Lord Chancellor of France
In France, under the Old Regime, the Great Officer of State responsible for the judiciary was the Lord Chancellor of France. The Lord Chancellor was responsible for seeing that royal decrees were enrolled and registered by the sundry Parlements of the Realm. However, since the Lord Chancellor was appointed for life, and might fall from favour, or be too ill to carry out his duties, his duties would occasionally fall to his deputy, the Lord Keeper of the Seals of France. The last Chancellor died in 1790, by which time the French Revolution was well underway, and the position was left vacant. Instead, in 1791, the Chancellor's portfolio and responsibilities were assigned to the Keeper of the Seals who was accordingly given the additional title of Minister of Justice under the Revolutionary government. The modern Minister of Justice is ceremonially known by both titles.
Lord Chancellors of France until 1699
- 497 : Rémi de Reims, known as Saint Rémi (référendaire)
- 561 : Siggo, référendaire to Sigebert I, then to Chilperic I and to Childebert II
- 618 : Romain de Rouen, known as Saint Romain, bishop of Rouen
- : Ansbert, bishop of Rouen, référendaire to Clotaire II
- 638 657: Dadon, known as Saint Ouen, grand référendaire to Dagobert I and also to Clovis II.
- : Saint Bonit, bishop of Auvergne, référendaire to Sigebert III, king of Austrasia
- : Robert, référendaire to Clotaire III
- 750? : Fulrard, chancellor to Pepin the Short
- 796 - 800: Alcuin, chancellor to Charlemagne as king of the Franks, prepared the Capitulaire De Villis
- 800 - 819: Fridgise, chancellor to Charlemagne, then to Louis the Pious
- 819 - 832: Adalard, chancellor to Louis the Pious
- 989 - 991 : Renaud de Vendôme, bishop of Paris
- 991 - 998 : Gerbert d'Aurillac, later Pope Sylvester II
- 998 - 1005 : Roger de Blois
- 1005 - 1015 : Francon
- 1018 : Arnoul, archbishop of Tours
- 1030 - c.1059 : Baldwin
- 1059 - 1067 : Gervais de Château-du-Loir, bishop of Le Mans
- 1067 - 1073 : Pierre de Loiselève
- 1073 : Guillaume
- 1074 - 1080 : Roger II, bishop of Beauvais
- 1074 - 1085 : Geoffroy de Boulogne, bishop of Paris
- 1085 - 1090 : Gilbert
- 1090 : Ourson or Ursion, bishop of Senlis
- 1091 - 1092 : Hubert, bishop of Senlis
- 1094 - 1106 : Gilbert
- 1106 - 1118 : Étienne de Senlis, bishop of Paris
- 1118 - 1127 : Étienne de Garlande
- 1127 - 1132 : Simon
- 1132 - 1137 : Étienne de Garlande
- 1137 - 1140 : Algrin
- 1140 : Noël, abbot of Rebais
- 1140 - 1147 : Cadurc
- 1147 - 1149 : Barthélemy
- 1150 : Simon
- 1150 - 1172 : Hugues de Champfleury, bishop of Soissons
- 1179 - 1185 : Hugues du Puiset
- 1203 - 1227 : Guérin, monk and bishop of Senlis
- 1227 - 1231 : Philippe d'Antogny
- 1231 - 1236 : Aubry Cornu
- 1236 - 1244 : Jean de la Cour
- 1244 - 1249 : Nicolas Le Chien,
- 1249 - 1252 : Gilles, archbishop of Tyros
- 1252 - 1259 : Raoul de Grosparmy
- avant 1260 : Guy Faucoi, later Pope Clement IV
- 1259 - 1261 : Simon de Brie, later Pope Martin IV
- 1262 - 1270 : Philippe de Cahors, prior of Saint-Frambaud de Senlis
