Historical Research and Directions of French Royal Expansion in 16th — 17th Centuries

In the seventeenth century, the search for the “forgotten” rights of the king were an important aid in organizing French expansion, mainly in the eastern and northeastern directions. At the sovereign courts of Lorraine, Alsace and Franche-Comté “chambers of annexations” (chambres d’annexion) were created in 1680 to organize search for archival documents supporting royal claims to neighboring lands. The idea of creating special institutions engaged in the search for documents revealing the precedents of relations with other countries and forgotten rights, that French king had supposedly enjoyed in those parts, was expressed back during the reign of Henry II. In 1556, Raoul Spifame, a lawyer at the Paris Parliament, published a book consisting of fictitious royal decrees, of which many would be implemented in the future. Among other things he ordered, on behalf of the king, the creation of thirty chambers, each specializing in the search for documents in the “treasury of charters” relating to a particular province. He had determined the composition of these chambers, the procedure for work and the form of reporting, — all this in order to arm the king with knowledge of his forgotten rights and the content of antique treaties and agreements. The nomenclature of “provincial chambers” is especially interesting, from the Chambers of Scotland and England to the Chamber of Tunisia and Africa, as well as the Chamber of Portugal and the New Lands. Much more attention was attracted by those lands to which a century later the French expansion would be directed: Franche-Comté, Artois and Flanders, Lorraine, the Duchy of Cleves. But more than half of chambers specialized in the Italian lands. This is not surprising, since in the 1550s France was entering the climax of the Italian Wars. Under Henry II (1547—1559) one of the four secretaries of state, Jean du Thier, was the person responsible for the southwestern direction of French policy. There is reason to believe that Spifame was associated with du Thier or with other members of the king’s “reform headquarters”. The large-scale transformations already at work were interrupted by the unexpected death of Henry II and the subsequent Wars of Religion. But continuity was inherent in the “spirit of the laws” of the Ancien Régime, so Spifame was able to predict future developments, including the creation of “chambers of annexation”.

Keywords

France, Ancien Régime, expansion, foreign policy, archival research, chambres d’annexion, Raoul Spifame, Henry II, Jean du Thier, reforms, Italian Wars

Received

09.04.2021

Publication date

16.08.2021

Number of characters

37271

Cite

GOST	Uvarov P. Historical Research and Directions of French Royal Expansion in 16th — 17th Centuries // ISTORIYA – 2021. – V. 12. – Issue 7 (105) [Electronic resource]. URL: https://history.jes.su/S207987840015333-5-1 (circulation date: 19.05.2024). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840015333-5
MLA	Uvarov, Pavel "Historical Research and Directions of French Royal Expansion in 16th — 17th Centuries." ISTORIYA 12.7 (105) (2021) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840015333-5
APA	Uvarov P. (2021). Historical Research and Directions of French Royal Expansion in 16th — 17th Centuries. ISTORIYA 12(7 (105)) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840015333-5

100 rub.

When subscribing to an article or issue, the user can download PDF, evaluate the publication or contact the author. Need to register.

Number of purchasers: 0, views: 367

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Blyush F. Lyudovik XIV / per. s frants. L. D. Tarasenkovoj, O. D. Tarasenkova. M., 1998.

2. Dyuro Eh., Shvarts I., Shishkin V. V poiskakh soyuznikov: Poslanie Genrikha II Valua Ivanu IV Vasil'evichu // Quaestio Rossica. 2019. Vol. 7. № 3.

3. Malov V. N., Sharkova I. S. Kollektsiya Lamuan'ona (Arkhiv Zhana Dyut'e, gosudarstvennogo sekretarya Frantsii v 1547—1560 gg.). M., 1997.

