The Constable of France (, from

Latin Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...

for '

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

of the stables') was lieutenant to the

King of France France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I, king of the Fra ...

, the first of the original five Great Officers of the Crown (along with

seneschal The word ''seneschal'' () can have several different meanings, all of which reflect certain types of supervising or administering in a historic context. Most commonly, a seneschal was a senior position filled by a court appointment within a royal, ...

, chamberlain, butler, and

chancellor Chancellor () is a title of various official positions in the governments of many countries. The original chancellors were the of Roman courts of justice—ushers, who sat at the (lattice work screens) of a basilica (court hall), which separa ...

) and the commander-in-chief of the Royal Army. He was, at least on paper, the highest-ranking member of the

French nobility The French nobility () was an Aristocracy, aristocratic social class in France from the France in the Middle Ages, Middle Ages until its abolition on 23 June 1790 during the French Revolution. From 1808 to 1815 during the First French Empire, ...

. The was also responsible for military justice and served to regulate the

Chivalry Chivalry, or the chivalric language, is an informal and varying code of conduct that developed in Europe between 1170 and 1220. It is associated with the medieval Christianity, Christian institution of knighthood, with knights being members of ...

. His jurisdiction was called the Constabulary (; or in modern French orthography which sticks closer to the correct pronunciation: ). The office was established by King Philip I in 1060 AD, with Alberic becoming the first Constable. The office was abolished in 1627, with an edict, by

Cardinal Richelieu Armand Jean du Plessis, 1st Duke of Richelieu (9 September 1585 – 4 December 1642), commonly known as Cardinal Richelieu, was a Catholic Church in France, French Catholic prelate and statesman who had an outsized influence in civil and religi ...

, upon the death of , in order to strengthen the immediate authority of the King over his army. The position was officially replaced by the purely ceremonial title "Dean of Marshals" (), who was in fact the most senior "

Marshal of France Marshal of France (, plural ') is a French military distinction, rather than a military rank, that is awarded to General officer, generals for exceptional achievements. The title has been awarded since 1185, though briefly abolished (1793–1804) ...

" (); as the word is used in French mainly in the sense of "the eldest". The later title

Marshal General of France Marshal General of France, originally "Marshal General of the King's camps and armies" (), was a title given to signify that the recipient had authority over all of the French armies, in the days when a Marshal of France usually governed only one ...

or more precisely "Marshal General of the King's camps and armies" () was bestowed on the most outstanding military leaders. The recipient had command authority over all the French armies and garrisons who were engaged in war, and was senior to the , but had none of the extended political powers of the earlier "Constable of France".

Badge of office

Constable of France sword-J 26-IMG 1795-gradient

The badge of office was a highly elaborate sword called '' Joyeuse'', after the legendary sword of

Charlemagne Charlemagne ( ; 2 April 748 – 28 January 814) was List of Frankish kings, King of the Franks from 768, List of kings of the Lombards, King of the Lombards from 774, and Holy Roman Emperor, Emperor of what is now known as the Carolingian ...

. Joyeuse was a sword made with fragments of different swords and used in the Sacre of the French Kings since at least 1271. It was contained in a blue scabbard embellished with royal symbol, the

fleur-de-lis The ''fleur-de-lis'', also spelled ''fleur-de-lys'' (plural ''fleurs-de-lis'' or ''fleurs-de-lys''), is a common heraldic charge in the (stylized) shape of a lily (in French, and mean and respectively). Most notably, the ''fleur-de-lis'' ...

, in column order from hilt to point. Traditionally, the constable was presented with the sword on taking his office by the King himself.

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 ceremonial precedence immediately after the peers. He had the position of Lieutenant-general of the King within the kingdom. The constable had under his command all military officers, including the powerful maréchaux; he was also responsible for the financing of the army, and administering military justice. The official name of the jurisdiction was ''la connétablie'' (the constabulary), which he exercised with the assistance of the '' Maréchaux de France'' (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.

Persons subordinate to the Constable of France

(''Maréchal de France''). However, during exceptional times the Marshal of France could be senior to the Constable, depending on the decisions of the King * Colonel-general – a special category of general in the Royal French army, commanding all the regiments of the same branch of service (i.e. Cavalry, Dragoons, Infantry et al.) *

General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Lieutenant-general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was normall ...