- 1270 : Guillaume de Rampillon, archdeacon of Paris
- 1270 : Guillaume de Chartres, Dominican monk
- 1271 - 1273 : Pierre Barbet
- 1273 - 1282 : Henri de Vézélay
- 1282 - 1290 : Pierre Chalon
- 1291 - 1292 : Jean de Vassoigne
- 1293 - 1296 : Guillaume de Crépy
- 1296 - 1297 : Thibaut de Pouancé, bishop of Dol
- 1297 - 1302 : Pierre Flote, knight
- 1302 - 1304 : Étienne de Suizy
- 1304 - 1306 : Pierre de Mornay, bishop of Auxerre
- 1306 : Pierre de Grez
- 1306 - 1307 : Pierre de Belleperche, bishop of Auxerre
- 1307 - 1310 : Guillaume de Nogaret, knight
- 1310 - 1311 : Gilles Aycelin de Montaigu, bishop of Thérouanne
- 1311 - 1313 : Guillaume de Nogaret
- 1313 - 1314 : Pierre de Latilly, bishop of Châlons
- 1314 - 1316 : Étienne de Mornay
- 1316 : Pierre d'Arabloy
- 1317 - 1321 : Pierre de Chappes
- 1320 - 1321 : Jean de Cherchemont
- 1321 - 1323 : Pierre Rodier
- 1323 - 1328 : Jean de Cherchemont
- 1328 - 1329 : Mathieu Ferrand
- 1329 : Jean de Marigny, bishop of Beauvais
- 1329 - 1334 : Guillaume de Saint-Maure
- 1334 : Roger, bishop of Arras, later pope Clement VI
- 1335 - 1338 : Guy Baudet, bishop of Langres
- 1338 - 1339 : Étienne de Vissac, knight
- 1339 - 1347 : Guillaume Flote
- 1347 - 1349 : Firmin de Coquerel, bishop of Noyon
- 1349 - 1357 : Pierre de la Forest, archbishop of Rouen
- 1357 - 1358 : Gilles Aycelin de Montaigut, bishop of Thérouanne
- 1357 - 1359 : Foulques Bardoul, bishop of Avranches
- 1358 : Jean de Dormans, bishop of Lisieux
- 1359 - 1361 : Pierre de la Forest, cardinal, archbishop of Rouen
- 1361 : Gilles Aycelin de Montaigut, bishop of Thérouanne
- 18 September 1361 - 1372 : Jean de Dormans, bishop of Lisieux
- 1372 - 1373 : Guillaume de Dormans
- 1373 : Jean de Dormans,
- 20 November 1373 - 1380 : Pierre d'Orgemont (First President of the Parlement de Paris)[1]
- October 1380 - 1383 : Miles de Dormans, bishop of Beauvais
- 1383 - décembre 1388 : Pierre de Giac
- décembre 1388 - 1398 : Arnaud de Corbie
- 1398 - 1400 : Nicolas du Bosc, bishop of Bayeux
- 1400 - 1405 : Arnaud de Corbie
- 1405 - 1413 : Jean de Montagu, archbishop of Sens
- 1409 - 8 August 1413 : Arnaud de Corbie
- 1413 : Eustache de Laistre
- août 1413 - 29 May 1418 : Henri de Marle (-1418)
- 1418 : Robert le Maçon
- 1418 - 1420 : Eustache de Laistre
- 1419 - 1421 : Robert le Maçon
- 1420 - 1424 : Jean Le Clerc, Burgundian party. Chancellor for Henry VI position as king of France.
- 1421 - 1425 : Martin Gouge, bishop of Clermont, Charles VII's faction
- 1424 - 1435 : Louis de Luxembourg, bishop of Thérouanne, Burgundian party
- 1425 - 1445 : Renault de Chartres, archbishop of Reims, Charles VII's factions
- 1445 - 1461 : Guillaume Jouvenel des Ursins
- 1461 - 1465 : Pierre de Morvilliers
- 1465 - 1472 : Guillaume Jouvenel des Ursins
- 1472 - 1483 : Pierre Doriole
- 1483 - 12 August 1492 : Guillaume de Rochefort
- 1492 - November 1494 : Adam Fumée
- August 1495 - 1497 : Robert Briçonnet, archbishop of Reims
- 1497 - 1507/1508 : Guy de Rochefort
- 1508 - 1512 : Jean de Ganay
- 1515 - 1535 : Antoine Duprat, cardinal, archishop of Sens and bishop of Albi.
