Pierre-Gédéon, comte de Nolivos, commandeur de l'Ordre militaire de Saint-Louis, maréchal des camps & des armées du Roi, gouverneur-lieutenant-général pour Sa Majesté, des Isles françaises de l'Amérique Sous le Vent ...
Publisher: s.n.
Published: 1771
Place of publication: [Port-au-Prince, Haiti?
Language: fre
Notes: Printed form.

At head of caption title of form: woodcut armorial device, possibly that of the Order of Saint Louis.

Pierre-Gédéon, comte de Nolivos was governor of the French colony of Guadeloupe from 1758-1765 and of the French colony of Saint-Domingue from 1769-1771. Cf. Henige, D.P., Colonial governors, p. 36 and 54.

The Order of Saint-Louis, an order of merit, was created by Louis XIV in 1693 and dedicated to Saint-Louis. It was reserved for French Catholic officers having served at least 10 years in the army. They were not required to be noble. There were three ranks: chevalier (unlimited), commandeur (limited to 24) and grand-croix (limited to 8; the limits were later raised). The king was Grand Master, the Dauphin or heir presumptive was automatically a member. It was abolished in 1830. Cf. Mazas, Alexandre, Histoire de l'ordre royal et Militaire de Saint-Louis depuis son institution en 1693 jusqu'en 1830.

John Carter Brown Library copy has ms. inscription by the comte de Nolivos after "des Isles françaises de l'Amérique Sous le Vent": "[Nous] Certifions qu'envertu de l'Ordre du Roy du vingt quatre aout mil sept cent soixante dix, nous avons aujourd'hui agrégé M le baron de Sédiérer (?) à l'Ordre royal et militaire de S Louis [.] Donné au Port[-]au[-]Prince sous le sceau de nosarmes ... contreseing (?) de notre secretaire le 10 juin 1771 Nolivos ... par monseigneur Fivaire (?)"