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 The Great Officers of the Crown of France () were the most important officers of state in the French royal court during the ''Ancien Régime'' and Bourbon Restoration. They were appointed by the King of France, with all but the Keeper of the S ...

and a member of the

Maison du Roi The Maison du Roi (, 'King's Household') was the royal household of the King of France. It comprised the military, domestic, and religious entourage of the French royal family during the Ancien Régime and Bourbon Restoration in France, Bourbon R ...

("King's Household") during the

Ancien Régime ''Ancien'' may refer to * the French word for " ancient, old" ** Société des anciens textes français * the French for "former, senior" ** Virelai ancien ** Ancien Régime ** Ancien Régime in France {{disambig ...

. The name "écuyer", the

French French may refer to: * Something of, from, or related to France ** French language, which originated in France ** French people, a nation and ethnic group ** French cuisine, cooking traditions and practices Arts and media * The French (band), ...

word for

squire In the Middle Ages, a squire was the shield- or armour-bearer of a knight. Boys served a knight as an attendant, doing simple but important tasks such as saddling a horse or caring for the knight's weapons and armour. Terminology ''Squire'' ...

, is the origin for the French word "écurie" (

stable A stable is a building in which working animals are kept, especially horses or oxen. The building is usually divided into stalls, and may include storage for equipment and feed. Styles There are many different types of stables in use tod ...

) and the English word

equerry An equerry (; from French language, French 'stable', and related to 'squire') 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 attend ...

. The position was roughly equivalent to the United Kingdom positions of

Master of the Horse Master of the Horse is an official position in several European nations. It was more common when most countries in Europe were monarchies, and is of varying prominence today. (ancient Rome) The original Master of the Horse () in the Roman Rep ...

and the

Crown Equerry The Crown Equerry is the operational head of the Royal Mews of the Royal Household of the Monarch, Sovereign of the United Kingdom. As executive head of the Royal Mews Department, he is responsible for the provision of vehicular transport for the ...

. 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 ''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...

, also the charge of the funds set aside for the religious functions of the court,

coronation A coronation ceremony marks the formal investiture of a monarch with regal power using a crown. In addition to the crowning, this ceremony may include the presentation of other items of regalia, and other rituals such as the taking of special v ...

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 (Louis-Auguste; ; 23 August 1754 – 21 January 1793) was the last king of France before the fall of the monarchy during the French Revolution. The son of Louis, Dauphin of France (1729–1765), Louis, Dauphin of France (son and heir- ...

. Under

Louis XVIII Louis XVIII (Louis Stanislas Xavier; 17 November 1755 – 16 September 1824), known as the Desired (), was King of France from 1814 to 1824, except for a brief interruption during the Hundred Days in 1815. Before his reign, he spent 23 y ...

and

Charles X Charles X may refer to: * Charles X of France (1757–1836) * Charles X Gustav (1622–1660), King of Sweden * Charles, Cardinal de Bourbon (1523–1590), recognized as Charles X of France but renounced the royal title See also * * King Charle ...

the duties were discharged by the first equerry, but under

Napoleon I Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

and

Napoleon III Napoleon III (Charles-Louis Napoléon Bonaparte; 20 April 18089 January 1873) was President of France from 1848 to 1852 and then Emperor of the French from 1852 until his deposition in 1870. He was the first president, second emperor, and last ...

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. From 1643 to the French Revolution, the Grand Écuyer was chosen from the

house of Lorraine The House of Lorraine () originated as a cadet branch of the House of Metz. It inherited the Duchy of Lorraine in 1473 after the death without a male heir of Nicholas I, Duke of Lorraine. By the marriage of Francis of Lorraine to Maria Ther ...

List of Grands Écuyers of France

*1470-1483: Alain Goyon, seigneur de Villiers, de Thieuville, du Mesnilgarnier *1483-1505: Pierre II d'Urfé (v.1430-1508), seigneur d'Urfé *1505-1525:

Galeazzo Sanseverino Galeazzo da Sanseverino (French: Galéas de Saint-Séverin'), known as the ''son of Fortuna'', (c. 1460 – 24 February 1525) was an Italian-French condottiere and Grand Écuyer de France; Marquis of Bobbio, Count of Caiazzo, Castel San Giovanni ...

, comte de Caiazzo *1526–1546: Jacques de Genouillac (Galiot de Genouillac), Seigneur of Assier *1546-1570: Claude Gouffier, duc de Roannais *1570-1597: Léonor Chabot, comte de Charny et de Buzançais *1597-1605:

Charles I, Duke of Elbeuf Charles I de Lorraine, duc d'Elbeuf (Joinville, 18 October 1556 – Moulins, 4 August 1605) was a French noble, military commander and governor during the French Wars of Religion. The son of the most minor cadet house of the children of Claude, D ...

*1605–1611: Roger de Saint-Lary, Duke of Bellegarde, 1st term *1611–1621: César-Auguste de Saint-Lary, Baron of Termes *1621–1639: Roger de Saint-Lary, Duke of Bellegarde, 2nd term *1639–1642: Henri de Coëffier de Ruzé d'Effiat, Marquis of Cinq-Mars *1642–1658:

Henri de Lorraine, Count of Harcourt Henri de Lorraine (20 March 1601 – 25 July 1666, Royaumont Abbey), known as ''Cadet la Perle'', was a French nobleman. He was count of Harcourt, count of Armagnac, count of Brionne and viscount of Marsan. He was the younger son of Charle ...

*1666–1677: Louis de Lorraine, Count of Armagnac *1677–1718: Henri de Lorraine, Count of Brionne *1718–1752:

Charles de Lorraine, Count of Armagnac Charles de Lorraine (22 February 1684 – 29 December 1751) was a member of the House of Guise, a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine. Succeeding his father as the Count of Armagnac, he also succeeded as Count of Brionne as well as the Grand S ...

("le prince Charles") *1752–1761:

Louis Charles de Lorraine, Count of Brionne Louis of Lorraine (Louis Charles; 10 September 1725 – 28 June 1761) was a member of the House of Guise, a cadet branch of the House of Lorraine. He married three times and through his daughter, is an ancestor of the present House of Savoy. He w ...

*1761–1790:

Charles Eugène de Lorraine, Prince of Lambesc Prince Charles Eugène of Lorraine-Brionne, Duke of Elbeuf (25 September 1751 – 2 November 1825) was the head of and last male member of the House of Guise, the cadet branch of the House of Lorraine which dominated France during the Wars of R ...

Grand écuyer de l'Empereur

Under the

First French Empire The First French Empire or French Empire (; ), also known as Napoleonic France, was the empire ruled by Napoleon Bonaparte, who established French hegemony over much of continental Europe at the beginning of the 19th century. It lasted from ...

, the title was bestowed on Armand-Augustin-Louis de Caulaincourt in June 1804.

References

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External links

Great Officers of the Crown
Court titles in the Ancien Régime Horse history and evolution 1526 establishments in France