- 1535 - 1538 : Antoine du Bourg
- 1538 - 1545 : Guillaume Poyet
- 1545 - 1560 : François Olivier
- 1560 - 1568 : Michel de l'Hospital
- 1568 - 1571 : Jean de Morvilliers, bishop of Orléans
- 1573 - 1583 : René de Birague, cardinal
- 1583 - 1599 : Philippe Hurault, comte de Cheverny
- 2 August 1599 - 9 September 1607 : Pomponne de Bellièvre
- 10 September 1607 - 1 October 1624 : Nicolas Brûlart de Sillery
- 3 October 1624 - 11 December 1635 : Étienne Ier d'Aligre
- 19 December 1635 - 28 January 1672 : Pierre Séguier
- 8 January 1674 - 28 October 1677 : Étienne II d'Aligre
- 29 October 1677 - 30 October 1685 : Michel Le Tellier
- 1 November 1685 - 2 September 1699 : Louis Boucherat, Count of Compans
Chancellors of France
Keepers of the Seals, 1699-1790
Ministers of Justice, 1790-1944
Minister |
Began |
Ended |
Marguerite-Louis-François Duport-Dutertre |
21 November 1790 |
23 March 1792 |
Jean-Marie Roland de la Platière |
23 March 1792 |
14 April 1792 |
Antoine Duranthon |
14 April 1792 |
4 July 1792 |
Étienne Louis Hector Dejoly |
4 July 1792 |
10 August 1792 |
Georges Danton |
10 August 1792 |
9 October 1792 |
Dominique Joseph Garat |
9 October 1792 |
20 March 1793 |
Louis Jérôme Gohier |
20 March 1793 |
20 April 1794 |
none |
20 April 1794 |
3 November 1795 |
Philippe Antoine Merlin de Douai |
3 November 1795 |
5 January 1796 |
Charles François Jean Joseph Victor Génissieu |
5 January 1796 |
4 April 1796 |
Philippe Antoine Merlin de Douai |
4 April 1796 |
24 September 1797 |
Charles Joseph Mathieu Lambrechts |
24 September 1797 |
20 July 1799 |
Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès |
20 July 1799 |
25 December 1799 |
André Joseph Abrial |
25 December 1799 |
14 September 1802 |
Claude Régnier, duc de Massa |
14 September 1802 |
20 November 1813 |
Louis-Mathieu Molé |
20 November 1813 |
1 April 1814 |
Pierre Paul Nicolas, baron Henrion de Pansey |
3 April 1814 |
13 May 1814 |
Charles, chevalier Dambray |
13 May 1814 |
20 March 1815 |
Jean Jacques Régis de Cambacérès, duc de Parme |
20 March 1815 |
22 June 1815 |
Antoine, comte Boulay de la Meurthe |
22 June 1815 |
7 July 1815 |
Étienne Denis, baron Pasquier |
9 July 1815 |
26 September 1815 |
François, comte de Barbé-Marbois |
26 September 1815 |
7 May 1816 |
Charles, chevalier Dambray |
7 May 1816 |
19 January 1817 |
Étienne Denis, baron Pasquier |
19 January 1817 |
29 December 1818 |
Pierre François Hercule, comte de Serre |
29 December 1818 |
14 December 1821 |
Charles Ignace, comte de Peyronnet |
14 December 1821 |
4 January 1828 |
Joseph Marie, comte Portalis |
4 January 1828 |
14 May 1829 |
Pierre Alpinien Bertrand Bourdeau |
14 May 1829 |
8 August 1829 |
Jean Joseph Antoine de Courvoisier |
8 August 1829 |
19 May 1830 |
Jean de Chantelauze |
19 May 1830 |
31 July 1830 |
Jacques Charles Dupont de l'Eure |
31 July 1830 |
27 December 1830 |
Joseph Mérilhou |
27 December 1830 |
13 March 1831 |
Félix Barthe |
13 March 1831 |
4 April 1834 |
Jean Persil |
4 April 1834 |
22 February 1836 |
Paul Sauzet |
22 February 1836 |
6 September 1836 |
Jean Persil |
6 September 1836 |
15 April 1837 |
Félix Barthe |
15 April 1837 |
31 March 1839 |
Louis Gaspard Amédée, baron Girod de l'Ain |
31 March 1839 |
