Military Commission Appoint as Coastal Artillery Commander
Versailles, France: April 12, 1712. 20" x 10.5" vellum with a 2.5" up fold at the bottom. Threaded attach at the bottom right is a paper / wax embossed seal of a mounted cannoneer on the front and heraldic seal on the rear. His regal 6" signature on the document is above the fold. On the fold proclaims in bold script: "Par son Altesse Serenissime" - By His Most Serene Highness - Le Bourbon.
This document is a military commission issued by Louis Auguste de Bourbon (1670–1736), the legitimized son of King Louis XIV of France. The commission appoints the Sieur de Cossay as commander of an artillery train destined for the Atlantic coast (Guyenne/Aulnis region), with orders to muster at La Rochelle on May 1st. As Grand Master and Captain General of the Artillery of France, Louis de Bourbon held one of the most senior military positions in the kingdom, responsible for the organization and deployment of royal artillery forces. As the legitimized son of the King he was even put into succession for the throne. The commission grants de Cossay broad powers: authority over officers and workers, power to purchase munitions, conduct troop reviews, and draw supplies from royal arsenals on behalf of the Crown. Complete English and French document translation provided upon request. Fine, with only three horizontal memory folds in the vellum. Clean, impressively manuscripted, includes two endorsements in the left margin, only a trace of the red wax remain. Item #3442
"The King having ordered Us to form a train and artillery company to serve on the coasts of Guyenne and Aulnis... We do hereby appoint, order and designate you as Our Lieutenant General of Artillery to command in chief said company under our orders."
Price: $1,950.00