Conseil du Roi
Item
Country
FR
Name of institution (English)
The National Archives (Paris site)
Name of institution (official language of the state)
Language of name of institution
fra
Contact information: postal address
11 rue des Quatre-Fils, 75003 Paris
Contact information: phone number
0033 (0)140276420
Contact information: web address
Contact information: email
contact.archives-nationales@culture.gouv.fr
Reference number
E//1 to 3711
Type of reference number
Archival reference number
Title (English)
King's Council
Title (official language of the state)
Conseil du Roi
Language of title
fra
Creator / accumulator
King's Council
Royal Finance Council
Date note
13th century/1789
Language(s)
fra
Extent
3,711 storage units
Type of material
Textual Material
Scope and content
The Conseil du Roi fonds contains extensive information about almost all subjects related to the royal government of France and its relations with other Crowns. It is one of the most important and rich fonds in terms of the quality of the documentation related to the monarchical government, public and private law, and financial and economic history, among other subjects. It includes numerous documents related to the government, royal decrees and orders, council documents, correspondence, etc.
Among this vast fonds, there are some items relating to conversos and Sephardic Jews settled in France. Particularly interesting is documentation related to the imposition of taxes on foreigners, including Portuguese and Spanish subjects. For instance, a list of taxes imposed on foreigners in 1657 includes information on 65 Portuguese heads of families living in Bayonne. Pedro Soares, Jean Lopes Alvin, Antonio Pereira, the widow of Simão Vas de Oliveira, and Gaspar Gonzalles are some of the names mentioned in this list (E 3706/12, Mélanges, Minutes des rôles de naturalités). See Blamont (2000).
It also includes information about the decree on November 20, 1684, that expelled Jews from several localities in Southwest France. Instructions were given to different cities, to draw up a list of Jewish families in the regions of Bordeaux, Bayonne, Bidache, Dax, and Peyrehorade. In this documentation, it is possible to find the names of more than 21 New Christians/Sephardim, such as Marie Desanges, Antoine Fassés, Francisco, the widow of Jacques Gomez, François Gomez and his mother, Manuel Gomez, Louis Gonzales, the widow of Michel Henriquez, Jacques Lombrasso, Antoine Mendez, François Mendez, Manuel de Messes, Antoine Nuñes, Philippe Nuñes, Antoine Pachéez, Jacques Pinel, Dominique Vidal and his family, and others (E 1704 and 1824, Collection formée par les secrétaires d’État).
Among this vast fonds, there are some items relating to conversos and Sephardic Jews settled in France. Particularly interesting is documentation related to the imposition of taxes on foreigners, including Portuguese and Spanish subjects. For instance, a list of taxes imposed on foreigners in 1657 includes information on 65 Portuguese heads of families living in Bayonne. Pedro Soares, Jean Lopes Alvin, Antonio Pereira, the widow of Simão Vas de Oliveira, and Gaspar Gonzalles are some of the names mentioned in this list (E 3706/12, Mélanges, Minutes des rôles de naturalités). See Blamont (2000).
It also includes information about the decree on November 20, 1684, that expelled Jews from several localities in Southwest France. Instructions were given to different cities, to draw up a list of Jewish families in the regions of Bordeaux, Bayonne, Bidache, Dax, and Peyrehorade. In this documentation, it is possible to find the names of more than 21 New Christians/Sephardim, such as Marie Desanges, Antoine Fassés, Francisco, the widow of Jacques Gomez, François Gomez and his mother, Manuel Gomez, Louis Gonzales, the widow of Michel Henriquez, Jacques Lombrasso, Antoine Mendez, François Mendez, Manuel de Messes, Antoine Nuñes, Philippe Nuñes, Antoine Pachéez, Jacques Pinel, Dominique Vidal and his family, and others (E 1704 and 1824, Collection formée par les secrétaires d’État).
Archival history
The Archives Nationales were created after the French Revolution, receiving this name from the Constituent Assembly on September 12, 1790. Four years later, the National Convention passed a law on June 25, 1794, establishing the Archives' functions following the same three principles that still apply today: the centralization of the national archives, free public access, and the need for a national archives network. Thus, the Archives Nationales gradually received several fonds, even from central institutions suppressed by the French Revolution and church archives.
