French Vellum Commission of the Medallion or Order of the Two Swords, Louis XV Period

This commission, known as the “veterancy commission,” was established on April 16, 1771.

It was awarded to Sieur Claude Franget, Maréchal des Logis in the Lorraine Dragoon Regiment, in the Varennes company, in recognition of 24 years of consecutive service. The document was issued in Versailles on April 28, 1774, and bears the handwritten signature of the Duke of Aiguillon, then Minister and Secretary of State in charge of the Department of War and Foreign Affairs.

The commission is adorned with a vignette depicting a globe crowned with the arms of France, surrounded by bundles of flags on a radiant, clouded background. It also includes various military elements such as flags, cuirasses, shields, and cannons. In the upper left corner appears the oval medallion with two crossed swords.

Dimensions of the document: 31 cm x 23.5 cm

Condition: Good overall condition, aged patina, very light stains

Emmanuel-Armand de Vignerot du Plessis-Richelieu, Duke of Aiguillon (1720–1788), was made Peer of France in 1740, Brigadier General in 1748, and Commander-in-Chief in Brittany from 1753 to 1768. He later served as Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs (1771–1774) and then as Secretary of State for War in 1774.

The Medallion of the Two Swords was intended to encourage non-commissioned officers and soldiers—who were not eligible for the Order of Saint Louis or the Military Merit Order—to extend their military service. It was awarded after twenty-four years of service. Although maintained after the Revolution, it appears to have ceased being awarded after 1795 and was later prohibited from being worn.