The Bastille or Bastille Saint-Antoine was completed in 1383. The commander of the Bastille was its governor, and was previously called capitaine.La Bastille dévoilée Par Charpentier pages 135 et suivantes
History In 1367, King Charles V ordered the construction of the fort et bastide Saint Anthoine lez Paris, literally fort and bastide of Saint Anthony close to Paris,BnF, mss. collection Duchesne, vol. 121 (fol. 149 I°) which will later take the name of Bastille. The works will be completed twenty years later, in 1387, under the reign of Charles VI. The first captain-governorFernand Bournon, La Bastille, histoire et description, Paris, Imprimerie Nationale, 1843, . was a close acquaintance of the King, already chamberlain under the two previous reigns: Jehan de La Personne, knight, viscount of Acy, lord of Beu and Nesle-en-Tardenois, chamberlain of the King.Monstre de Jehan La Personne, en date du 1er février 1386, catalogue de la vente d'autographes de l'expert Eugène Charavay, Paris, le 26 novembre 1888. He is quoted in numerous documents between 1386 and November 1404, date of his deathBnF, fonds franç. 26022, No. 1 110, quittances du vicomte d'Acy Capitaine du Fort et Bastide Saint-Antoine that are now held in the department of manuscripts of the Bibliothèque nationale de France.Jules de Gaulle, Nouvelle Histoire de Paris et de ses environs, (notes et introduction par Ch. Nodier, de l'Académie française), Paris, Pourrat frères éditeurs, 1839, tome II. The last governor to hold this position, the unfortunate Bernard-René de Launay, appointed in 1776, was beheaded on 14 July 1789 and replaced by a provisional governor during the demolition of the building.
At the end of the Ancien Régime, the governor of the Bastille was reduced to being a subordinate of the lieutenant-general of police. He could do nothing without the express order of this magistrate. A governor who would have dared to adhere to the regulations and to only recognize orders given by the King, would not have remained long in command. If he wanted to remain, he had no other rules to follow than the orders of the lieutenant-general of police, or even those of a simple police commissioner
Article 1 of the regulation of 20 September 1764, signed by the King stated:
"The governor who commands, or any other officer, shall recognize only the orders of His Majesty and those given to him by the secretary of state."
However, a letter dated 23 September 1764, signed by the Secretary of State, authorizes the following:
"I enclose here, Sir, the regulations which the King has thought fit to render for the service of the Bastille. The King finds it fitting that when the Lieutenant-General of Police sends you prisoners, you receive them on a letter from him until a letter can be sent to you in good form, as has often been used and according to that circumstances that demand it. You will do well to use them in the same way, for the visits which the lieutenant-general of police thinks they can allow prisoners to receive and who do not require a formal order, but only a letter from him."
The regulation also ordered the exact registration of the first and last names of prisoners for entry, exit and death, but the ministerial instruction authorized the substitution of surnames and given names. This is how Jean Henri Latude was registered under his real name, later under the names of Danry, Maiville and Villemain. The Man in the Iron Mask was buried under the name of Marchiali with a false indication of age.
The position of governor of the Bastille, all military ranks, all military posts, the provincial governors, were negotiated as bills of exchange. It was only a matter of obtaining the approval of the King, it was a common commercial sale. These transactions were considered normal at the time. The purchaser of the title of Governor of the Bastille was always certain of a good deal if he lived a long life. A year or two in office, was largely sufficient to repay the purchase.
