The term edelfrei or hochfrei ("free noble" or "free knight") was originally used to describe those German noblemen who were distinguished from other free knights by the payment of three times their weregild. Such knights were known as Edelfreie or Edelinge. In the Holy Roman Empire, the higher nobility (Hohe Adel) emerged from the Edelfreie during the course of the 12th century, in contrast to the so-called ministeriales, most of whom were originally unfree knights or Dienstadel.