The chief steward or supreme official in charge of a royal or noble household's food, provisions, and dining arrangements.
From arch- (chief) + dapifer (from Latin dapifer, from daps 'food' + ferre 'to carry'). The dapifer was originally a food-bringer or steward in Roman and medieval courts.
The archdapifer essentially controlled the king's stomach—they managed the entire food supply and could influence who got invited to important feasts, giving them surprising political power in medieval courts!
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