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Vidame () was a
feudal Feudalism, also known as the feudal system, was a combination of legal, economic, military, cultural, and political customs that flourished in Middle Ages, medieval Europe from the 9th to 15th centuries. Broadly defined, it was a way of struc ...
title in
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
, a term descended from mediaeval Latin . Like the ''avoué'' or ''
advocatus An , sometimes simply advocate, (German, ), or (French, ), was a type of medieval office holder, particularly important in the Holy Roman Empire, who was delegated some of the powers and functions of a major feudal lord, or for an institutio ...
'', the ''vidame'' was originally a secular official chosen by the
bishop A bishop is an ordained member of the clergy who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance and administration of di ...
of the
diocese In Ecclesiastical polity, church governance, a diocese or bishopric is the ecclesiastical district under the jurisdiction of a bishop. History In the later organization of the Roman Empire, the increasingly subdivided Roman province, prov ...
—with the consent of the
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: ...
—to perform functions on behalf of the church's earthly interest 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- dominus'' was at the outset an ecclesiastical official, who acted as the bishop's lieutenant (''
locum tenens A locum, or locum tenens, is a person who temporarily fulfills the duties of another; the term is especially used for physicians or clergy. For example, a ''locum tenens physician'' is a physician who works in the place of the regular physician. ...
'') or
vicar A vicar (; Latin: '' vicarius'') is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior (compare "vicarious" in the sense of "at second hand"). Linguistically, ''vicar'' is cognate with the English p ...
. But the causes that changed the character of the ''advocatus'' operated also in the case of the ''vidame''. The title of Vidame de Chartres is much the best known, having been held by several people distinguished in various fields and known by the title. 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
Carolingian The Carolingian dynasty ( ; known variously as the Carlovingians, Carolingus, Carolings, Karolinger or Karlings) was a Frankish noble family named after Charles Martel and his grandson Charlemagne, descendants of the Arnulfing and Pippinid c ...
epoch, ''advocatus'' and ''vice-dominus'' were interchangeable terms; and it was only in the 11th century that they became generally differentiated: the title of being commonly reserved for a noble charged with the protection of an
abbey An abbey is a type of monastery used by members of a religious order under the governance of an abbot or abbess. Abbeys provide a complex of buildings and land for religious activities, work, and housing of Christians, Christian monks and nun ...
, that of ''vidame'' for one guarding an
episcopal see An episcopal see is the area of a bishop's ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Phrases concerning actions occurring within or outside an episcopal see are indicative of the geographical significance of the term, making it synonymous with ''diocese'' ...
. 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 Baron is a rank of nobility or title of honour, often Hereditary title, hereditary, in various European countries, either current or historical. The female equivalent is baroness. Typically, the title denotes an aristocrat who ranks higher than ...
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. 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
seigneury A seigneur () or lord is an originally feudal system, feudal title in Ancien Régime, France before the French Revolution, Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. The seigneur owne ...
. Thus, the ''vidame'' de Picquigny was the representative of the Bishop of Amiens, the ''vidame'' de Gerberoy of the Bishop of Beauvais (since King
Philip Augustus Philip II (21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), also known as Philip Augustus (), was King of France from 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of the Franks (Latin: ''rex Francorum''), but from 1190 onward, Philip became the firs ...
himself was a '' pair de France'', i.e.
peer of the realm A peer of the realm is a member of the highest aristocratic social order outside the ruling dynasty of the kingdom. Notable examples are: * a member of the peerages in the United Kingdom, who is a hereditary peer or a life peer * a member of the ...
). In many sees there was no ''vidame'', the functions being exercised by a
viscount A viscount ( , for male) or viscountess (, for female) is a title used in certain European countries for a noble of varying status. The status and any domain held by a viscount is a viscounty. In the case of French viscounts, the title is ...
or a ''
châtelain Châtelain was originally the French title for the keeper of a castle.Abraham Rees Ebers, "CASTELLAIN", in: The Cyclopædia, or Universal Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Literature' (London: Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme & Brown, 1819), vol. 6. H ...
''. 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.


See also

* Visdomino of Ferrara


Notes


References

{{Reflist *''Nouveau Larousse Illustré'' (undated, early 20th century; in French) Christianity in the Middle Ages Catholic ecclesiastical titles Feudalism in France History of Christianity in France Noble titles