12 May 1839 |
Jean-Baptiste Teste |
12 May 1839 |
1 March 1840 |
Alexandre François Vivien |
1 March 1840 |
29 October 1840 |
Nicolas Martin du Nord |
29 October 1840 |
12 March 1847 |
Michel Pierre Alexis Hébert |
14 March 1847 |
24 February 1848 |
Adolphe Crémieux |
24 February 1848 |
7 June 1848 |
Eugène Bethmont |
7 June 1848 |
17 July 1848 |
Alexandre Marie |
17 July 1848 |
20 December 1848 |
Eugène Rouher |
20 December 1848 |
26 October 1851 |
Joseph Corbin |
26 October 1851 |
1 November 1851 |
Alfred Daviel |
1 November 1851 |
3 December 1851 |
Eugène Rouher |
3 December 1851 |
22 January 1852 |
Jacques Abbatucci |
22 January 1852 |
11 November 1857 |
Paul de Royer |
11 November 1857 |
5 May 1859 |
Claude Alphonse Delangle |
5 May 1859 |
23 June 1863 |
Jules Baroche |
23 June 1863 |
17 July 1869 |
Jean-Baptiste Duvergier |
17 July 1869 |
2 January 1870 |
Émile Ollivier |
2 January 1870 |
10 August 1870 |
Michel Grandperret |
10 August 1870 |
4 September 1870 |
Adolphe Crémieux |
4 September 1870 |
19 February 1871 |
Jules Dufaure |
19 February 1871 |
25 May 1873 |
Jean Ernoul |
25 May 1873 |
26 November 1873 |
Octave Depeyre |
26 November 1873 |
22 May 1874 |
Adrien Tailhand |
22 May 1874 |
10 March 1875 |
Jules Dufaure |
10 March 1875 |
12 December 1876 |
Louis Martel |
12 December 1876 |
17 May 1877 |
Albert, duc de Broglie |
17 May 1877 |
23 November 1877 |
François Le Pelletier |
23 November 1877 |
13 December 1877 |
Jules Dufaure |
13 December 1877 |
4 February 1879 |
Philippe Le Royer |
4 February 1879 |
28 December 1879 |
Jules Cazot |
28 December 1879 |
30 January 1882 |
Gustave Humbert |
30 January 1882 |
7 August 1882 |
Paul Devès |
7 August 1882 |
21 February 1883 |
Félix Martin-Feuillée |
21 February 1883 |
6 April 1885 |
Henri Brisson |
6 April 1885 |
7 January 1886 |
Charles Demôle |
7 January 1886 |
11 December 1886 |
Ferdinand Sarrien |
11 December 1886 |
30 May 1887 |
Charles Mazeau |
30 May 1887 |
30 November 1887 |
Armand Fallières |
30 November 1887 |
3 April 1888 |
Jean-Baptiste Ferrouillat |
3 April 1888 |
5 February 1889 |
Edmond Guyot-Dessaigne |
5 February 1889 |
22 February 1889 |
François Thévenet |
22 February 1889 |
17 March 1890 |
Armand Fallières |
17 March 1890 |
27 February 1892 |
Louis Ricard |
27 February 1892 |
6 December 1892 |
Léon Bourgeois |
6 December 1892 |
12 March 1893 |
Jules Develle |
12 March 1893 |
13 March 1893 |
Léon Bourgeois |
13 March 1893 |
4 April 1893 |
Eugène Guérin |
4 April 1893 |
3 December 1893 |
Antonin Dubost |
3 December 1893 |
30 May 1894 |
Eugène Guérin |
30 May 1894 |
26 January 1895 |
Ludovic Trarieux |
26 January 1895 |
1 November 1895 |
Louis Ricard |
1 November 1895 |
29 April 1896 |
Jean-Baptiste Darlan |
29 April 1896 |
2 December 1897 |
Victor Milliard |
2 December 1897 |
28 June 1898 |
Ferdinand Sarrien |
28 June 1898 |
1 November 1898 |
Georges Lebret |
1 November 1898 |
22 June 1899 |
Ernest Monis |
22 June 1899 |
7 June 1902 |
Ernest Vallé |
7 June 1902 |
24 January 1905 |
Joseph Chaumié |
24 January 1905 |
14 March 1906 |
Ferdinand Sarrien |
14 March 1906 |
25 October 1906 |
Edmond Guyot-Dessaigne |
25 October 1906 |
31 December 1907 |
Aristide Briand |
4 January 1908 |
24 July 1909 |
