The
Maison du Roi (Household of the King) was the name
of the military, domestic and religious entourage (Royal Household) around the royal family in
France
during the "Ancien
Régime" and Bourbon
Restoration; the exact composition and duties of its various
divisions changed constantly over the Early Modern period. Officers of
the "Maison du Roi" were directly responsible to the "
Grand maître de France" (Chief
Steward), although, starting in the 16th century and then from the
17th century on, the "Maison du Roi" was overseen by a ministry,
the "Département de la Maison du Roi", directed by a secretary of
state, the "
Secrétaire d'État à la
Maison du Roi". The structure of the "Maison du Roi" was
officially ruglamentated under
Henry
III in
1578 and
1585;
and in the 17th century by
Jean-Baptiste Colbert.
The Military Maison du Roi
The military branch of the "Maison du Roi" was the
French Army Lifeguard brigade, made up of cavalry and
infantry units. Officer rank was only open to gentlemen, though
some of its units were drawn from elite troops among commoners in
the rest of the army. It was not ceremonial and participated in all
France's 16th and 17th century campaigns.
The Religious Maison du Roi
The Ecclesiastical Household of the king was headed by the
Grand Almoner of France ("Grand
aumônier of France) (created by
Francis I), most often a
bishop. The king's chapel ("la chapelle du roi") –
which did not originally refer to a building, but to the religious
entourage of the king – was in charge of the mass and religious
ceremonies (marriages, baptisms) for the sovereign and the royal
family, and the king's
alms and public
charities. It was headed by the Grand Almoner who was assisted by
the First Almoner, who fulfilled the duties of the Grand Almoner
when the latter was unable to. Other officers of the "Maison
ecclésiastique" included several "aumônier ordinaire" (who
maintained the regular service of the chapel), the "prédicateur du
roi" (or "king's preacher"), who preached in the presence of the
king, and the king's
confessor.
The royal chapel also included a group of ecclesiastics and
musicians for the religious services, divided into two sections:
the "chapel and oratory" ("chapelle et oratoire") – directed by the
master of the Oratory ("maître de l'Oratoire") – which performed
spoken masses, and the "grande chapelle" – directed by the master
of the chapel ("maître de la chapelle") – which performed masses in
plainchant. In the reign of
Louis XV, the musicians of the two
chapels were united, and oversight was eventually transferred (in
1761) from the Ecclestiastical household to the King's Chamber and
the position of "master of the chapel" was eliminated.
The Domestic Maison du Roi
The "Maison du Roi civile", or domestic entourage of the king was
divided into a number of departments, whose number varied over the
years. Under
Louis XIV it
consisted of 22 departments. Each department was directed by the
"grands officiers de la maison du roi de France" (a title similar
to, but not the same as, "grand officier de la couronne de
France"). From the 16th to the 17th centuries, the "Maison du Roi
civile" consisted of around 1000 - 2000 individuals.
The most important departments were the following :
The "Bouche du roi"
The largest of the departments, the "Bouche du roi" oversaw the
meals of the king. It was run by the "Premier Maître d'hôtel". The
seven offices of the department were:
- gobelet: wine and drink, run by the Grand Bouteiller
- cuisine-bouche: cuisine
- paneterie: bakers
- échansonnerie:
- cuisine-commun:
- fruiterie: fruits
- fourrière:
Officers included: the
Maître d'hôtel ordinaire, the 12
Maîtres d'hôtel servant par quartier, the
Grand panetier, the
Premier écuyer
tranchant and the
Grand échanson (three offices which
had become purely honorific in the Early Modern period), and the 36
gentleman servants, etc.
The King's Chamber
Directed by the
Grand
Chambrier of France or
Grand Chambellan of France, this
department oversaw the king's rooms and his personal escort. After
the "Bouche du roi", it was the second largest. It consist of 4
First Gentlemen of the chambre, the gentlemen of the chambre, the
valets de chambre, the
page, the
huissiers
and the children of honor. Their proximity to the king made these
charges particularly esteemed.
The "Menus-Plaisirs"
The complete name of this department was
argenterie, menus
plaisirs et affaires de la chambre du roi ("silver, small
entertainments and affairs of the king's chamber"). The
Menus-Plaisirs du Roi
was in charge of theater decor, costumes and props for plays,
ballets and other court entertainments. It was run by an
intendant.
The Ceremonies
Created in
1585 by
Henry III, this service was in charge of
public ceremonies such as:
baptisms,
marriages and royal funerals,
coronations and the "sacre" (or royal
christening), royal entries into towns, royal festivals,
ambassaderial receptions,
États
généraux, etc. It was run by the
Grand
maître des cérémonies, assisted by the
maître and the
aide of cérémonies.
The Royal Stables
Divided in
1582 into two parts :
- the "Grande Écurie", run by the Grand écuyer of France, called «
M. le Grand », who oversaw the transport of the king and his
ceremonial entourage (heralds, men of arms, musicians, etc.)
