Maître des requêtes
Encyclopedia
Masters of Requests are high-level judicial officers of administrative law in France
and other European countries that have existed in one form or another since the Middle Ages.
The role of the Masters of Requests was greatly expanded during the Renaissance: their duties, as defined by the Edict of 1493, and subsequently modified during the reigns of Francis I
and Henry II
, were to serve as deputies to and work closesly under the Lord Chancellor of France and provide royal oversight of the judicial system at all levels. In this way, the Masters of Requests became key to expanding royal power into the provinces and in national unification, a role that would be taken over in the 17th century by royal Intendant
s who were recruited from among the ranks of the Masters of Requests. The Masters toured on circuits to inspect provincial courts, could preside over bailiwick courts, at the Grand Conseil
, and at sittings of Parlement
where they sat on equal footing as Presidents of Court. They also received petitions against royal officers and intervened in cases of abuse. In addition to their judicial duties, they were occasionally given temporary financial or diplomatic tasks. They participated in the King's judicial and financial decisions and sat on the King's Conseil privé. From their members were generally recruited other high-level royal officers and government officials, such as Councillors of State
, provincial Intendant
s of commerce or finance, Comptroller-General, Lieutenant-General of Police, and so forth.
The Masters of Requests were chosen from among the best judges and members of the Parlements. As prestigious offices, they were sold and bought, although the King could also make appointments. Under Louis XIV
, Masters' offices were extremely expensive, but they conferred nobility on the holder. (see French nobility
)
Under Louis XII
, there were six Masters of Requests; Francis increased their number to eighteen; Henry II to thirty-two. In the 17th century, there were generally eighty Masters of Requests, with numbers reaching eighty-eight in 1723, but Louis XV
brought them back to eighty in 1752. They fell to sixty-seven members in 1787.
.
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...
and other European countries that have existed in one form or another since the Middle Ages.
Old Regime France
The Masters of Requests, more fully maîtres des requêtes ordinaires de l'hôtel du Roi, were originally, during the Middle Ages, judges of a council convened to examine petitions lain by commoners before the Royal Household (hôtel du roi). A number of traditions from this time survived down until the 18th century such as the King's accompaniment by two Masters ordinary on Sundays and festival days on his way to and from church and their close attendance to him during mass so as to better receive petitions from the public.The role of the Masters of Requests was greatly expanded during the Renaissance: their duties, as defined by the Edict of 1493, and subsequently modified during the reigns of 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 Henry II
Henry II of France
Henry II was King of France from 31 March 1547 until his death in 1559.-Early years:Henry was born in the royal Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye, near Paris, the son of Francis I and Claude, Duchess of Brittany .His father was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525 by his sworn enemy,...
, were to serve as deputies to and work closesly under the Lord Chancellor of France and provide royal oversight of the judicial system at all levels. In this way, the Masters of Requests became key to expanding royal power into the provinces and in national unification, a role that would be taken over in the 17th century by royal Intendant
Intendant
The title of intendant has been used in several countries through history. Traditionally, it refers to the holder of a public administrative office...
s who were recruited from among the ranks of the Masters of Requests. The Masters toured on circuits to inspect provincial courts, could preside over bailiwick courts, at the Grand Conseil
Grand Conseil
The term Grand Conseil or Great Council refers two different institutions during the Ancien Régime in France. It also is the name of parliaments in several Swiss cantons.-Part of the King's Council:...
, and at sittings of Parlement
Parlement
Parlements were regional legislative bodies in Ancien Régime France.The political institutions of the Parlement in Ancien Régime France developed out of the previous council of the king, the Conseil du roi or curia regis, and consequently had ancient and customary rights of consultation and...
where they sat on equal footing as Presidents of Court. They also received petitions against royal officers and intervened in cases of abuse. In addition to their judicial duties, they were occasionally given temporary financial or diplomatic tasks. They participated in the King's judicial and financial decisions and sat on the King's Conseil privé. From their members were generally recruited other high-level royal officers and government officials, such as Councillors of State
Conseiller d'État
A French Councillor of State is a high-level government official of administrative law in the Council of State of France.-Under the Old Regime:...
, provincial Intendant
Intendant
The title of intendant has been used in several countries through history. Traditionally, it refers to the holder of a public administrative office...
s of commerce or finance, Comptroller-General, Lieutenant-General of Police, and so forth.
The Masters of Requests were chosen from among the best judges and members of the Parlements. As prestigious offices, they were sold and bought, although the King could also make appointments. Under Louis XIV
Louis XIV of France
Louis XIV , known as Louis the Great or the Sun King , was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre. His reign, from 1643 to his death in 1715, began at the age of four and lasted seventy-two years, three months, and eighteen days...
, Masters' offices were extremely expensive, but they conferred nobility on the holder. (see French nobility
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
)
Under Louis XII
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
, there were six Masters of Requests; Francis increased their number to eighteen; Henry II to thirty-two. In the 17th century, there were generally eighty Masters of Requests, with numbers reaching eighty-eight in 1723, but 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...
brought them back to eighty in 1752. They fell to sixty-seven members in 1787.
Post-1799 France
The Masters of Requests, or more fully maîtres des requêtes au Conseil d'État, are members of the French Council of State who fall between the rank of Senior Master and Councillor of StateConseiller d'État
A French Councillor of State is a high-level government official of administrative law in the Council of State of France.-Under the Old Regime:...
.
See also
- Ancien Régime in FranceAncien Régime in FranceThe Ancien Régime refers primarily to the aristocratic, social and political system established in France from the 15th century to the 18th century under the late Valois and Bourbon dynasties...
- Early Modern FranceEarly Modern FranceKingdom of France is the early modern period of French history from the end of the 15th century to the end of the 18th century...
- Conseil d'État
- Master of RequestsMaster of RequestsThe Master of Requests was a Great Officer of State in Scotland.The office first appeared in the reign of James V. Its functions in Scotland included that of receiving petitions from subjects and presenting them for consideration by the Privy Council...