Great Officers of the Crown of France
Encyclopedia
The Great Officers of the Crown of France, known as the Grand Dignitaries of the Empire during the French Empire
French Empire
The term French Empire can refer to:* Two Empires of the French founded by members of the House of Bonaparte,** The First French Empire of Napoleon I and II ** The Second French Empire of Napoleon III...

, were the most important officers of state of the royal court in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon  – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...

. They were appointed by the French monarch, with all but the Lord Chancellor of France being appointments for life. In France, such positions were not transmissible nor hereditary.

The Great Officers of the Crown of France should not be confused with the similarly named Great Officers of the Royal Household of France (French: Grand office de la Maison du Roi de France), which share certain officers, headed by the Grand Master of France.

History

In 1224, Louis VIII
Louis VIII of France
Louis VIII the Lion reigned as King of France from 1223 to 1226. He was a member of the House of Capet. Louis VIII was born in Paris, France, the son of Philip II Augustus and Isabelle of Hainaut. He was also Count of Artois, inheriting the county from his mother, from 1190–1226...

 legislated that the Great Officers participate, alongside the peers of France
Peerage of France
The Peerage of France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. It was abolished in 1789 during the French Revolution, but it reappeared in 1814 at the time of the Bourbon Restoration which followed the fall of the First French Empire...

, in trials of members of the peers.

The militaristic offices such as the Marshals of France, the Grand Master of Artillery or the Colonel Generals were held by individuals, but were not military ranks.

Great Officers of the Crown of France

  • Constable of France
    Constable of France
    The Constable of France , as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King...

     (French: Connétable de France), the First Officer of the Crown as established by Henry III
    Henry III of France
    Henry III was King of France from 1574 to 1589. As Henry of Valois, he was the first elected monarch of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth with the dual titles of King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1573 to 1575.-Childhood:Henry was born at the Royal Château de Fontainebleau,...

     in 1582, and was the highest commander of the French army
    French Army
    The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...

     until the position was suppressed in 1626.
  • Marshal General of the Camps and Armies of the King
    Marshal General of France
    The title Marshal General of France or more exactly "Marshal General of the King's camps and armies" was given to signify that the recipient had authority over all the French armies in the days when a Marshal governed only one army usually...

     (French: Maréchal général des camps et armées du roi), more commonly referred to as the Marshal General of France, was created superior to the Marshal of France to signify that the recipient had authority over all the French armies in the days when a Marshal of France governed only one army. This greater dignity was bestowed only on Marshals of France, usually when the dignity of Constable of France was unavailable or, after 1626, suppressed.
  • Lord Chancellor of France (French: Chancelier), the chief magistrate of the judiciary and the second of the Great Officers as ranked by Henry III, who was assisted in his tasks by the Keeper of the Seals
    Keeper of the seals
    The title Keeper of the Seals or equivalent is used in several contexts, denoting the person entitled to keep and authorize use of the Great Seal of a given country. The title may or may not be linked to a particular cabinet or ministerial office.- Canada :...

    .
  • Grand Master of France
    Grand Master of France
    The Grand Master of France was, during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration in France, one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France and head of the "Maison du Roi", the king's royal household...

     (French: Grand maître de France), head of the Maison du Roi
    Maison du Roi
    The Maison du Roi was the name of the military, domestic and religious entourage around the royal family in France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration; the exact composition and duties of its various divisions changed constantly over the Early Modern period...

     and third in rank of the Great Officers as established by Henry III. This position is equivalent to the office of Lord High Steward
    Lord High Steward
    The position of Lord High Steward of England is the first of the Great Officers of State. The office has generally remained vacant since 1421, except at coronations and during the trials of peers in the House of Lords, when the Lord High Steward presides. In general, but not invariably, the Lord...

     in the United Kingdom.
  • Grand Chamberlain of France
    Grand Chamberlain of France
    The Grand Chamberlain of France was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, a member of the Maison du Roi , and one of the Great Offices of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime...

