The original name of the office was Sovereign Master of the Hotel of the King (French: Souverain Maître d'hôtel du Roi'), until 1380, then becoming Grand Master of the Hotel of the King (French: Grand Maître d'hôtel du Roi), until 1463, before finally becoming Grand Master of France. The symbol of the Grand Master was a blue baton charged with golden fleur-de-lis, similar to the royal coat of arms of France, capped with a golden representation of the French royal crown. The Grand Master was entitled to bear this symbol of his office in his coat of arms, two being crossed in saltire behind the shield.
Dutiesedit
The position was a successor to the earlier positions of Mayor of the Palace and Seneschal of France. One of the highest posts in the French court, the "Grand maître" directed the Maison du Roi, appointed new officers to the "Maison" (who would swear an oath of service in his hands) and managed the budget of the "Maison". He was also responsible for policing the court and he managed the king's lands (which made him a sort of Minister of the Interior). In practice however, the military branch of the Maison du Roi was frequently run by the Constable of France or the Secretary of State for War.
He had numerous ceremonial duties. At the death of the king he would lead the funeral procession and, at the king's tomb, he would break his baton, throw it into the tomb and intone "Gentlemen, the King is dead; you are free from his service"; he would then take a new baton and intone "Gentlemen, the King lives, and gives you your posts."
In the Early Modern period, most of the real work of the Grand maître was accomplished by his secretaries, and not by himself personally. His role was thus generally symbolic, although he often took personal charge of his ceremonial duties. Furthermore, with the creation of the Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi in the 16th century, the Grand maître was forced to share some of his duties: in general the Secretary's oversight was purely formal, as the officers of the "Maison du Roi" were under the direct authority of the Grand Maître of France; yet, the "Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi" was in charge of recruiting officers for the "Maison du Roi", and would receive prospective applications for posts and submit them to the king for his approval.
Bernard Barbiche, Les Institutions de la monarchie française à l’époque moderne, XVIIe–XVIIIe siècles, Presses universitaires de France, coll. « Premier cycle », 2001 (2nd edition). ISBN2-13-051940-7
Jean-François Solnon, La Cour de France, Livre de Poche, coll. « Références », 1996 (1st edition 1987). ISBN2-253-90439-2
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The Grand Master of France French Grand Maitre de France was during the Ancien Regime 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 The position is similar to that of Lord Steward in England Ornaments of the Grand Master Contents 1 History 2 Duties 3 Officeholders 4 Grand Masters of France 5 References 6 Notes 7 External linksHistory editThe original name of the office was Sovereign Master of the Hotel of the King French Souverain Maitre d hotel du Roi until 1380 then becoming Grand Master of the Hotel of the King French Grand Maitre d hotel du Roi until 1463 before finally becoming Grand Master of France The symbol of the Grand Master was a blue baton charged with golden fleur de lis similar to the royal coat of arms of France capped with a golden representation of the French royal crown The Grand Master was entitled to bear this symbol of his office in his coat of arms two being crossed in saltire behind the shield Duties editThe position was a successor to the earlier positions of Mayor of the Palace and Seneschal of France One of the highest posts in the French court the Grand maitre directed the Maison du Roi appointed new officers to the Maison who would swear an oath of service in his hands and managed the budget of the Maison He was also responsible for policing the court and he managed the king s lands which made him a sort of Minister of the Interior In practice however the military branch of the Maison du Roi was frequently run by the Constable of France or the Secretary of State for War He had numerous ceremonial duties At the death of the king he would lead the funeral procession and at the king s tomb he would break his baton throw