How Easy Is It to Eliminate an Office? Royal Edicts on the Elimination of Offices (France, Later 16th Century)

During the Ancient regime in France, the selling of offices (vénalité des offices) was one of the important sources to replenish the royal coffers. Despite the advantage of this practice for both the Crown and office-holders (the prestige of a regal employment, a salary or payment for services, social mobility, etc.), the selling of offices was always criticized by society. The deputies of the States General held during the later 16th century demanded to cease the selling of new offices, cut down the number of officials, and eliminate unnecessary positions and jurisdictions. That time can be considered as a ‘field of compromises’, as kings were not yet ready to relinquish the profit they were getting from the sale of offices but displayed willingness to implement some reforms. Although it was a king’s right to create new offices and eliminate the old ones, the only way to reduce the number of offices was to eliminate the vacant ones, i.e., those whose holders had died, otherwise the king would have to reimburse the owners. The analysis of acts and other decrees concerning the elimination of offices which were distinguished in the legislation of King Henry III Valois demonstrates that neither office-holders (owners of offices), nor the Crown were, in fact, interested in the elimination of offices. Some edicts concerning the elimination of offices were later cancelled.

Keywords

France, 16th century, Henry III Valois, royal offices, officers, vénalité des offices, annulment of offices, legislative acts

Received

18.04.2023

Publication date

05.10.2023

Number of characters

26248

Cite

GOST	Altukhova N. How Easy Is It to Eliminate an Office? Royal Edicts on the Elimination of Offices (France, Later 16th Century) // ISTORIYA – 2023. – V. 14. – Issue 8 (130) [Electronic resource]. URL: https://history.jes.su/S207987840027853-7-1 (circulation date: 30.06.2024). DOI: 10.18254/S207987840027853-7
MLA	Altukhova, Natalia "How Easy Is It to Eliminate an Office? Royal Edicts on the Elimination of Offices (France, Later 16th Century)." ISTORIYA 14.8 (130) (2023) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840027853-7
APA	Altukhova N. (2023). How Easy Is It to Eliminate an Office? Royal Edicts on the Elimination of Offices (France, Later 16th Century). ISTORIYA 14(8 (130)) DOI: 10.18254/S207987840027853-7

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: 58

Readers community rating: votes 0

1. Altukhova N. Offices in the Reflection of the Legislative Acts of Henry II (1574—1589): All for Sale? // ISTORIYA. 2019. Vol. 10. Issue 10 (84). URL: https://history.jes.su/s207987840007971-7-1/ DOI: 10.18254/S207987840007971-7

2. Altukhova N. I. «Zapretit' nel'zya ostavit'»: obsuzhdenie praktiki prodazhi dolzhnostej na General'nykh Shtatakh vtoroj poloviny XVI v. // Srednie veka. 2018. Vyp. 79 (2). S. 39—67.

3. Altukhova N. I. Prodazha dolzhnostej vo Frantsii v svete «Inventarya kvitantsij na dolzhnosti» 1578 g. // Srednie veka. 2008. Vyp. 69 (2). S. 59—76.

4. Tsaturova S. K. Korol' Frantsii i ego chinovniki (Svoeobrazie realizatsii printsipa absolyutnoj vlasti Quod principi placuit) // Frantsuzskij ezhegodnik. 2005: Absolyutizm vo Frantsii: K 100-letiyu B. F. Porshneva. M., 2005. S. 129—149.

5. Tsaturova S. K. Formirovanie instituta gosudarstvennoj sluzhby vo Frantsii XIII—XV vekov. M., 2012.

6. Catalogue général des livres imprimés de la Bibliothèque Nationale: Actes royaux. Paris, 1910. T. 1: Depuis l’origine jusqu’à Henri IV.

7. Daubresse S. Le Parlement de Paris ou la voix de la raison (1559—1589). Genève, 2005.

8. Descimon R. La vénalité des offices comme dette publique sous l’Ancien Régime français. Le bien commun au pays des intérêts privés // La dette publique dans l’histoire / sous la dir. de J. Andreau, G. Béaur, J.-Y. Grenier. Paris, 2006. P. 172—242.

9. Doucet R. Les institutions de la France au XVIe siècle. P., 1948. Vol. 1.

10. L’Estoile P. de. Registre-journal du règne de Henri III / éd. M. Lazard, G. Schrenk. Genève, 2000. T. 4.

11. Hamon Ph. L’argent du roi: Les finances sous François Ier. P., 1994.

12. Jacqueton G. Le trésor de l’Epargne sous François Ier // Revue historique. 1894. Vol. 55. P. 1—43; Vol. 56. P. 1—38.

13. Loyseau Ch. Cinq livres du droit des offices. P., 1614.

14. Nagle J. Un orgueil français: La vénalité des offices sous l’Ancien Régime. P., 2008.

15. Picot G. Histoire des États Généraux. Paris, 1872 (reprint: Genève, 1979). T. 2.

16. Recueil général des anciennes lois françaises depuis l’an 420 jusqu’à la Révolution / éd. Fr.-A. Isambert et al. P., 1829. Vol. 14.