Constable of France

The Constable of France (French, from Latin comes stabuli 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. The Connétable de France was also responsible for military justice and served to regulate the Chivalry. His jurisdiction was called the connestablie. 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 François de Bonne, duc de Lesdiguières, after his conversion from Protestantism to Catholicism in 1622. The position was replaced by the Dean of Marshals (Doyen des maréchaux), 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.

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 14th century and was contained in a blue scabbard embellished with fleur-de-lis in column from hilt to point. Traditionally, the constable was presented with the sword on taking his office.^[1]

Authority[]

After the abolition of the office of Sénéchal in 1191, the Connétable became the most important officer in the army, and as First Officer of the Crown, he ranked in precedence immediately after the peers. He had the position of Lieutenant-General of the King, both within and without the kingdom. The constable had under his command all military officers, including the marechaux; he was also responsible for the financing of the army, administering military justice within the host (the name of the jurisdiction was the connétablie), which he exercised with the assistance of the maréchaux (marshals) of France. This paralleled the Court of the Lord Constable, later called curia militaris of Court of Chivalry, which existed in England at that time.^[2]

Persons Subordinate to the Constable of France[]

Marshal of France (Maréchal de France) At times the Marshal of France was senior to the Constable.
- Colonel-general - a special position in the French army, which commands all the regiments of the same branch of service (i.e. infantry, cavalry, Dragoons,...)
- Lieutenant-general - the highest general rank of the French army
- Maréchal de camp (not to be confused with Field Marshal) - the lowest general rank, equal to later général de brigade.
Porte-Oriflamme - a very prestigious position, though unofficial, which carries the royal banner in battle.
Grand Master of Archers (Grand-Maître des Arbalétriers - commander of the crossbow-men)
Grand Master of Artillery (Grand-Maître de l'artillerie). From the beginning of the 17th century, the Grand Master of the Artillery became a Great Officer of the Crown and was no longer subordinate to the Constable.
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. As first officer he outranked all other Lieutenant Generals.

Constables of France[]

Note that there are gaps in the dates as the position was not always filled following the demise of its occupant.

Constables of the Kings of France[]

The Capétien Dynasty

Alberic, 1060–1065
Balberic, 1065–1069
Gauthier, 1069–1071
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 (died 1160), 1138–?
Simon de Neauphle-le-Chateau, 1165–?
Raoul I de Clermont (died 1191), 1174–1191
Dreux IV de Mello (1148–1218), 1194–1218
Mathieu I le Grand, Baron de Montmorency (died 1231), 1218–1231
Amaury VI de Montfort (died 1241), 1231–1240
Humbert V de Beaujeu (died 1250), 1240–1248
Gilles II de Trasignies (died 1275), 1248–1277
Humbert VI de Beaujeu (died 1285), 1277
Raoul II de Clermont (died 1302), 1277–1307
Gaucher de Châtillon (1249–1329), 1307–1329

The Valois Dynasty

Raoul I of Brienne, Count of Eu and Guînes (d. 1344), 1329–1344
Raoul II of Brienne, Count of Eu and Guînes (died 1350), 1344–1350
Charles de la Cerda (died 1354), 1350–1354
Jacques de Bourbon, Count of La Marche, (1319–1362) 1354–1356
Walter VI of Brienne (c. 1304–1356), 1356
Robert Morean de Fiennes (1308–1372), 1356–1370
Bertrand du Guesclin (1320–1380), 1370–1380
Olivier IV de Clisson (1336–1407), 1380–1392
Philip of Artois, Count of Eu (1358–1397), 1392–1397
Louis de Sancerre (1341–1402), 1397–1402
Charles d'Albret, Comte de Dreux (died 1415), 1402–1411
Waleran, Count of Saint Pol (died 1413), 1411–1413
Charles d'Albret, Comte de Dreux (died 1415), 1413–1415
Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac (died 1418), 1415–1418
Charles II, Duke of Lorraine (1365–1431), 1418–1424
John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan (c. 1381–1424), 1424
Arthur III, Duke of Brittany (1393–1458), 1425–?
John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury (1384/1390–1453), 1445–1453 (appointed by Henry VI of England in his position as King of France)
Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol (1418–1475), 1465–?
John II, Duke of Bourbon (1426–1488), 1483–1488

The Valois Angoulême Dynasty

Charles III, Duke of Bourbon (1490–1527), 1518–1523
Anne de Montmorency, Grand Maitre de France (1492–1567), 1538–1567

The Bourbons

Henri I de Montmorency (1570–1621), 1593–1621
Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes (1621), 1621
François de Bonne, duc de Lesdiguières (1543–1636), 1622–1626

First Empire[]

During the Consulate, the Bourbon family, through the Comte d'Artois, allegedly offered Napoleon Bonaparte, as First Consul, the title of Constable of France if he would restore the Bourbons as kings of France. However, in 1808, Napoleon also appointed the Grand Dignitaries of the French Empire (Grands 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 Neuchâtel. Both titles were strictly honorific.

Movies[]

If I Were King, 1938, with François 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.

Various versions of Shakespeare's play Henry V depict Constable Charles d'Albret, Comte de Dreux, who was appointed by Charles VI of France and was killed in the Battle of Agincourt (1415). He is played by Leo Genn in the 1944 film, by Richard Easton in the 1989 film, and by Maxime Lefrancois in the 2012 film. In the 1944 film he dies in personal combat with King Henry. In the 1989 film he is depicted as falling from his horse into the mud (historical tradition holds he was drowned in the mud due to the weight of his armour, disabled by having his horse fall on him). In the 2012 film he is shot by a longbowman after stabbing the Duke of York in the back in woodland away from the main battle.

References[]

↑ p172, Slater, Stephen, The Complete Book of Heraldry (Lorenz, 2002), ISBN 0-7548-1062-3
↑ http://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/officiers.htm

External links[]

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The original article can be found at Constable of France and the edit history here.

[1] 172, Slater, Stephen, The Complete Book of Heraldry (Lorenz, 2002), ISBN 0-7548-1062-3

[2] ttp://www.heraldica.org/topics/france/officiers.htm

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