Grand Squire of France
Encyclopedia
The Grand Écuyer de France or Grand Squire of France or Grand Equerry of France was one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France
and a member of the Maison du Roi
("King's Household") during the Ancien Régime. The name "écuyer", the French
word for squire
, is the origin for the French word "écurie" (stable
) and the English word equerry
. The position was roughly equivalent to the United Kingdom positions of Master of the Horse
and the Crown Equerry
.
The position of Grand Écuyer was made an Officer of the Crown by Henri III for the benefit of his favorite Roger de Saint-Lary de Bellegarde.
The Grand Écuyer was commonly referred to as "Monsieur le Grand". He was in charge of the royal stables, the transport of the king and his ceremonial entourage (heralds, men of arms, musicians, etc.). As well as the superintendence of the royal stables, he had that of the retinue of the sovereign, also the charge of the funds set aside for the religious functions of the court, coronation
s, etc. On the death of a sovereign he had the right to all the horses and their equipment in the royal stables. He oversaw personally the "Great Stable" ("grande écurie"). The authority of the Grand Écuyer also extended across the realm, as he oversaw horse breeding and provincial military academies created to educate young nobles.
Distinct from this officer and independent of him, was the first equerry ("Premier Écuyer de France"), who had charge of the horses which the sovereign used personally (the "Little Stable" or "petite écurie"), and who attended on him when he rode out.
The office of Grand Squire existed down to the reign of Louis XVI
. Under Louis XVIII
and Charles X
the duties were discharged by the first equerry, but under Napoleon I
and Napoleon III
the office was revived with much of its old importance.
The Grand Écuyer had the privilege of bearing the king's sword in ceremonies outside of royal residences.
From1643 to the French Revolution
, the Grand Écuyer was chosen from the house of Lorraine
.
Great Officers of the Crown of France
The Great Officers of the Crown of France, known as the Grand Dignitaries of the Empire during the French Empire, were the most important officers of state of the royal court in France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration. They were appointed by the French monarch, with all but the...
and a member of the Maison du Roi
Maison du Roi
The Maison du Roi was the name of the military, domestic and religious entourage 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...
("King's Household") during the Ancien Régime. The name "écuyer", the French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
word for squire
Squire
The English word squire is a shortened version of the word Esquire, from the Old French , itself derived from the Late Latin , in medieval or Old English a scutifer. The Classical Latin equivalent was , "arms bearer"...
, is the origin for the French word "écurie" (stable
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
) and the English word equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
. The position was roughly equivalent to the United Kingdom positions of Master of the Horse
Master of the Horse
The Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...
and the Crown Equerry
Crown Equerry
The Crown Equerry is the operational head of the Royal Mews of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He is responsible for the provision of vehicular transport for the Sovereign, both cars and horse-drawn carriages...
.
The position of Grand Écuyer was made an Officer of the Crown by Henri III for the benefit of his favorite Roger de Saint-Lary de Bellegarde.
The Grand Écuyer was commonly referred to as "Monsieur le Grand". He was in charge of the royal stables, the transport of the king and his ceremonial entourage (heralds, men of arms, musicians, etc.). As well as the superintendence of the royal stables, he had that of the retinue of the sovereign, also the charge of the funds set aside for the religious functions of the court, coronation
Coronation
A coronation is a ceremony marking the formal investiture of a monarch and/or their consort with regal power, usually involving the placement of a crown upon their head and the presentation of other items of regalia...
s, etc. On the death of a sovereign he had the right to all the horses and their equipment in the royal stables. He oversaw personally the "Great Stable" ("grande écurie"). The authority of the Grand Écuyer also extended across the realm, as he oversaw horse breeding and provincial military academies created to educate young nobles.
Distinct from this officer and independent of him, was the first equerry ("Premier Écuyer de France"), who had charge of the horses which the sovereign used personally (the "Little Stable" or "petite écurie"), and who attended on him when he rode out.
The office of Grand Squire existed down to the reign of Louis XVI
Louis XVI of France
Louis XVI was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and Navarre until 1791, and then as King of the French from 1791 to 1792, before being executed in 1793....
. Under Louis XVIII
Louis XVIII of France
Louis XVIII , known as "the Unavoidable", was King of France and of Navarre from 1814 to 1824, omitting the Hundred Days in 1815...
and Charles X
Charles X of France
Charles X was known for most of his life as the Comte d'Artois before he reigned as King of France and of Navarre from 16 September 1824 until 2 August 1830. A younger brother to Kings Louis XVI and Louis XVIII, he supported the latter in exile and eventually succeeded him...
the duties were discharged by the first equerry, but under Napoleon I
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
and Napoleon III
Napoleon III of France
Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte was the President of the French Second Republic and as Napoleon III, the ruler of the Second French Empire. He was the nephew and heir of Napoleon I, christened as Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte...
the office was revived with much of its old importance.
The Grand Écuyer had the privilege of bearing the king's sword in ceremonies outside of royal residences.
From1643 to the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, the Grand Écuyer was chosen from the house of Lorraine
Dukes of Lorraine family tree
This is a family tree of the House of Lorraine. It ranges from the foundation of the Longwy dynasty, in 1047, to the abdication of Francis III of Lorraine in 1737.See also: Lorraine...
.
List of Grands Écuyers of France
- 1526-1546: Jacques de Genouillac (Galiot de Genouillac), Seigneur of Assier
- 1595-1611: Roger de Saint-Lary, Duke of Bellegarde
- 1611-1621: César-Auguste de Saint-Lary, Baron of Termes
- 1621-1639: Roger de Saint-Lary, Duke of Bellegarde
- 1639-1643: Henri de Coëffier de Ruzé d'Effiat, Marquis of Cinq-MarsHenri Coiffier de Ruzé, Marquis of Cinq-MarsHenri Coiffier de Ruzé, Marquis de Cinq-Mars was a favourite of King Louis XIII of France who led the last and most nearly successful of the many conspiracies against the king's powerful first minister, the Cardinal Richelieu....
- 1643-1658: Henri de Lorraine, Count of HarcourtHenri de Lorraine, count of HarcourtHenri de Lorraine , known as Cadet la Perle, was a French nobleman. He was count of Harcourt, count of Armagnac, count of Brionne and viscount of Marsan...
- 1666-1677: Louis de Lorraine, Count of ArmagnacLouis, Count of ArmagnacLouis of Lorraine was the Count of Armagnac from his father's death in 1666. The Grand Squire of France, he was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Guise, itself a cadet branch of the sovereign House of Lorraine...
- 1677-1718: Henri de Lorraine, Count of BrionneHenri, Count of BrionneHenri of Lorraine was the Count of Brionne. He was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine and the Grand Squire of France.-Biography:...
- 1718-1752: Charles de Lorraine, Count of Armagnac ("le prince Charles")
- 1752-1761: Louis Charles de Lorraine, Count of Brionne
- 1761-1790: Charles Eugène de Lorraine, Prince of Lambesc
See also
- Great Officers of the Crown of FranceGreat Officers of the Crown of FranceThe Great Officers of the Crown of France, known as the Grand Dignitaries of the Empire during the French Empire, were the most important officers of state of the royal court in France during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration. They were appointed by the French monarch, with all but the...
- Maison du RoiMaison du RoiThe Maison du Roi was the name of the military, domestic and religious entourage 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...
- Master of the HorseMaster of the HorseThe Master of the Horse was a position of varying importance in several European nations.-Magister Equitum :...
- EquerryEquerryAn equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...