In 1808, Napoleon I (reign: 1804-14, 1815) allocated the Hôtel de Soubise as a temporary location for the Archives Nationales. A specific building was to be built on the Champ-de-Mars, but the project was never carried out. Therefore, during the 19th century, the Archives Nationales started expanding around the Hôtel de Soubise within the building of the "grands dépôts" (great depositories) under Louis-Philippe (reign: 1830–48) and Napoleon III (1852–70). In 1927, the Archives Nationales moved to the Hôtel de Rohan, previously home to the Imprimerie Nationale (National Printing House). However, the building soon became too small to house all collections. In 1972, the former NATO buildings in Fontainebleau were allocated to the Archives Nationales, to house the archival deposits from the ministries. In 1988, a large building was opened in Paris, the CARAN (Centre d'accueil et de recherche des Archives Nationales).
The lack of space in the buildings of Paris and Fontainebleau and the remoteness of the Fontainebleau building obliged to plan a third location for the Archives Nationales. In 2004, the French government chose the site of Pierrefitte-sur-Seine to serve as the location for a new building, which was built in the following years. The architect Massimiliano Fuksas was responsible for this project. The Pierrefitte-sur-Seine site of the Archives Nationales was inaugurated on February 11, 2013.
In 1808, Napoleon I (reign: 1804-14, 1815) allocated the Hôtel de Soubise as a temporary location for the Archives Nationales. A specific building was to be built on the Champ-de-Mars, but the project was never carried out. Therefore, during the 19th century, the Archives Nationales started expanding around the Hôtel de Soubise within the building of the "grands dépôts" (great depositories) under Louis-Philippe (reign: 1830–48) and Napoleon III (1852–70). In 1927, the Archives Nationales moved to the Hôtel de Rohan, previously home to the Imprimerie Nationale (National Printing House). However, the building soon became too small to house all collections. In 1972, the former NATO buildings in Fontainebleau were allocated to the Archives Nationales, to house the archival deposits from the ministries. In 1988, a large building was opened in Paris, the CARAN (Centre d'accueil et de recherche des Archives Nationales).
The lack of space in the buildings of Paris and Fontainebleau and the remoteness of the Fontainebleau building obliged to plan a third location for the Archives Nationales. In 2004, the French government chose the site of Pierrefitte-sur-Seine to serve as the location for a new building, which was built in the following years. The architect Massimiliano Fuksas was responsible for this project. The Pierrefitte-sur-Seine site of the Archives Nationales was inaugurated on February 11, 2013.
Administrative / Biographical history
The Conseil du Roi (King's Council), together with the Chambre des Comptes (Audit Chamber) and the Hôtel du Roi (King's House), emerged from the reforms of the French state that took place in the 13th century. Since the beginning of the 16th century, the Council could be held in plenary sessions, under the presidency of the king or the chancellor. Then, the Council was named Conseil d’État (Council of State), and its jurisdiction was universal. The broad range of matters with which the Council had to deal gave rise to the creation of several specialised councils. In order to deal with the most sensitive and important matters, the Conseil secret (Secret Council) or Conseil des affaires (Council of Affairs) was formalised during the reign of Francis I (reign: 1515-47). From 1615 onwards, it was founded the Conseil des dépêches (Council of Dispatches) mainly in charge of internal administration.
The Conseil du Roi was at the top of French political life during the Ancien Régime. It was both a judicial and administrative body through which the king exercised his justice. From Louis XIV (reign: 1643-1715) onwards, a clear distinction was made between the Conseils de gouvernement (government councils), presided by the king and dealing with the most critical matters, and the Conseils de justice et d'administration (councils of justice and administration), headed by the Chancellor.
The Conseil du Roi, which became a single council under the name of Conseil d'État by the regulation of August 9, 1789, was abolished on April 27, 1791.
The Conseil du Roi was at the top of French political life during the Ancien Régime. It was both a judicial and administrative body through which the king exercised his justice. From Louis XIV (reign: 1643-1715) onwards, a clear distinction was made between the Conseils de gouvernement (government councils), presided by the king and dealing with the most critical matters, and the Conseils de justice et d'administration (councils of justice and administration), headed by the Chancellor.
The Conseil du Roi, which became a single council under the name of Conseil d'État by the regulation of August 9, 1789, was abolished on April 27, 1791.
Access points: locations
Access points: persons, families
Access points: subject terms
Access points: document types
System of arrangement
The fonds is mostly organised by institutions and, at a lower level, by types of documents. Series are arranged chronologically.
Access, restrictions
Some documentation is available online:
Links to finding aids
Author of the description
Kevin Soares, 2022
Bibliography
Published primary sources
Linked resources
Filter by property
| Title | Alternate label | Class |
|---|---|---|
| Archives nationales - site de Paris | Collections (official language of the state) |