     (French: Grand chambellan de France), charged with the king's chamber, was the fourth ranked Great Officer of state under Henry III.
  • Admiral of France
    Admiral of France
    The title Admiral of France is one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, the naval equivalent of Marshal of France.The title was created in 1270 by Louis IX of France, during the Eighth Crusade. At the time it was equivalent to the office of Constable of France. The Admiral was responsible...

     (French: Amiral de France), highest commander of the French Navy
    French Navy
    The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...

     and fifth of the Great Officers during the reign of Henry III.
  • Marshal of France
    Marshal of France
    The Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...

     (French: Maréchal de France) was a dignity bestowed only on to generals for exceptional achievements, ranking as sixth amongst the Great Officers as established by Henry III in 1582. The office alternated between being junior to and then senior to the Constable of France; after the suppression of the Constable in 1626, the Marshal of France became the de facto head of the army.
  • Grand Squire of France
    Grand Squire of France
    The Grand Écuyer de France or Grand Squire of France or Grand Equerry of France was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France and a member of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime. The name "écuyer", the French word for squire, is the origin for the French word "écurie" and the...

     (French: Grand écuyer de France) was in charge of the king's stables, ranking seventh of the Great Officers of Henry III. This title is equivalent to the title f Master of the Horse
    Master of the Horse
    The Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...

     in the United Kingdom.
  • Grand Master of Artillery
    Grand Master of Artillery
    The Grand Master of Artillery or Grand Maître de l'artillerie was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France during the Ancien Régime....

     (French: Grand maître de l'artillerie) was created a Great Office in 1601 by Henry IV
    Henry IV of France
    Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....

    , but later suppressed by Louis XV
    Louis XV of France
    Louis XV was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1 September 1715 until his death. He succeeded his great-grandfather at the age of five, his first cousin Philippe II, Duke of Orléans, served as Regent of the kingdom until Louis's majority in 1723...

     in 1755.
  • Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs
    Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (France)
    The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs was one of the four or five specialized secretaries of state in France during the Ancien Régime. The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs became a Minister of Foreign Affairs in 1791.-See also:...

  • Secretary of State for War
    Secretary of State for War (France)
    The Secretary of State for War was one of the four or five specialized secretaries of state in France during the Ancien Régime. The position was responsible for the Army and for overseeing French border provinces...

  • Secretary of State of the Navy
    Secretary of State of the Navy (France)
    The Secretary of State of the Navy was one of the four or five specialized secretaries of state in France during the Ancien Régime. This Secretary of State was responsible for the French navy and for French colonies...

  • Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi
    Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi
    The Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi was the secretary of state in France during the "Ancien Régime" and Bourbon Restoration in charge of the Département de la Maison du Roi...

    , who also oversaw the clergy, and the affairs of Paris.
  • Secretary of State for Protestant Affairs
    Secretary of State for Protestant Affairs
    The Secretary of State for Protestant Affairs , was the secretary of state in France during the "Ancien Régime" and Bourbon Restoration in charge of overseeing French Protestant affairs...


Other notable officers

In addition to the aforementioned Great Officers of the Crown there were several positions of importance that have been considered de facto Great Officers by scholars, and other offices that were created to carry out specific functions of the Great Officers whose list of responsibilities became too cumbersome to perform alone and those offices that acted as direct subordinates to the Great Officers.
  • Keeper of the Seals
    Keeper of the seals
    The title Keeper of the Seals or equivalent is used in several contexts, denoting the person entitled to keep and authorize use of the Great Seal of a given country. The title may or may not be linked to a particular cabinet or ministerial office.- Canada :...

     (French: Garde des Sceaux), assistant to the Chancellor.
  • Grand Almoner of France
    Grand Almoner of France
    The Grand Almoner of France was an officer of the French monarchy and a member of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime...

     (French: Grand aumônier de France) was charged with keeping the royal chapel.
  • Colonel Generals
    Colonel General (France)
    A Colonel General was an officer of the French army during the Ancien Régime, Napoleonic era and the Bourbon Restoration.The positions were not military ranks, but rather offices of the crown. The position was first created under François I. The Colonels General served directly below the Marshals...

     were officers ranking immediately below the Marshals of France. The first office was created by Francis I
    Francis I of France
    Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...

