View source for Vidame

{{short description|Feudal title in France}}
{{More citations needed|date=August 2018}}
{{Ranks of Nobility}}
[[File:Crown of a Vidame of France.svg|thumb|Heraldic coronet of a vidame]]
[[File:Le Vidame de Chartres représenté par M. le Marquis de Vogué.jpg|thumb|[[François de Vendôme, vidame de Chartres]], drawn in costume in 1829; vidame's coronet visible at upper left]]
'''Vidame''' ({{IPA|fr|vidam|lang}}) was a [[feudal]] title in [[France]], a term descended from [[mediaeval Latin]] {{lang|la|vicedominus}}.{{efn|"Vice-lord", which may mean "vice-count", depending on the feudal status of the territory.}}  Like the ''avoué'' or ''[[advocatus#In France|advocatus]]'', the ''vidame'' was originally a secular official chosen by the [[bishop]] of the [[diocese]]—with the consent of the [[count]]—to perform functions on behalf of the church's [[Temporalities|earthly interest]] that were religiously inappropriate; this especially included violence, even in the service of justice, and to act as protector.

Unlike the ''advocatus'', however, the ''vice-[[dominus (title)|dominus]]'' was at the outset an ecclesiastical official, who acted as the bishop's lieutenant (''[[locum tenens]]'') or [[vicar]]. But the causes that changed the character of the ''advocatus'' operated also in the case of the ''vidame''.<ref name="EB1911">{{EB1911 |inline=y |wstitle=Vidame |volume=28 |pages=47–48}}</ref>  The title of [[Vidame de Chartres]] is much the best known, having been held by several people distinguished in various fields and known by the title.

Although a vidame was in theory a relatively low-ranking title, in practice under the French medieval system it gained in prestige and seniority because of the unusually early dates the titles could be traced back to.

==History==
During the [[Carolingian]] epoch, ''advocatus'' and ''vice-dominus'' were interchangeable terms; and it was only in the 11th century that they became generally differentiated: the title of {{lang|fr|avoué}} being commonly reserved for a noble charged with the protection of an [[abbey]], that of ''vidame'' for one guarding an [[episcopal see]].<ref name="EB1911"/>

With the crystallization of the feudal system in the 12th century the office of ''vidame'', like that of ''avoué'', had become hereditary. As a title, however, it was much less common and also less dignified than that of ''avoué''. An ''advocatus'' was often a great [[baron]] who added the function of protector of an abbey to his own temporal sovereignty; whereas a ''vidame'' was usually a petty noble, who exercised his office in strict subordination to the bishop.<ref name="EB1911"/>

A ''vidame'' usually took his title from the see he represented, but not infrequently a ''vidame'' styled himself, not after his official fief, but after his private [[seigneury]]. Thus, the ''vidame'' de Picquigny was the representative of the [[Bishop of Amiens]], the ''vidame'' de Gerberoy of the [[Bishop of Beauvais]] (since King [[Philip Augustus]] himself was a ''[[pair de France]]'', i.e. [[peer of the realm]]).

In many sees there was no ''vidame'', the functions being exercised by a [[viscount]] or a ''[[châtelain]]''. With the growth of the central power and of that of the towns and cities, the ''vidames'' gradually lost their functions, and the title became merely honorary.

==Functions==
The chief functions of a ''vidame'' were to protect the temporal holdings of the see (called accordingly le vidamé or la vidamie), to represent the bishop at the count's court of justice, to exercise the bishop's temporal jurisdiction in his name (''[[placitum]]'' or ''curia vice-domini''), and to exercise military command of feudal troops attached to the episcopal government. In return, he usually had a house near the episcopal palace, a domain within and without the city, and sometimes the right to levy certain dues on the city.<ref name="EB1911"/>

==See also==
*[[Visdomino of Ferrara]]

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
*''Nouveau Larousse Illustré'' (undated, early 20th century; in French)

[[Category:Christianity in the Middle Ages]]
[[Category:Catholic ecclesiastical titles]]
[[Category:Feudalism in France]]
[[Category:History of Christianity in France]]
[[Category:Noble titles]]