it into the tomb and intone Gentlemen the King is dead you are free from his service he would then take a new baton and intone Gentlemen the King lives and gives you your posts In the Early Modern period most of the real work of the Grand maitre was accomplished by his secretaries and not by himself personally His role was thus generally symbolic although he often took personal charge of his ceremonial duties Furthermore with the creation of the Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi in the 16th century the Grand maitre was forced to share some of his duties in general the Secretary s oversight was purely formal as the officers of the Maison du Roi were under the direct authority of the Grand Maitre of France yet the Secretaire d Etat a la Maison du Roi was in charge of recruiting officers for the Maison du Roi and would receive prospective applications for posts and submit them to the king for his approval Officeholders editThe position was frequently given to the highest of the nobility or to the king s close friends Francis I conferred it upon his former teacher Artus Gouffier then to his uncle Rene de Savoie the grand batard de Savoie then to his friend Anne duc de Montmorency In 1559 with the dismissal of Montmorency the office fell into the hands of the Dukes of Guise who used the position to increase their influence at court to such a point that Henry III forced Henry I Duke of Guise to reduce his scope of authority In 1594 the position passed into the control of the House of Bourbon and the Princes of Conde who maintained control until the French Revolution except for the period 1654 1656 when it was held by Thomas of Savoy Carignano who had replaced the Guises as foremost of the princes etrangers 1 Grand Masters of France edit nbsp Coat of arms of Louis Joseph Prince of Conde the last Grand Maitre de France ca 1300 Arnould de Wesemal 1310 Mathieu II de Trie 1321 Jean de Beaumont died c 1344 1343 Gui de Ceriz died 1369 1347 Robert III de Dreux 1288 1351 ca 1350 Jean I de Chatillon fr de died 1363 ca 1350 Jean II de Melun died 1381 ca 1350 Pierre I de Villiers died c 1390 ca 1350 Gui IV Damas 1288 1351 ca 1380 Jean le Mercier 1388 1408 Jean de Montagu died 1409 1408 1409 Louis VII Duke of Bavaria ca 1368 1447 1409 1413 Guichard II died 1415 1413 1422 Louis Count of Vendome 1376 1446 1422 1440 Tanguy du Chastel died 1449 1440 1451 Charles de Culant died c 1451 1451 1453 Jacques de Chabannes died 1453 1456 1461 Raoul de Gaucourt died 1461 1463 Antoine I de Croy 1385 1475 1465 1467 Charles Ier de Melun executed on 22 August 1468 1467 Antoine de Chabannes 1408 1488 ca 1483 Francois Guy XV comte de Laval et Monfort 1435 1500 1485 ca 1496 Philip II Duke of Savoy 1438 1497 1502 1511 Charles II d Amboise 1473 1511 1511 1515 Jacques II de Chabannes La Palice ca 1470 1525 1515 1519 Artus Gouffier duc de Roannais died 1519 1519 1525 Rene of Savoy comte de Villars died 1525 1526 1558 Anne de Montmorency 1492 1567 1558 1559 Francois de Montmorency died 1579 1559 1563 Francois of Lorraine duc de Guise 1520 1563 1563 1588 Henry I Duke of Guise 1550 1588 1588 1594 Charles Duke of Guise 1571 1640 1594 1612 Charles de Bourbon comte de Soissons 1566 1612 1612 1641 Louis de Bourbon comte de Soissons 1604 1641 1643 1646 Henry II de Bourbon prince de Conde 1588 1646 1647 1654 Louis II de Bourbon prince de Conde le Grand Conde 1621 1686 1654 1656 Thomas of Savoy prince of Carignano 1596 1656 1656 1660 Armand de Bourbon prince de Conti 1629 1666 1660 1685 Henri Jules de Bourbon prince de Conde 1643 1709 1685 1710 Louis III prince de Conde 1668 1710 1710 1740 Louis Henri duc de Bourbon prince de Conde 1692 1740 1740 1790 and 1814 1818 Louis Joseph de Bourbon prince de Conde 1736 1818 References editBernard Barbiche Les Institutions de la monarchie francaise a l epoque moderne XVIIe XVIIIe siecles Presses universitaires de France coll Premier cycle 2001 2nd edition ISBN 2 13 051940 7 Jean Francois Solnon La Cour de France Livre de Poche coll References 1996 1st edition 1987 ISBN 2 253 90439 2Notes edit Spanheim Ezechiel 1973 Emile Bourgeois ed Relation de la Cour de France le Temps retrouve in French Paris Mercure de France p 134 External links editList in French of the Grands maitres Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Grand Master of France amp oldid 1221244034, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
