Great Officers of the Crown of France

The Great Officers of the Crown were appointed by the King of France and there were seven all told. There was no prime minister but there was a Chief Minister at times. A similar list called the Great Dignitaries of the Empire was made by Napoleon with these positions being, usually, an honorific.

Related Topics:
King of France - Napoleon

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• The Constable of France (1060 - 1626) was the First Officer of the Crown and commanded the Army and was responsible for the Chivalry.
• Marshal of France and later Marshal of the Empire, (1190 - 1967), alternated between being junior to and then senior to the Constable of France.
• Maréchal de Nord - Marshal of the North
• Maréchal de Sud - Marshal of the South
• Lieutenant-General A regional commander of the army who served at the King's discretion.
• Admiral of France, Runs the French Navy.
• Port OriFlamme, Carried the Royal Standard in battle. A very prestigious position.
• Grand Master of Crossbowmen (grand maitre de Arbelestries)
• Grand Master of Artillery (grand maitre de l'Artillerie)
• Chancellor (chancellier), ran the government
• Grand Chamberlain, in charge of justice, finance, weights and measures.
• Grand Bouteiller, master of ceremonies, judgements of nobility, royal table and wine cellars.
• Chambrier, runs Paris
• Grand Panetier, supervises the city bakeries.
• Grand Veneur, the Royal Game Warden,
• Grand Maitre de Eaux et Forests; charge of the waters and forests.
• Grand Maitre de France, head of the Royal Household
• Grand Aumonnier de France, head of the chapel royal
• Grand Master of Horse (Grand Ecuyer)
• Grand Fauconnier (Grand Falconer), master of the hunt and hunting lodges.
• Grand Queux, the Royal Cook
• Senechaux and Baillis of Crown Properties.
• Seneschal de Nord
• Seneschal de Sud
• Lieutenant-General of the Realm, a viceroy, who oversees all Royal business in a region and reports directly to the king.

See Also:

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• Great Officer of State
• Heraldica
• French heraldry site
• Les officiers de la Maison du Roi et le cérémonial public de Henri III à Louis XVI