– the highest regular general officer rank of the French army to which a career army officer could be promoted on the basis of seniority and merit, and not noble blood *'' Maréchal de camp'' (literally ''(Military) Camp Marshal''), not to be confused with

Field Marshal Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, senior to the general officer ranks. Usually, it is the highest rank in an army (in countries without the rank of Generalissimo), and as such, few persons a ...

) – the lowest general officer rank, in later times renamed ''Major-général'' and equivalent to the present-day '' général de brigade'' (''brigadier-general'') *'' Porte-Oriflamme'' – a prestigious honorary position, not an army rank, which gave the right to carry the King's royal banner (called ''Oriflamme'') into battle * Grand Master of Crossbowmen (''Grand-Maître des Arbalétriers du Roi'') who was in charge of all archers in the army * Grand Master of Artillery (''Grand-Maître de l'Artillerie royale''). From the beginning of the 17th century, the Grand Master of the Artillery became a Great Officer of the Crown an immediate subordinate of the King and was no longer under the command of the Constable. ''NOT UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE CONSTABLE:'' * The title " Lieutenant-general of the Realm" (''Lieutenant général du royaume'') was not a military rank, but a royal appointment. It was bestowed by the King of France during times of crisis (civil war, a severe illness of the King, war with other realms such as England etc.) on a royal prince of the blood of his choice; who thus became the Commanding general of the entire kingdom, in effect, with supreme command over the civil service, the army and even the ''Connétable de France'', until the moment the King chose to take back the supreme authority in his own hands.

Constables of France

Discontinuity in the dates for Constable tenure may be due to an incomplete record of governmental and episcopal acts or the temporary assumption of duties by other officials or unnamed deputies during transitional periods, but there is no evidence that the role of Grand Constable was ever fully vacated or unfilled. For example, Baldric de Dreux acquired a deadly infection, became a monk, and was miraculously healed, during which time either Baldric or the Seneschal appointed a deputy and Baldric resumed his lifelong service as Constable after recovering from his illness.

Constables of the Kings of France

During the Capétien dynasty

*Baldric de Dreux, 20 May 1043–1069 *Walter (Baldric's deputy), 1048 *Alberic (Baldric's deputy), 1060 *Gauthier, 1069–1071 *, 1071–1075 *Adam le Isle, 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 II le Grand, Baron de Montmorency (died 1231), 1218–1231 * Amaury de Montfort (died 1241), 1231–1240 * Humbert V de Beaujeu (died 1250), 1240–1250 * Gilles de Trasignies (died 1276), 1250–1276 *Humbert VI de Beaujeu (died 1285), 1277 * Raoul II de Clermont (died 1302), 1277–1302 * Gaucher V 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 Raoul II of Brienne (1315 – 19 November 1350) was the son of Raoul I of Brienne, Count of Eu and Guînes and Jeanne de Mello. He succeeded his father in 1344 as Count of Eu and Guînes, as well as in his post as Constable of France. In 1340, ...

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 Moreau de Fiennes (1308–1372), 1356–1370 * Bertrand du Guesclin (1320–1380), 1370–1380 * Olivier V de Clisson (1336–1407), 1380–1392 *

Philip of Artois, Count of Eu Philip of Artois (1358 – 16 June 1397), sometimes Philip I, son of John of Artois, Count of Eu, and Isabeau of Melun, was Count of Eu from 1387 until his death, succeeding his brother Robert. Philip was an ignoble and hotheaded soldier. ...

(1358–1397), 1392–1397 * Louis de Sancerre (1341–1402), 1397–1402 * Charles d'Albret, Comte de Dreux (died 1415– Agincourt), 1402–1411 * Waleran, Count of Saint Pol (died 1415), 1411–1413 * Charles d'Albret, Comte de Dreux (died 1415– Agincourt), 1413–1415 * Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac (died 1418), 1415–1418 * Charles II, Duke of Lorraine (1365–1431), 1418–1424 * John Stewart, Earl of Buchan (c. 1381–1424), 1424 * Arthur III, Duke of Brittany (1393–1458), 1425–? * Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-PolRichard Vaughan, ''Charles the Bold'', (Boydell Press, 2002) 250–251. (1418–1475), 1465–? * John II, Duke of Bourbon (1426–1488), 1483–1488

=English-appointed Constables

= * Humphrey Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham (1430) *

John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, 1st Earl of Waterford, 7th Baron Talbot, KG (17 July 1453), known as "Old Talbot" and "Terror of the French" was an English nobleman and a noted military commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was t ...