List of governors of the Bastille 1386-1404 : Jehan de La Personne, vicomte d'Acy 1404-1413 : Lord of Saint-Georges 1413-1416 : Louis VII, Duke of Bavaria 1416-???? : Thomas de Beaumont 1417-1418 : Tanneguy du Chastel 1418-???? : Robert de Canni 1420-1436 : Under English occupation 1475 : Philippe l'Huillier 1588 : Jean Bussy-Leclerc 1588-1594 : Antoine Dumaine Dubourg l'Espinasse 1594-1601 : Devic 1601-1611 : Maximilien de Béthune, duc de Sully 1611-???? : Marie de' Medici (Joachim de Châteauvieux) 1617-1617 : François de Bassompierre 1617-1617 : Charles d'Albert, duc de Luynes 1617-1626 : Nicolas de L'Hospital de Vitry 1626-7 May 1626 : Léon d'Albert de Bréauté 7 May 1626-???? : François de L'Hospital du Hallierdu Hallier ou Duhallier ????-1649 : Charles Leclerc du Tremblay ????-1652 : Louvière Broussel 1652 : Antoine de Loyac sieur de la Bachellerie 1658-18 December 1697 : François de Montlezun 1698-1698 : François Michel Le Tellier de Louvois 18 September 1698 – 18 September 1708 : Bénigne Dauvergne de Saint-Mars 1708-1718 : Charles le Fournier de Bernaville 1718-1749 : René Jourdan de Launay 1749-5 December 1758 : Pierre Baisle 1758-1761 : François-Jérôme d'Abadie 1761-1776 : Antoine-Joseph de Jumilhac 1776-14 July 1789 : Bernard-René Jourdan de Launay Provisional Governor of the Bastille : Prosper Soulès
Biographies of the governors
Jehan de La Personne, vicomte d'Acy Councillor, Minister of State and Chamberlain of the Kings Jean II, Charles V and Charles VI, Jehan de La Personne was the first Captain of the Bastille. One of the receipts quoting him dates from 12 December 1387.BnF, mss.Clairambault, Titres scellés, reg. 76, pièce 46. It is addressed to him by Jehan le Flamenc, Treasurer of the Wars of the King, "for the state of his wages as captain and those of the abovenamed seven squires and ten arbalsters of foot of our company, having served and to serve in this present war to the guard the safety and defense of said fort and bastide Saint-Antoine."
Lord of Saint-Georges On the death of his first captain, the Lord of Saint-Georges received in 1404 his command from the King of France, Charles VI.
Louis VII, Duke of Bavaria
Prince Louis VII of Bavaria, brother of Isabeau of Bavaria and uncle of the Dauphin Charles.
Thomas de Beaumont Thomas de Beaumont had left Paris with the troops he could muster to aid the Constable de Richemont, and was killed in the battle which took place between Saint-Denis and Pierrefitte.
Tanneguy du Chastel
Tanneguy du Chastel, Provost of Paris succeeded, in all probability, as Governor of the Bastille to the Duke of Bar in 1417–1418.
During the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War, Paris surrendered to Jean de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam, captain of a troop of supporters of the Duke of Burgundy. Tanneguy succeeded in removing the Dauphin who was amidst his enemies and protected him by welcoming him to the Bastille. On 29 May 1418, the Dauphin left the Bastille to take refuge in Bourges with loyalists.La Bastille. Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire secrète du gouvernement Français Par Dufey page 269 et suivantes
"Tanneguy ran to the Dauphin's room and, finding him asleep, wrapped him in one of his sheets and had him brought to the Bastille. The Dauphin slept there only one night, and the next morning he went to Melun and from there to Montargis. Tanneguy had returned to Paris by the Porte Saint-Antoine, of which he was the master because of the Bastille."Histoire de Charles VI, par l'abbé de Choisy page 364
Robert de Canni Arriving at the Bastille, Tanneguy du Chastel, accompanied by Marshal Pierre de Rieux and Arnaud Guillaume de Barbazan, and 1600 men marched on the Hôtel Saint-Pol, shouting "Vive le Roi et le Connétable d'Armagnac!" Guy de Bar and Jean de Villiers de L'Isle-Adam met them with 5000-6000 men, pushing them back to the entrance of the Bastille. Hector de Saveuse, Jean de Luxembourg-Ligny, and several other Burgundian captains arrived from all directions to lend aid. They were soon strong enough to besiege and take the Bastille, later bestowing command upon Robert de Canni, Lord of Varennes.
