Admiral de France

Admiral de France is a dignity in the State of the French Republic, rewarding for the exceptional military services. It is the equivalent of that of Marshal of France for the sailors. Under the Old Mode, the admiral of France is titular of a Grand office of the crown of France equivalent to that of the Connétable. Chief in title of the royal fleet, it has actually only one to be able limited.

Under the Old Mode

The load of admiral de France was created in 1270 by holy Louis, during the VIII {{E}} crusade. It is then a dignity equivalent to that of Connétable of France, and a large office of the Crown.

The admiral of France to the load of the coasts of Picardy, Normandy, Aunis and Saintonge. In times of War, it is charged to gather the French trading vessels to constitute the fleet. It must arm, equip and supply the ships for the race, to give the letters of mark to the Corsaire S (the Course is then the principal form of maritime Guerre). In times of peace, it deals with the maintenance of the royal fleet, when it exists, but especially maritime trade and merchant fleet.

During the modern era, few admirals were sailors - moreover, except for Claude d' Annebaut, none of them ordered the fleet indeed. It should be said that the real capacities of the admiral are rather mean, partly because of the competition of other admiralties (the admiral of the seas of Raising for the Provence, the admiral de Bretagne and the admiral of the seas of the West for the Guyenne), of the généralat of the galères then secretariat of State to the Marine.

The load has especially much importance political, just like the connétablie (from where besides the suppression of these two loads). However, the load is lucrative: to the admiral are allocated part of the fines and confiscations pronounced by the seats of admiralty, right of wreck, groundage and leave, right of shipwreck, a tenth of the spoils of war, etc

There are finally capacities of legal order, comparable with those exerted by the Connétable and the marshals: it is the jurisdiction of the Table of marble (seat of admiralty) to Paris. There exists also another general seat, bench with Rouen, and of the particular seats on the coasts (around fifty approximately). These courts know fishing, the race, the offenses and the crimes committed in the ports, etc

The admiralty of France is removed in 1627 by the cardinal of Richelieu which was Grand Master of the navigation (load lately created) and which wanted to have the whole of the naval capacity at its disposal. Louis XIV restores the office by the edict of November 12th, 1669, but rather like an honorary and lucrative load: the first new holder is the count de Vermandois, which at the time is 2 years old. Thereafter, only the count de Toulouse will be interested in its load (he will direct for example the council polysynodic of the Navy).

In second half of the 18th century, admiralties pass completely under the control of the Secretaries of State to the Navy.

At the time contemporary

After its dissolution by the decree of the constituent Assembly of April 22nd, 1791, dignity was restored (imperial decree of the 13 pluviôse year XIII; schedule of May 18th, 1814) then removed and restored several times. The last admiral de France named was Tréhouart.

Under the First Empire, the dignity of Lord High Admiral de France was created on February 2nd, 1805, as one of six great dignities of the Empire and was entrusted to the marshal Joachim Murat. This function was purely honorary and Murat did not have any role on the direction of the French fleet.

A similar load was created for the admiral Darlan, under the name of admiral of the Fleet .

Currently, as that was specified in the law of 1972, the title of Marshal of France and that of admiral de France, constitute a dignity in the State .

Admiral de France is thus, at our time, a title and a fully valid dignity , notwithstanding the fact that there does not exist alive person who is covered with it.

See too

Admiralties of Brittany

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