Vidame
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Vidame (French: that were religiously inappropriate; this especially included violence, even in the service of justice, and to act as protector.
Unlike the advocatus, however, the vice-
Although a vidame was in theory a relatively low-ranking title, in practice under the French medieval system it gained in prestige and seniority because of the unusually early dates the titles could be traced back to.
History
During the
With the crystallization of the feudal system in the 12th century the office of vidame, like that of avoué, had become hereditary. As a title, however, it was much less common and also less dignified than that of avoué. An advocatus was often a great baron who added the function of protector of an abbey to his own temporal sovereignty; whereas a vidame was usually a petty noble, who exercised his office in strict subordination to the bishop.[1]
A vidame usually took his title from the see he represented, but not infrequently a vidame styled himself, not after his official fief, but after his private
In many sees there was no vidame, the functions being exercised by a viscount or a châtelain. With the growth of the central power and of that of the towns and cities, the vidames gradually lost their functions, and the title became merely honorary.
Functions
The chief functions of a vidame were to protect the temporal holdings of the see (called accordingly le vidamé or la vidamie), to represent the bishop at the count's court of justice, to exercise the bishop's temporal jurisdiction in his name (placitum or curia vice-domini), and to exercise military command of feudal troops attached to the episcopal government. In return, he usually had a house near the episcopal palace, a domain within and without the city, and sometimes the right to levy certain dues on the city.[1]
See also
Notes
- ^ "Vice-lord", which may mean "vice-count", depending on the feudal status of the territory.
References
- ^ a b c d public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Vidame". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 28 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 47–48. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the
- Nouveau Larousse Illustré (undated, early 20th century; in French)