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Constable of France

The Constable of France (connétable de France, from Latin comes stabuli for "count of the stables"), as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France (along with seneschal, chamberlain, butler, and chancellor) and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King. He was also responsible for military justice and served to regulate the Chivalry. His jurisdiction was called the connestablie. The office was established by King Philip I in 1060 with Alberic becoming the first Constable. The office was abolished in 1627 in accordance with the Edict of January 1627 by Cardinal Richelieu, upon the death of Francois de Bonne, duc de Lesdiguières, after his conversion from Protestantism to Catholicism in 1622. The position was replaced by the Dean of Marshals (Doyen des maréchaux), in reality the most senior Marshal of France in a strictly ceremonial role. A few constables died in battle or were executed for treason, mostly for political intrigue.

Badge of Office

The badge of office was a highly elaborate sword called the "Royal Sword" (Fr. 'de Charlemagne') surnamed "Joyous". This sword dated from the 1300s and was contained in a blue scabbard embellished with fleur-de-lis in column from hilt to point. Traditionally, the constable was presented with the sword on taking his office.

Persons Subordinate to the Constable of France

Maréchaux de France

Colonel-general - a special position in the French army, which commands all the regiments of the same branch of service (ie. infantry, cavalry, Dragoons,...)
Lieutenant-general - the highest general rank of the French army
Maréchal de camp (Field Marshall) - the lowest general rank

Porte-Oriflamme - a very prestigious position, though unofficial, which carries the royal banner in battle.
Grand Master of Archers (Grand-Maître des Arbalétriers - commander of the crossbow-men)
Grand Master of Artillery (Grand-Maître de l'artillerie). From the beginning of the XVII century, the Grand Master of the Artillery became a Great Officer of the Crown and was no longer subordinate to the Constable.
Lieutenant-general of the Realm - Occasionally appointed and served as a pseudo-viceroy to oversee royal business in a region and served directly under the King.

Constables of France

Note that there are gaps in the dates as the position was not always filled following the demise of its occupant.

Constables of the Kings of France, 1060–1626

Alberic 1060–1065
Balberic 1065–1069
Gauthier 1069–1071
Adelelme 1071–1075
Adam 1075–1085
Thibaut, Seigneur de Montmorency 1085–1107
Gaston de Chanmont 1107–1108
Hugues le Borgne de Chanmont 1108–1135
Mathieu de Montmorency (d1160) 1138–?
Simon de Neauphle-le-Chateau 1165–?
Raoul de Clermont (died 1191) 1174–1194
Dreux IV de Mello (1148–1218) 1194–1218
Mathieu I LeGrand Baron de Montmorency (died 1231) 1218–1231
Amaury VI de Montfort (died 1249) 1231–1240
Humbert V de Beaujeu (died 1250) 1240–1248
Gilles II de Trasignies (died 1275) 1248–1277
Humbert VI de Beaujeu (died 1285) 1277
Raoul II de Clermin (died 1302) 1277–1307
Gaucher de Chatillon (1249–1329) 1307–1329
Raoul I of Brienne, Count of Eu and Guînes (d. 1344) 1329–1344
Raoul II of Brienne, Count of Eu and Guînes (executed for treason 1350) 1344–1350, a POW in England after his capture in 1346, executed immediately on his return to Paris.
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, killed in the Battle of Poitiers) 1356
Robert Morean de Fiennes (1308–1372) 1356–1370
Bertrand du Guesclin (1320–1380) 1370–1380
Olivier IV de Clisson (1336–1407) 1380–1392
Philip of Artois, Count of Eu (1358–1397) 1392–1397
Louis de Sancerre (1341–1402) 1397–1402
Charles d'Albret, Comte de Dreux (died 1415, killed in the Battle of Agincourt) served twice: 1402–1411 and 1413–1415
Waleran, Count of Saint Pol (died 1413) 1411–1413
Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac (died 1418) 1415–1418
Charles II, Duke of Lorraine (1365–1431) 1418–1425
John Stewart, 2nd Earl of Buchan (b.circa 1381– died at the Battle of Verneuil 1424) served 1424
Arthur III, Duke of Brittany (Arthur de Richemont)(1393–1458) 1425–?
Louis de Luxembourg, Count of Saint-Pol (1418–1475) 1465–?
Jean II le Bon de Bourbon (1426–1488) 1483
Charles III, 8th duc de Bourbon (1490–1527, killed during the Sack of Rome). 1518–1523
Anne de Montmorency, Grand Maitre de France (1492–1567, killed in the Battle of Saint-Denis) 1538–1567
Henri I de Montmorency (1570–1621) 1593–1621
François de Bonne, duc de Lesdiguières, Marechal de France (1543–1636) 1622–1626 The last constable.

Henry VI of England, who claimed the throne of France, appointed John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury as Constable in 1445.

First Empire

Allegedly, the Bourbon family, through the Comte d'Artois, offered Napoleon Bonaparte, as First Consul, the title of Constable of France if he would restore the Bourbons as kings of France. In 1808, Napoleon also appointed the Grand Dignitaries of the French Empire (Grands dignitaires de l'Empire Français). In doing this he appointed as Constable his younger brother Louis Bonaparte, King of Holland, and as Vice-Constable, Marshal of the Empire Louis Alexandre Berthier, the French Army Chief of staff and Prince of Neuchatel. Both titles were strictly honorific.

Movies

If I Were King, 1938, with Francois Villon (played by Ronald Colman), who was appointed by Louis XI, King of France (played by Basil Rathbone) to be Constable of France for one week.

Henry V, with Charles d'Albret, Comte de Dreux (played by Richard Easton), who was appointed by Charles VI of France, (played by Paul Scofield), killed in the Battle of Agincourt (1415) in one of the major scenes in the movie, depicted as falling from his horse into the mud (historical tradition holds he was drowned in the mud due to the weight of his armor, disabled by having his horse fall on him).