(1384/1390–1453), 1445–1453 (appointed by

Henry VI of England Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and 1470 to 1471, and English claims to the French throne, disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. The only child of Henry V of England, Henry V, he succeeded ...

in his position as king of France)

During the Valois-Angoulême dynasty

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

During the Bourbon dynasty

* Henri I de Montmorency (1534–1614), 1593–1614 * Charles d'Albert, 1st Duke of Luynes (1621), 1621 * François de Bonne, Duke of Lesdiguières (1543–1626), 1622–1626

First French Empire

During the

Consulate A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a ...

regime (1799–1804), the deposed Bourbon dynasty, through the Comte d'Artois, allegedly offered

Napoléon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

, at that time

First Consul The Consulate () was the top-level government of the First French Republic from the fall of the Directory in the coup of 18 Brumaire on 9 November 1799 until the start of the French Empire on 18 May 1804. During this period, Napoleon Bonap ...

of the Republic, the title of "Constable of France" if he would restore the Bourbons as

Kings of France France was ruled by monarchs from the establishment of the kingdom of West Francia in 843 until the end of the Second French Empire in 1870, with several interruptions. Classical French historiography usually regards Clovis I, king of the Fra ...

. Bonaparte declined the offer. However, in 1808, Emperor Napoléon I (since 1804) did himself appoint the Grand Dignitaries of the French Empire (''Grands Dignitaires de l'Empire Français''), among them his younger brother

Louis Bonaparte Louis Bonaparte (born Luigi Buonaparte; 2 September 1778 – 25 July 1846) was a younger brother of Napoleon, Napoleon I, Emperor of the French. He was a monarch in his own right from 1806 to 1810, ruling over the Kingdom of Holland (a French c ...

, (in 1806 King of Holland by decision of his brother) as Constable, and

Marshal of the Empire Marshal of the Empire () was a civil dignity during the First French Empire. It was established by on 18 May 1804 and to a large extent reinstated the formerly abolished title of Marshal of France. According to the ''Sénatus-consulte'', a Mar ...

Louis Alexandre Berthier, the

French Army The French Army, officially known as the Land Army (, , ), is the principal Army, land warfare force of France, and the largest component of the French Armed Forces; it is responsible to the Government of France, alongside the French Navy, Fren ...

Chief of Staff The title chief of staff (or head of staff) identifies the leader of a complex organization such as the armed forces, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a principal staff officer (PSO), who is the coordinator of the supportin ...

and Prince of

Neuchâtel Neuchâtel (, ; ; ) is a list of towns in Switzerland, town, a Municipalities of Switzerland, municipality, and the capital (political), capital of the cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Neuchâtel (canton), Neuchâtel on Lake Neuchâtel ...

as Vice-Constable. Both titles were of a purely honorific nature, and disappeared with the Napoleonic regime's fall.

Movies

'' If I Were King'', 1938, with François Villon (played by

Ronald Colman Ronald Charles Colman (9 February 1891 – 19 May 1958) was an English-born actor who started his career in theatre and silent film in his native country, then emigrated to the United States where he had a highly successful Cinema of the United ...

), who was appointed by

Louis XI Louis XI (3 July 1423 – 30 August 1483), called "Louis the Prudent" (), was King of France from 1461 to 1483. He succeeded his father, Charles VII. Louis entered into open rebellion against his father in a short-lived revolt known as the ...

(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 Charles VI (3 December 136821 October 1422), nicknamed the Beloved () and in the 19th century, the Mad ( or ''le Fou''), was King of France from 1380 until his death in 1422. He is known for his mental illness and psychosis, psychotic episodes t ...

and was killed in the

Battle of Agincourt The Battle of Agincourt ( ; ) was an English victory in the Hundred Years' War. It took place on 25 October 1415 (Saint Crispin's Day) near Azincourt, in northern France. The unexpected victory of the vastly outnumbered English troops agains ...

(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 Duke of York is a title of nobility in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. Since the 15th century, it has, when granted, usually been given to the second son of List of English monarchs, English (later List of British monarchs, British) monarchs ...

in the back in woodland away from the main battle.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Constable Of France Military history of France Offices in the Ancien Régime Military ranks of France Military history of the Ancien Régime Kingdom of France Constables 1627 disestablishments