NOBLES OF THE ROBE Meaning and
Definition
-
Nobles of the robe refer to a specific class or group of nobles in the ancien régime, particularly in the French monarchy during the 17th and 18th centuries. This term specifically applies to individuals who acquired their noble status through the purchase or inheritance of judicial or administrative offices within the royal administration.
In contrast to the traditional nobility, who inherited their titles and privileges through lineage or military achievements, the nobles of the robe represented a rising bourgeoisie class that used their wealth and social influence to gain access to positions of power within the legal and administrative systems. These positions were considered prestigious and often lucrative as they offered significant political and economic advantages.
The acquisition of these positions was typically accomplished through the sale or hereditary transfer of offices, referred to as venality. This practice allowed individuals of non-noble birth to purchase titles and inherit their positions, effectively elevating them to the ranks of the nobility. As a result, the nobles of the robe often held important roles in the parlements (royal courts of law) and the royal bureaucracy, such as administrative judges, magistrates, and other influential positions within the judicial system.
The term "nobles of the robe" implies a certain level of distinction and social status, reflecting the elevated position these individuals held within the monarchy's legal and administrative frameworks. However, their elevation to nobility through the purchase or inheritance of office sometimes created tensions with the traditional nobility, who viewed their status as less honorable due to its lack of ancestral lineage or military valor.