- the "Petite Écurie", run by the premier écuyer, called
« M. le Premier », comprising squires, pages, foot valets, coaches,
harnesses, saddles and coachmen.
The Venery
This was the king's hunting service, run by the
Grand Veneur (the Master of the Hunt and Royal
Game Warden), and consisting of the "vénerie" (hunting on
horseback), "louveterie" (the hunt of wolves run by the
Grand Louvetier),
falcon
hunting (run by the
Grand
Falconer) and the "vautrait" (
boar
hunt, run by the "Capitaine du vautrait" or "Capitaine des
toiles").
Great Officers of the Royal Household
The major offices of the royal household are sometimes listed as
the "grands officiers de la maison du roi de France", not to be
confused with the
Great Officers of the
Crown of France, with which it overlaps in part. Although lists
of the Great Officers vary, the following are generally considered
Great Officers of the Royal Household:
Domestic Household:
- * the First Maître d'hôtel (Chief Butler) - overseeing the
king's table and the "bouches du roi".
- ;* the Grand Panetier of France,
overseeing bread.
- :* the Grand Échanson de
France, overseeing wine.
- :* the First "Écuyer tranchant", who cuts the meat of the
king.
- * the Grand Chambrier of
France or the Grand
Chambellan of France, head of the King's chambre, (also one of
the Great Officers
of the Crown of France).
- :*the four "First gentlemen of the King's Chamber", who oversee
the King's chambre.
- :*the four "First Valets of the King's Chamber", who oversee,
under the direction of the first gentlment, the King's
chambre.
- * the Grand Maître de la garde-robe, oversees the King's
wardrobe..
- *the Grand Écuyer de
France, the head stablemaster, (also one of the Great Officers of the
Crown of France).
- :* the first écuyer de France seconds the Grand écuyer.
- * the Grand Huntsman of
France ("Grand Veneur"), directs royal hunts, especially the
stag hunt.
- * the Grand Falconer of
France, direct royal hunts using birds
of prey.
- * the Grand Louvetier of
France, direct royal hunts of wolves and boar.
- * the Grand Master of
Ceremonies of France ("grand maître des cérémonies"), directs
court ceremonies and protocol.
- * the Grand Marshal of lodging ("maréchal des logis"), oversees
lodging of the king, of the court and of the royal household.
- * the Grand Provost of France, heads the court police, and for
this purpose has jurisdiction over the military troops of the
Maison du roi.
- * the Grand Almoner of
France, at the head of the royal chapel and the head of the
"Ecclesiastical House of the King (the "maison ecclésiastique du
roi de France").
- :*the first Almoner of France who aids the Grand Almoner.
Military Household:
- Captain of the bodyguard.
- Captain-colonel of the Cent-Suisses
- Colonel General of the
Suisses et Grisons
- Captain-colonel of the guards of the king's door.
- Captain-lieutenant of the gendarmes of the guard
- Captain-lieutenant of the chevau-légers (light cavalry) of the guard
- Colonel General of the
Musketeers of the guard
- :Captain-lieutenant of the first company of the Musketeers of
the guard
- :Captain-lieutenant of the first company of the Musketeers of
the guard
- Captain-lieutenant of the grenadiers à cheval of the guard
The Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi
Starting in the 16th century and then from the 17th century on, the
"Maison du Roi" was overseen by a ministry, the "Département de la
Maison du Roi", directed by a secretary of state, the "Secrétaire
d'État à la Maison du Roi", although this oversight was purely
formal, as the officers of the "Maison du Roi" were under the
direct authority of the
Grand maître de France (Chief
Steward of France). Moreover, in practice, the military branch of
the Maison du Roi was run by the Minister of War. The "Secrétaire
d'État à la Maison du Roi" was however in charge of recruiting
officers for the "Maison du Roi", and would receive prospective
applications for posts and submit them to the king for his
approval.
References
- This article is based, in part, on the articles Maison du roi, Grand office de
la maison du roi de France and Maison
ecclésiastique du roi de France from the French Wikipedia, retrieved on August 11,
September 1 and September 9 2006 (respectively).
- Bernard Barbiche, Les institutions de la monarchie
française à l'époque moderne, XVIe - XVIIIe siècle, Paris :
PUF, 1999, 2nd edition. 2001.
- Père Anselme de Sainte-Marie (o.c.m.), Histoire
généalogique et chronologique de la Maison royale de France, des
pairs et grands officiers de la Couronne et de la Maison du
Roi, Compagnie des Libraires associés, 1737.
- Jean-François Solnon, art. « Maison du roi », Dictionnaire
du Grand Siècle, s. dir, François Bluche, Fayard, 1990.
- Louis Susane, Histoire de la cavalerie française (3
vols). Reprinted C. Terana, Paris, 1984. ISBN
2-904221-03-4.
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