>
* A "State Chancellor" (German: Staatskanzler) was head of government in [[Republic of German-Austria|German-Austria]] after [[World War I]] and again after [[World War II]] in post-war [[Austria]]. Both times the State Chancellor was [[Karl Renner]].

==See also==
* [[Logothete]]
*[[Prime minister]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

{{Types of heads of government}}
{{Orders}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Chancellors (government)| ]]
[[Category:Titles of national or ethnic leadership]]