Maison du Roi
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The Maison du Roi (French pronunciation:
Organisation
The exact composition and duties of its various divisions changed constantly over the
The Military Maison du Roi
The military branch of the Maison du Roi was the
The Religious Maison du Roi
The Ecclesiastical Household of the king was headed by the Grand Almoner of France (Grand aumônier de France) (created by Francis I), most often a bishop. The king's chapel (la chapelle du roi)—which did not originally refer to a building, but to the religious entourage of the king—was in charge of the Mass and religious ceremonies (marriages, baptisms) for the sovereign and the royal family and the king's alms and public charities.
It was headed by the Grand Almoner, who was assisted by the First Almoner, who fulfilled the duties of the Grand Almoner when the latter was unable to. Other officers of the Maison ecclésiastique included several aumôniers ordinaires (who maintained the regular service of the chapel), the prédicateur du roi (or "king's preacher"), who preached in the presence of the king, and the king's confessor.
The royal chapel also included a group of ecclesiastics and musicians for the religious services, divided into two sections: the chapel and oratory (chapelle et oratoire)—directed by the master of the Oratory (sous-maître de l'Oratoire)—which celebrated spoken Masses, and the grande chapelle—directed by the master of the chapel (maître de la chapelle)—which celebrated Masses in
The Domestic Maison du Roi
The Maison du Roi civile, or domestic entourage of the king, was divided into a number of departments, whose number varied over the years. Under
The most important departments were the following:
The "Bouche du roi"
The largest of the departments, the Bouche du roi oversaw the meals of the king. It was run by the Premier Maître d'hôtel. The seven offices of the department were:
- gobelet: wine and drink, run by the Grand Bouteiller
- cuisine-bouche: cuisine
- paneterie: bakers
- échansonnerie
- cuisine-commun
- fruiterie: fruits
- fourrière
Officers included the Maître d'hôtel ordinaire, the 12 Maîtres d'hôtel servant par quartier, the Grand panetier, the Premier écuyer tranchant and the Grand échanson (three offices that had become purely honorific in the Early Modern period), and the 36 gentleman servants.
The King's Chamber
Directed by the
The "Menus-Plaisirs"
The complete name of this department was argenterie, menus plaisirs et affaires de la chambre du roi ("silver, small entertainments and affairs of the king's chamber"). The Menus-Plaisirs du Roi was in charge of theater decor, costumes and props for plays, ballets and other court entertainments. It was run by an intendant.
The Ceremonies
Created in 1585 by
The Royal Stables
Divided in 1582 into two parts:
- the Grande Écurie, run by the Grand écuyer of France, called « M. le Grand », who oversaw the transport of the king and his ceremonial entourage (heralds, men of arms, musicians, etc.)
- the Petite Écurie, run by the premier écuyer, called « M. le Premier », comprising squires, pages, foot valets, coaches, harnesses, saddles and coachmen.
The Venery
This was the king's hunting service, run by the
, run by the Capitaine du vautrait or Capitaine des toiles).Great Officers of the Royal Household
The major offices of the royal household are sometimes listed as the grands officiers de la maison du roi de France, not to be confused with the Great Officers of the Crown of France, with which it overlaps in part. Although lists of the Great Officers vary, the following are generally considered Great Officers of the Royal Household:
Domestic household:
- Grand Maître de France (also one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France)
- the First Maître d'hôtel (Chief Butler) - overseeing the king's table and the bouches du roi
- the Grand Panetier of France, overseeing bread
- the Grand Échanson de France, overseeing wine
- the First "Écuyer tranchant", who cuts the meat of the king
- the Grand Chambrier of France or the Grand Chambellan of France, head of the King's chambre, (also one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France)
- the four First gentlemen of the King's Chamber, who oversee the King's chambre
- the four First Valets of the King's Chamber, who oversee, under the direction of the first gentlemen, the King's chambre
- the Grand Maître de la garde-robe, who oversees the King's wardrobe
- the Grand Écuyer de France, the head stablemaster (also one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France)
- the first écuyer de France, who seconds the Grand écuyer
- the Grand Huntsman of France (Grand Veneur), who directs royal hunts, especially the stag hunt
- the birds of prey
- the Grand Louvetier of France, who directs royal hunts of wolves and boar
- the Grand Master of Ceremonies of France(grand maître des cérémonies), who directs court ceremonies and protocol
- the Grand Marshal of lodging (maréchal des logis), who oversees lodging of the king, of the court and of the royal household
- the Grand Provost of France, who heads the court police, and for this purpose, has jurisdiction over the military troops of the Maison du Roi
- the Grand Almoner of France, at the head of the royal chapel and the head of the Ecclesiastical House of the King (the maison ecclésiastique du roi de France)
- the first Almoner of France, who aids the Grand Almoner
Military household:
- Captain of the bodyguard
- Captain-colonel of the Cent-Suisses
- Colonel General of the Suisses et Grisons
- Captain-colonel of the guards of the king's door
- Captain-lieutenant of the gendarmes of the guard
- Captain-lieutenant of the chevau-légers (light cavalry) of the guard
- Musketeersof the guard
- Captain-lieutenant of the first company of the Musketeers of the guard
- Captain-lieutenant of the grenadiers à cheval of the guard
The Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi
Starting in the 16th century and then from the 17th century on, the Maison du Roi was overseen by a ministry, the Département de la Maison du Roi. This ministry was directed by a secretary of state, the Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi, although this oversight was purely formal, as the officers of the Maison du Roi were under the direct authority of the
In practice, the military branch of the Maison du Roi was run by the Minister of War. The Secrétaire d'État à la Maison du Roi was, however, 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.
See also
General:
- Early Modern France
- French nobility
References
- Bernard Barbiche, Les institutions de la monarchie française à l'époque moderne, XVIe - XVIIIe siècle, Paris : PUF, 1999, 2nd edition. 2001.
- Père Anselme de Sainte-Marie (o.c.m.), Histoire généalogique et chronologique de la Maison royale de France, des pairs et grands officiers de la Couronne et de la Maison du Roi, Compagnie des Libraires associés, 1737.
- Jean-François Solnon, art. « Maison du roi », Dictionnaire du Grand Siècle, s. dir, François Bluche, Fayard, 1990.
- Louis Susane, Histoire de la cavalerie française (3 vols). Reprinted C. Terana, Paris, 1984. ISBN 2-904221-03-4.
External links
- La Maison du Roi on www.heraldica.org (in English)
- French heraldry site (in French) - Grand Officers of the Crown and Grand Officers of the Household
- French heraldry site (in French) - Maison du roi civile
- Maison du Roi - Emerging Designer Fashion Store named after the name (in English)