00:00The Dispatch Council dealt with matters of internal administration common to the Secretary of State.
00:04They examined the cases reported in dispatches written by governors and intendants of the provinces.
00:10Established around 1650, it was initially presided over by the chancellor, but the king himself began to preside over it.
00:15-even from 1661 onwards.
00:17It comprised 10 to 12 members, including the principal minister of the state, when one existed,
00:22the dauphin, the chancellor, the ministers of state and secretaries of state, and the comptroller general of finance,
00:27who were the ordinary rapporteurs.
00:30State councillors, assisted by masters of requests, frequently came to report on judicial cases that had been referred to them.
00:35entrusted.
00:36The Council initially met twice a week.
00:39But this pace slowed under Louis XIV, the king having taken to discussing most matters in
00:44relevant during his one-on-one meetings with the ministers,
00:46The decisions taken were presented in the form of a court order, even though they had not been deliberated.
00:51in Council.
00:52Under Louis XV, the Council of Dispatches resumed its activity and eventually became, for domestic affairs,
00:58the equivalent of a High Council for foreign affairs.
01:01They met every Saturday, and exceptionally on Fridays.
01:04but they also held extraordinary sessions, sometimes lasting several days in a row.
01:08as was notably the case under Louis XV at the time of the parliamentary front.
01:12They held around fifty sessions per year and up to 70 in some years of crisis.
