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.