4. Uvarov P. Contradictio in Contrarium. Self-organizing Social Structures through the Eyes of French Absolutism Advocates // ISTORIYA. 2016. Vol. 7. Issue 6 (50). URL: https://history.jes.su/s207987840001580-7-1/

5. Uvarov P. Yu. «Korolevskoe superintendantstvo nad vseyu Gallikanskoj tserkov'yu». Ob odnom maloizvestnom proekte vremen Genrikha II (1556) // Na puti k gosudarstvam Novogo vremeni: Zapad i Vostok Evropy v kontse XV—XVII vv. / otv. red. I. N. Bergovskaya, V. D. Nazarov, P. Yu. Uvarov. Kaluga, 2020.

6. Auffray J. Vues d’un politique du XVIe siècle sur la législation de son temps, également propres à réformer celle de nos jours... Amsterdam; P., 1775.

7. Bély L. L’Art de la paix en Europe: naissance de la diplomatie moderne, XVIe — XVIIIe siècle. P., 2007.

8. Brillon P. F. Dictionnaire des arrests ou jurisprudence universelle. P., 1727. T. 3.

9. Chiron P. Manuel de rhétorique ou Comment faire de l’élève un citoyen. P., 2018.

10. Chiron P., Sans B. Les Progymnasmata en pratique: de l’Antiquité à nos jours. P., 2020.

11. Claerr R. L’histoire d’une prise de décision: les édits des présidiaux (janvier et mars 1552) // La Prise de décision en France (1525—1559) / éd. P. Claerr, O. Poncet. P., 2008.

12. Defrance E. Histoire de l’éclairage des rues de Paris. P., 1904.

13. Estivals R. Le Dépôt légal sous l’Ancien régime de 1537 à 1791. P., 1961.

14. Fournel V. Paris nouvel et Paris future. P., 1868.

15. Gariel P. Discours de la gloire de la France sur l’estat present des affaires. Lyon, 1643.

16. Gresset M., Gresser P., Debard J.-M. Histoire de l’annexion de la Franche-Comté et du pays de Montbéliard. Le Coteau, 1988.

17. Heller H. Labour, Science and Technology in France, 1500—1620. Cambridge, 1998.

18. Jeanclos Y. Les projets de réforme judiciaire de Raoul Spifame. Genève, 1977.

19. Kriegel B. L’histoire à l’âge classique. P., 1996. Vol. 1—2.

20. Mathorez J. Un radical-socialiste sous Henri II: Raoul Spifame // Revue politique et parlementaire. 1914. T. 89.

21. Mémoires de Mathieu Molé, Procureur Général, Premier Président au Parlement de Paris et Garde des Sceaux de France: In 4 vols / éd. A. Champollion-Figeac. P., 1855. Vol. 1.

22. Nerval G. de. Le roi de Bicêtre (XVIe siècle): Raoul Spifame // Nerval G. de. Oeuvres. P., 1958.

23. Nys E. Raoul Spifame. Avocat au parlement de Paris // Revue de droit international et de légistlation comparée. 1890. T. 22.

24. Petitfils J.-C. Louis XIV. P., 2014.

25. Sainte-Marthe A. [II] de. Plaidoyez de Messire Nicolas de Corberon… avec les arrests intervenus sur ces plaidoyez. P., 1693.

26. Secousse D. F. Notice d’un livre singulier & rare intitulé ‘Dicaearchiae Henrici regis Christianissimi progymnasmata’ // Histoire de l’Académie royale des inscriptions et belles-lettres avec les mémoires de littérature tirés des registres de cette Académie, depuis l’année M.DCCXLIX, jusques & compris l’année M.DCCLI. P., 1756. T. 23.

27. [Radelpho Spifama poeta Gallo præconii huius authore] Dicaearchiae Henrici Regis Christianissimi Progymnasmata. [Paris], 1556.

28. Soubeyran B. Des “soldats des guerres diplomatiques”: les archivistes de Pierre Dupuy à Ludovico Muratori (XVIIe — début du XVIIIe siècle) // La guerre et la paix dans les sociétés des Suds: IVe journées d’études LLACS, Octobre 2016. Montpellier, [2016] [Ehlektronnyj resurs]. URL: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01404504v1 (data obrascheniya: 15.05.2021).