    , and by the end of the Ancien Régime included the offices of Colonel General of the Infantry, Colonel General of the Cavalry, Colonel General of the Dragoons, Colonel General of the Hussards, Colonel General of the Cent-Suisses & Grisons and Colonel General of the Gardes Françaises.
  • Lieutenant-General of the Realm, a governor
    Governor
    A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...

     and military representative of the king, who oversees all royal business in a province and reports directly to the king.
  • Grand Master of Ceremonies


The 17th century genealogist Père Anselme
Père Anselme
Père Anselme was a French genealogist.He was born in Paris in 1625. As a layman his name was Pierre Guibours...

 also included the following as Great Officers:
  • Porte Oriflamme, standard-bearer
    Standard-bearer
    A standard-bearer is a person who bears an emblem called an ensign or standard, i.e. either a type of flag or an inflexible but mobile image, which is used as a formal, visual symbol of a state, prince, military unit, etc.This can either be an occasional duty, often seen as an honour , or a...

     of the Oriflamme
    Oriflamme
    The Oriflamme was the battle standard of the King of France.It was originally the sacred banner of the Abbey of St. Denis, a monastery near Paris. The banner was red or orange-red and flown from a lance. It was suggested that the lance was originally the important object, with the banner a...

     (Royal Standard) in battle.
  • General of the Galleys ("Général des galères"), military position in charge of the galleys.
  • Grand Veneur of France, the master of the hunt and royal Game Warden
    Game warden
    A game warden is an employee who has the role of protecting wildlife. Game wardens may also be referred to as conservation officers or wildlife officers...

    .
  • Grand Falconer of France
    Grand Falconer of France
    The Grand Falconer of France was a position in the King's Household in France from the Middle Ages to the French Revolution. The position first appeared in 1250 as "Master Falconer of the King" ; the title was changed to Grand Falconer in 1406, although the title "First Falconer" was sometimes...

     (Grand Fauconnier), master of the falcon hunt and hunting lodges.
  • Grand Louvetier of France
    Wolfcatcher Royal
    The Wolfcatcher Royal , a position also known historically as the Grand Wolfcatcher which is presently known as lieutenant de louveterie, was first established as a prestigious office in the House of the King during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration of France, tracing its inception to the...

    , master of the wolf hunt
  • Grand Échanson, the royal cup-bearer
    Cup-bearer
    A cup-bearer was an officer of high rank in royal courts, whose duty it was to serve the drinks at the royal table. On account of the constant fear of plots and intrigues, a person must be regarded as thoroughly trustworthy to hold this position. He must guard against poison in the king's cup, and...

    .
  • Grand Maitre des Eaux et des Forêts, in charge of rivers and forests.


The following offices from the Medieval court are generally considered a posteriori Great Offices, even though the expression, as such, did not exist at the time:
  • Grand Seneschal of France, head of the king's armies and of the royal household, position suppressed in 1191.
  • Grand Chamberman of France
    Grand Chamberman of France
    The Grand Chamberman of France was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, a member of the Maison du Roi , and one of the Great Offices of the Maison du Roi during the Ancien Régime...

    , head of the King's chamber, position suppressed in 1545.
  • Grand Bouteiller, master of ceremonies, judgements of nobility, royal table and wine cellars.
  • Grand Master Crossbowman
    Grand Master of Crossbowmen
    The Master of Crossbowmen or more precisely, Master of Arbalesters or Master of Archers was the title of a commander of the Infantry of the French army in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. The position was an honorific title, not a military rank, created by Louis IX...

     (Grand maître des arbalétriers) - position subsumed by the Grand Master of Artillery.
  • Grand Panetier of France
    Grand Panetier
    The Grand Panetier of France was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, a member of the Maison du Roi , one of the Great Offices of the Maison du Roi, and functional chief of the " paneterie" or bread department.-French history:Originally the...

    , 'bread master', also supervises the city bakeries.
  • Grand Queux, the royal cook.

Sources and external links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
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