00:00The name "High Council", in use from 1643, simply comes from the fact that this
00:05The council met in Versailles in the council chamber, located on the first floor of the palace next to the
00:10King's chamber.
00:11Succeeding the council of affairs of the 16th century, it was also, under Louis XIV, the most important of all the
00:16councils, bringing together around the sovereign his closest advisors and examining the most important matters.
00:22It was the ancestor of the current council of ministers. Until the reign of Louis XIV, it was...
00:27'a very small formation which brought together, by right, the king and the principal minister of state, when one existed'
00:33one, the chancellor, the superintendent of finances, a secretary of state and advisors appointed by the king, the ministers
00:38of the state.
00:39Its jurisdiction was very broad, almost unlimited. At the beginning of Louis XIV's reign, the number of its members grew
00:45considerable inflation. Besides the ministers of state, there were members of the royal family, the princes of
00:50blood, the dukes and fathers.
00:52As early as 1661, Louis XIV brought order to it. It no longer included ex officio members but only a number
00:57a very small number of Ministers of State, whose participation in the council was subject to review at each meeting.
01:03Initially, Louis XIV only admitted three people, Le Tellier, Lyon, Colbert, then he increased this number to
01:09five. Louis XV went as far as seven and Louis XVI as eight. No one had an automatic right to be on the council.
01:14'up there, not even the Dolphin.
01:16In practice, the king recruited him primarily from among the Secretaries of State. During the reign of Louis XV,
01:22The council, commonly known as the Council of State, was more specifically responsible for conducting foreign policy and affairs
01:28naval and military operations and, in times of war, military operations.
01:31It was then the dispatch council that took precedence over all domestic affairs. The Council of State
01:37meetings were held on Sundays and Wednesdays, but extraordinary sessions were frequent, especially in wartime.
01:42In total, the number of sessions is around 120 to 130 per year, or even more in some years.
01:47Subtitling by Radio-Canada
