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Constable Of France





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.


PERSONS SUBORDINATE TO THE CONSTABLE OF FRANCE

  • ''Maréchaux de France''

  • --- Colonel-general - a special position in the French army, which commands all the Regiment s 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 Archer s)

  • Grand Master of the Artillery (''Grand-Maître de l'artillerie''). From the beginnig 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


Constables of the Kings of France, 1060–1626


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 (''gran 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.


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