The courtiers and their homes in the castle of Versailles
I would like to share my passion for Versailles, including daily life was going past. The subject of housing and particularly grave courtiers wonder about well after the publication of books WRNewton, including his latest book "Behind the facade" excluivement devoted to habitat courtiers. (Extract and summary on our portal this quarter).
This American historian proves a worthy heir of Pierre de Nolhac. We are quite misinformed about how people lived under the old regime to the court of Versailles.
Residents
There are three categories of people at Versailles
1) Some very rich priviélgiés, usually royal princes, members of very large families, " great officers Crown " or dignitaries of the royal houses - owned mansions in the city of Versailles.
As a rule, the king could host them as had been the case since the sixteenth century, the Louvre or in the castle of St. Germain's note of staff accommodation for what was called at the Court, " charges. The royal family and the court shared 82 apartments in Saint Germain. The rest of the court and servants settled in the village according LSES means, but preferred to live in Paris.
2) In contrast were "rogues" - ie those who had no homes. They came from the capital, and joined by borrowing from uncomfortable transportation.
3) Halfway between these two categories extreme, were "logeants" ie courtiers and major domestic accommodated by the king. Being housed was a kind of social category sought in the world of the old regime, particularly vital with regard to the Court of Versailles.
This was envied privilege to a function or the only royal favor.
Those who envied this position ignored - often - in what circumstances to go live: lots of great lords will have no - because a few details - only two parts habitable.
The installation of the court requires sufficient space for the king had to accommodate both the royal family - ie all the members of his family, his favorite, the bulk of the Court and staff that went with it. The concept establishes that says a courtier lived off the King is a pure invention.Il had to have a function to receive a cottage provided by a load roi.Logiquement was entitled to housing. Was meant by a free apartment furnished housing for a certain class of people, usually the main expense of the Crown and those houses royal. The housing can furnish his apartment in his own way, by using or not using the furniture provided with space for furniture sets provided by the Garde Meuble of the king - who was a government dependent on the king's house - followed a very specific hierarchy. The furniture was less valuable than those of the royal family and often second hand.
Essay on the evolution of habitat courtier at Versailles
habitat courtier of Versailles following the campaigns evolve agarndissement castle. We tried to trace chronologically the main stages : Prior, from the first castle of Versailles, there was not - strictly speaking - courtiers inhabiting the area.
At the time of Louis XIII, it was as we shall see, to accommodate that an immediate and a few personal guests. The first castle of Versailles did not offer real opportunity for housing. Nevertheless, especially the first visits of Louis XIV, the castle was filled with an exceptional variety of increasingly growing. Everything will change in 1682, with the final installation of the Court at Versailles.
The first castles include, however, several areas of Hospitality for this category of people. It is now establishing its evolution, before those, the most important campaign work in 1678.
Plans to transform the magnitude that we know today will be developed by Jules Hardouin-Mansart, from this year.
concernermont They mainly to expand considerably the castle to provide numbers of dwellings to the Court of France. Previously, other studies - considered insignificant compared to those who would forward - aim gradually to a lesser extent, increase the capacity of living areas of the castle. Ill have to distinguish, to understand each ordered expansion, a period with a specific use of Versailles.
to follow - the first housing castle of Louis XIII (1624 - 1631)
Images:
The death of Louis XV surrounded by his courtiers Film go back the Champs-Elysees S. Guitry
The walk Louis XIV © RMN / Gerard Blot