Robert de Canni was a personal enemy of Charles, Duke of Orléans, who had seduced and dishonored his wife.
Philippe l'Huillier Philippe l'Huillier, Lord of Cailly and Manicamp, was chamberlain to King Louis XI.
Jean Bussy-Leclerc Jean Bussy-Leclerc, prosecutor in the Parlement of Paris, was made Captain of the Bastille by the Duke of Guise in 1588 after the Day of the Barricades.
Antoine Dumaine Dubourg l'Espinasse Dubourg l'Espinasse or Bourg de Lespinasse or Bourg de l'Espinasse.
In 1588, under Henri III, the Duke of Mayenne had during the Wars of Religion entrusted command of the Bastille to Antoine Dumaine Dubourg l'Espinasse, also known as Antoine du Maine, Baron of the Bourg de Lespinasse. He maintained it until 22 March 1594.
Dubourg surrendered to Henri IV only by capitulation, three days after Paris was surrendered to him by the governor of the city, Charles de Cossé, Duke of Brissac, and once he was certain that the Duke of Mayenne was unable to relieve him. Dubourg had exhausted his provisions and munitions of war; he left the fort "bagne et vie sauve".bagne et vie sauve c'est à libre et vivant
The same day Henri IV entrusts command of the Bastille to Devic.
Asked to recognize Henri IV as his king, he replied that he had given his faith to Charles de Mayenne and added that Brissac was a traitor. Indeed, the Governor of Paris had surrendered to Henri IV for 1,695,400 livre.Dictionnaire de la pénalité dans toutes les parties du monde connu. Par Edme Théodore Bourg Saint-Edme Page 353
On 6 March 1597, Dubourg created the Regiment of Bourg de Lespinasse with which he participated in the Siege of Amiens, under orders of Henri IV.
Devic There is not much on Devic.Devic écrit également de Vic
Henri IV entrusted him with command of the Bastille on 22 March 1594, due to the honorable services which he had rendered in its capture.La Bastille dévoilée Par Charpentier Page137 "He was, says the story, a man of rare merit".Antiquités nationales, ou Recueil de monumens Volume 1 Par Aubin Louis Millin page 6Nouvelle histoire de Paris et de ses environs Par Jules de Gaulle, Nodier He was Governor of Saint-Denis before taking the Bastille and will then be Governor of Calais where he died in 1610.
Maximilien de Béthune de Sully
In 1601, Maximilian de Bethune, Duke of Sully, Grand Master of the Artillery of France, Grand Voyer of France and Superintendent of Finances is named by Henri IV governor of the Bastille.
It was here that Sully deposited the royal treasure. At the death of Henri IV, in 1610, there were 33,000,000 livre in store. In 1611, Sully returned the governorship of the Bastille to Louis XIII and received a compensation of 60,000 livre.
Marie de' Medici (Joachim de Châteauvieux)
In 1611, Marie de' Medici became the governess of the Bastille, but entrusted custody to Joachim de Châteauvieux, her knight of honor who took direct command as a lieutenant of the Queen Mother and Regent.
Joachim de Châteauvieux, born on 25 January 1545, son of Claude de Châteauvieux, knight, lord and baron of Fromente, Bailiff of Bresse, and Marie-Salomé de Montchenu, daughter of Marin and Antoinette de Pontbriand.
He was a knight, Baron of Verjon and La Chatre, Count of Confolens, Knight of the Order of the Holy Spirit in 1583, Knight of Honor of Queen Marie de' Medici, Bailiff of Bresse and Bugey, Governor of Burgundy, died without an alliance on 13 January 1615.Dictionnaire De La Noblesse: Contenant les Généalogies, Par François-Alexandre Aubert de La Chesnaye Des Bois Page 93Famille de Châteauvieux In 1569, he was captain of the Garde Écossaise and accompanied Henri de Valois, elected in 1573 Rzeczpospolita of Poland–Lithuania under the name Henryk Walezy.
He fought alongside the King during the popular uprising of 12 May 1588.