Black Rod 1350 by royal letters patent, though the current title dates from 1522. The position was adopted by other members of the Commonwealth when they adopted the British Westminster system. The title is derived from the staff of office, an ebony staff topped with a golden lion, which is the main symbol of the office's authority. A ceremonial rod or staff is a common type of symbol indicating the authority of the office-holder. Depictions of ancient authority figures in many cultures include such a rod (alternatively called a sceptre). Another early example was the fasces (literally a bound bundle of rods)
High king high kingship might be attached to the kingship of one of the constituent kingdoms, either permanently or when one kingdom is able to assert supremacy over the others. The high king's authority over other kings is usually limited, and in some high Augustus ships his duties are largely ceremonial or restricted to occasions such as war that create a need for a unified command structure. Rulers who have been termed "high king" (by their contemporaries or by modern observers) include: In Imperial Germany, the German Emperor ("Deutscher Kaiser"), who was also the King of Prussia, could be considered a contemporary