[PDF] exte 2 la lettre de cachet

What is a Lettres de cachet?

Lettres de cachet ( French: [l?t? d? ka??]; lit. '"letters of the sign/signet"') were letters signed by the king of France, countersigned by one of his ministers, and closed with the royal seal. They contained orders directly from the king, often to enforce arbitrary actions and judgments that could not be appealed .

Can a letter de cachet be used arbitrarily?

Obviously, a device such as the lettre de cachet could be used quite arbitrarily, but research has discounted the common 18th-century belief that lettres de cachet were sometimes delivered blank, though duly signed and countersigned, so that the recipient had only to fill in the name of a personal enemy in order to be rid of him.

When did letters de cachet stop being used in France?

During the French Revolution the use of lettres de cachet was abolished by the Constituent Assembly in March 1790.

How did a king request a letter de cachet?

A parent or spouse submitted a request for a lettre de cachet to the king via his chief police officer, the lieutenant general. The most frequent complaints included debauchery, mental alienation, physical abuse, and financial dissipation.