Louis Barthou |
24 July 1909 |
3 November 1910 |
Théodore Girard |
3 November 1910 |
2 March 1911 |
Antoine Perrier |
2 March 1911 |
27 June 1911 |
Jean Cruppi |
27 June 1911 |
14 January 1912 |
Aristide Briand |
14 January 1912 |
21 January 1913 |
Louis Barthou |
21 January 1913 |
22 March 1913 |
Antony Ratier |
22 March 1913 |
9 December 1913 |
Jean-Baptiste Bienvenu-Martin |
9 December 1913 |
9 June 1914 |
Alexandre Ribot |
9 June 1914 |
13 June 1914 |
Jean-Baptiste Bienvenu-Martin |
13 June 1914 |
26 August 1914 |
Aristide Briand |
26 August 1914 |
29 October 1915 |
René Viviani |
29 October 1915 |
12 September 1917 |
Raoul Péret |
12 September 1917 |
16 November 1917 |
Louis Nail |
16 November 1917 |
20 January 1920 |
Gustave L'Hopiteau |
20 January 1920 |
16 January 1921 |
Laurent Bonnevay |
16 January 1921 |
15 January 1922 |
Louis Barthou |
15 January 1922 |
5 October 1922 |
Maurice Colrat |
5 October 1922 |
29 March 1924 |
Edmond Lefebvre du Prey |
29 March 1924 |
9 June 1924 |
Antony Ratier |
9 June 1924 |
14 June 1924 |
René Renoult |
14 June 1924 |
17 April 1925 |
Théodore Steeg |
17 April 1925 |
11 October 1925 |
Anatole de Monzie |
11 October 1925 |
29 October 1925 |
Camille Chautemps |
29 October 1925 |
28 November 1925 |
René Renoult |
28 November 1925 |
9 March 1926 |
Pierre Laval |
9 March 1926 |
19 July 1926 |
Maurice Colrat |
19 July 1926 |
23 July 1926 |
Louis Barthou |
23 July 1926 |
3 November 1929 |
Lucien Hubert |
3 November 1929 |
21 February 1930 |
Théodore Steeg |
21 February 1930 |
2 March 1930 |
Raoul Péret |
2 March 1930 |
17 November 1930 |
Henry Chéron |
17 November 1930 |
27 January 1931 |
Léon Bérard |
27 January 1931 |
20 February 1932 |
Paul Reynaud |
20 February 1932 |
3 June 1932 |
René Renoult |
3 June 1932 |
18 December 1932 |
Abel Gardey |
18 December 1932 |
31 January 1933 |
Eugène Penancier |
31 January 1933 |
26 October 1933 |
Albert Dalimier |
26 October 1933 |
26 November 1933 |
Eugène Raynaldy |
26 November 1933 |
27 January 1934 |
Eugène Penancier |
27 January 1934 |
9 February 1934 |
Henry Chéron |
9 February 1934 |
15 October 1934 |
Henry Lémery |
15 October 1934 |
8 November 1934 |
Georges Pernot |
8 November 1934 |
7 June 1935 |
Léon Bérard |
7 June 1935 |
4 June 1936 |
Marc Rucart |
4 June 1936 |
22 June 1937 |
Vincent Auriol |
22 June 1937 |
18 January 1938 |
César Campinchi |
18 January 1938 |
13 March 1938 |
Marc Rucart |
13 March 1938 |
10 April 1938 |
Paul Reynaud |
10 April 1938 |
1 November 1938 |
Paul Marchandeau |
1 November 1938 |
13 September 1939 |
Georges Bonnet |
13 September 1939 |
21 March 1940 |
Albert Sérol |
21 March 1940 |
16 June 1940 |
Charles Frémicourt |
16 June 1940 |
12 July 1940 |
Raphaël Alibert |
12 July 1940 |
27 January 1941 |
Joseph Barthélemy |
27 January 1941 |
26 March 1943 |
Maurice Gabolde |
26 March 1943 |
20 August 1944 |
Free French Commissioners for Justice, 1941-1944
Commissioner |
Began |
Ended |
René Cassin |
24 September 1941 |
7 June 1943 |
Jules Abadie |
7 June 1943 |
4 September 1943 |
François de Menthon |
4 September 1943 |
10 September 1944 |
Ministers of Justice, 1944-present
Notes
- ^ The only chancellor to have been elected by an assembly gathered by Charles V.