Constable of France

The Constable of France (French connétable de France, from Latin comes stabulari for "count of the stables"), as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France (along with seneschal, chamberlain, butler, and chancellor) 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. He was also responsible for military justice and served to regulate the Chivalry. His jurisdiction was called the connetablie. The office was established by King Philip I in 1060 with Alberic becoming the first Constable. The office was abolished in 1627 in accordance with the Edict of January 1627 by Cardinal Richelieu, upon the death of Francois de Bonne, duc de Les Diguieres, after his conversion from Catholicism to Protestantism in 1622. The position was replaced by the Dean of Marshals (Doyan des Marechaux), in reality the most senior Marshal of France in a strictly ceremonial role. A few constables died in battle or were executed for treason, mostly for political intrigue. Note that there are gaps in the dates as the position was not always filled following the demise of its occupant.

Contents

1 Badge of Office

2 Persons Subordinate to the Constable of France

3 Constables of France

3.1 Capetian Dynasty (987-1328)
3.2 Valois Dynasty (1328-1589)

3.2.1 Main Branch
3.2.2 Valois-Orleans
3.2.3 Valois-Angouleme

3.3 Bourbon (1589-1792)
3.4 First Empire

4 Movies

5 See Also

6 External Links

Badge of Office

The badge of office was a highly elaborate sword called the "Royal Sword" (Fr. 'de charlemagne') surnamed "Joyous". This sword dated from the 1300s and was contained in a blue scabbard embellished with fleur-de-lis in column from hilt to point.

Persons Subordinate to the Constable of France

Admiral of France (amiral de France) - Commander of the French Navy.
Marcheaux de France x2
- Lieutenant-general - an occasional appointment when the King wished for a regional commander.
Port-Ori-Flamme - a very prestigious position which carries the royal banner in battle.
Grand Master of Archers (Gran Maitre des Arbalestries - commander of the archers)
Grand Master of the Artillery (Gran Maitre de l'artillerie)
Lieutenant-general of the Realm - Occasionally appointed and served as a pseudo-viceroy to oversee royal business in a region and served directly under the King.

Constables of France

Capetian Dynasty (987-1328)

Alberic 1060 to 1065
Balberic 1065 to 1069
Gauthier 1069 to 1071
Adelelme 1071- 1075
Adam 1075 - 1085
Thibaut, Seigneur de Montmorency 1085 - 1107
Gaston de Chanmont 1107 - 1108
Hugues le Borgne de Chanmont 1108 - 1135
Mathieu de Montmorency (d1160) 1138-?
Simon de Neauphle-le-Chateau 1165-?
Raoul de Clermont (died 1191) 1174-1194
Dreux IV de Mello (1148-1218) 1194-1218
Mathieu I LeGrand Baron de Montmorency (died 1230) 1218-1231
Amaury VI de Montfort (died 1249) 1231-1240
Humbert V de Beaujeu (died 1250) 1240-1248
Gilles II de Trasignies (died 1275) 1248-1277
Humbert II de Beaujeu (died 1285) 1277
Raoul II de Clermin (died 1302) 1277-1307
Gaucher de Chatillon (1249-1329) 1307-1329

Valois Dynasty (1328-1589)

Main Branch

Raoul I de Brienne (d1344) 1329-1344
Raoul II de Brienne, Comte d'Eu et Guines (executed for treason 1351) 1344-1350, POW of British since his capture in 1346, executed immediately on his return to Paris.
Charles de Castille d'Espagne (died 1354) 1350-1354
Jacques Ier(premier) de Bourbon (1319-1362) 1354-1356
Gauthier VI de Brienne (killed 1356) 1356
Robert Morean de Fiennes (1308-1372) 1356-1370
Bertrand du Guesclin (1320-1380) 1370-1380
Olivier IV de Clisson (1336-d1407) 1380-1392
Philippe d'Artois (1358-1397) 1392-1397
Louis de Sancerre (1341-1402) 1397-1402
Charles I d'Albert, Comte de Dreux (Killed in the Battle of Agincourt 25 Oct 1415) served twice: 1402-1411 and 1413-1415
Valeran III de Luxembourg (died 1413) 1411-1413
Bernard VII d'Armagnac (died 1418) 1418
Charles le Hardi de Lorraine (1365-1431) 1418-1425
Arthur III duc de Bretagne (1393-1458) 1425-?
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury (died 1453) 1445 - ?
Louis de Luxembourg (1418-1475) 1465-?

Valois-Orleans

Jean II le Bon de Bourbon (1426-1488) 1483

Valois-Angouleme

Charles III, 8th duc de Bourbon (1490-killed in 1527 during the Sack of Rome). 1518-1527 Constable during the 1527 Sack of Rome.

Bourbon (1589-1792)

Anne de Montmorency, Grand Maitre de France (1492-1567) 1538-?
Henri Ier(premier) de Montmorency (1570-1621) 1593-1621
Francois de Bonne, duc de Lesdiguieres, Marechal de France (1543-1636) 1622-1626 The last constable.

First Empire

Allegedly, the Bourbon family, through the Comte d'Artois, offered Napolean Bonaparte, as First Consul, the title of Constable of France if he would restore the Bourbons as kings of France. In 1808, Napoleon also appointed the Grand Dignitaries of the French Empire (gran Dignitaires de l'Empire Français). In doing this he appointed as Constable his younger brother Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland , and as Vice-Constable, Marshal of the Empire Louis Alexandre Berthier, the French Army Chief of staff and Prince of Neuchatel. Both titles were strictly honorific.

Movies

If I Were King, 1938, with Francois Villon (played by Ronald Colman), who was appointed by Louis XI, King of France (played by Basil Rathbone) to be Constable of France for one week.