House of the king

The Maison of the king is a administration domestic existing in France under the Ancien Mode then under the Restauration.

It was regulated by Henri III in 1578 then 1585, then by Colbert. It is directed by the Grand Master of France, one of the first characters of the kingdom. With, it counts between 1  000 and 2  000 people. It is difficult to recall its exact evolution. Like says it Jean-François Solnon in the Dictionnaire of the great century :

“ the structure the House of the king does not have the ordinance of one garden to the Frenchwoman. It is a heterogeneous unit, gradually made up by addition successive of new services without brutal suppression of most anachronistic. (...) The negligence in the behavior of the roles, the inaccuracy of attributions prohibit any rigorous classification, any precise enumeration ”.

It comprises three great divisions: the civil House, the Military household and the ecclesiastical House.

Civil house

It is divided into departments, of variable number during the modern time. Under Louis XIV, it will count twenty-two of them. Those were directed by the large officers of the House of the king, title distinct (in spite of some steppings) from that of large officer of the crown, members of high the Noblesse or the top Clergé. Here the most important departments:

The Mouth of the king

It is most important, in terms of personnel, of the departments of the House of the king. It is directed by the first Master of hotel and is composed of seven offices, all touching with the supply and the kitchen for the table of the king:
  • goblet
  • kitchen-stops
  • Paneterie
  • kitchen-common wine waiter nery
  • Fruiterie
  • fourrière
Are used for the Mouth the ordinary Master of hotel, the 12 Masters of hotel being useful by district, the Grand panetier, the First rider sharp and the Royal Cupbearer (three offices become purely honorary since the beginning of the modern time), the 36 gentlemen being useful, etc

The Room of the king

It is directed by the great chamberlain and to the load of the apartments of the king and the escort of the person of the king. It is, with the Mouth, one of the services with the most personnel: it counts in its rows the 4 first gentlemen of the room, the gentlemen of the Room, the manservants, the page S, the Huissier S and the children of honor. The proximity of the officers of the Room with the king returns the loads very estimated.

Menu-Pleasures

Its complete name is “silverware, amusements and businesses of the room of the king”. It is the service charged with the decorations of Théâtre, costumes and accessories of the parts, ballets and spectacles organized at the court. It is directed by an intendant.

Ceremonies

Service created in 1585 by Henri III, it is in charge of the public ceremonial: Baptism royal S, Marriage S and burials, Sacring and crowning, royal entries, royal feasts, receptions of Ambassador S, General states, etc It is directed by the large Master of the ceremonies, is assisted by the Master and the assistance of the ceremonies.

The Stable

It is divided since 1582 into two services:
  • the large Stable, directed by the Master of the Horse, said “Mr. the Large one”, who deals with the stud farms of the king and the service of the ceremonies (heralds and king of weapons, prosecutors of weapons, carry-swords of facing and body of the musicians).
  • the small Stable, directed by the First rider, said “Mr. the Prime Minister”, includes/understands the riders, the pages, the small footmen and all that is to notch, postilion, saddler or stableman.

The Hunting

It deals with the Chasse S of the king. It is directed by the large huntsman and includes/understands, in addition to the Vénerie (drives out with horse), the louvetery (directed by the large louvetier), the fauconnery (directed by the large falconer) and the Vautrait (crew for hunting for wild boar, directed by the Capitaine of the fabrics).

military household

The Military household includes/understands the whole of the Troupes of elite of the royal Armée. It exists since at least the 16th century, but is organized only by Louis XIV. It is directed by the Secretary of State at the House of the king and the Secretary of State to the war.

It includes/understands various bodies with the passing of years, of which:

Far from being only troops of ceremony, the regiments of the House of the king, following the example imperial Guard of Napoleon i, took part in all the campaigns, initially as a personal guard of the king. Thus, in 1567, at the time of the Surprise of Meaux, the royal family does not have that with the Members of the Swiss Guards to escape the capture by the Protestant troops from prince de Condé. The August 10th 1792, the Swiss Gardes are made massacre to protect Louis XVI and its family. On the battle field, gathered around the white Carry-cornet, it is used as close guard to the king.

In the absence of king, it fights nevertheless: it is the only standing army of the kingdom, with the cavalry of ordinance, the six “Old men” and the six “Small-Old men”.

Ecclesiastical house

Its chief is the Grand chaplain of France (load created under François I {{er}}), generally a cardinal . The Vault with the load of the Mass S and religious ceremonies (marriages, baptisms, etc) and of alms of the king. The other officers of the ecclesiastical house are the first chaplain, the ordinary chaplain, the Master of the oratory, the confessor of the king, etc

See too

Additional articles

External bond

  • Accounts of the House of the King for 1775.

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