Prosocour Database (networks and sociability)
This database is part of the “Networks and sociability at courtof France, 17th-18th centuries” research programme led by the Centre de recherche du château de Versailles, under the direction of its Director, Mathieu da Vinha.
Access directly to the Prosocour Database (in French).
This evolving database consists primarily of a list of the offices of all the royal households of the French court and their members. As the project progresses, data is added regarding the chronological record of such offices, the succession of their holders, biographical information and the different types of connections between individuals, etc.
The purpose of this tool is thus to capture and analyse prosopographic data in order to better understand the networks that were woven at court, the mechanisms of social ascension and the hierarchy of the royal households.
The chronological field covered span from the personal reign of Louis XIV (1661) to the end of the Louis XVI period (1792).
The research data management solution Polaris OS, developed by MyScienceWork, has been chosen by the CRCV to set up the navigation, research and analysis platform.
This database has been accessible online since April 4, 2024:
Publication
- Ringot (Benjamin), « Le Who’s Who de la cour », Carnets de Versailles, October 2024-March 2025, p. 09-11.
Presentations at symposia, study days and seminars
- Desbourdes (Delphine), “De la Touraine à Versailles : carrières et réseaux des Amboisiens officiers commensaux du roi (1650-1750)”, symposium Servir le château (Rencontres d’archéologie et d’histoire en Périgord) (Périgueux), September 27, 2024.
- Da Vinha (Mathieu), “Prosocour : base sur les réseaux et la sociabilité à la cour de France aux XVIIe et XVIIIe siècles”, study day Databases on 18th Century France: Cooperation and Exchanges (université de Trèves, online), September 5 and 23, 2024.
- Ringot (Benjamin), “Autour du service domestique (I) : présentation de la base de données Prosocour sur les officiers des maisons royales et princières à la cour de France (fin XVIIe-fin XVIIIe siècle)”, seminar Versailles une histoire en perspective (université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines – Laboratoire DYPAC), November 7, 2022.
Press
- Archassal (Pierre-Valéry), « Prosocour, la base des charges de la cour de France », La revue française de la généalogie, 08-28-2024, online.
- Devillard (Arnaud), « Prosocour, une exploration interactive de la cour à Versailles », Sciences et avenir, 30-04-2024, online.
