List of knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit

The list of the knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit presents the chronological list of knights and commanders of the most important French Order of the Holy Spirit, established by Henry III (1578), abolished under the French Revolution (1791), re-established under the Restoration (1814), abolished in turn by the July Monarchy (1830).

However, as proof of their appointments exists either in the archives of the order itself, or in the genealogies of the great officers of the crown, it seemed necessary to recall their names.

The unfortunate child, son of Louis XVI, reigned from behind the bars of the Temple from 21 January 1793 to 8 June 1795 and is not known to have received the collar of the Ordre du Saint-Esprit as this customarily only conferred on prince's after receiving their first communion.Given the royalists recognised him as king he is considered among them to be the seventh head and sovereign Grand Maître de l'Ordre du Saint-Esprit.

[2]The eighth head and sovereign Grand Maître de l'Ordre du Saint-Esprit Louis XVIII received the collar of the Order on 7 June 1767.

For the knights of Saint-Esprit, the republic, consulate and empire never existed and the reign of Louis XVIII began on 8 June 1795 upon the death of the young king, his nephew, and continued without interruption until 1824.

Henri III presiding the first ceremony of the Order of the Holy Spirit on 31 December 1578 : reception of Louis Gonzaga, Duke of Nevers , anonymous, Musée du Louvre .
First promotion of the Order of the Holy Spirit held by Henry IV in the church of the Grands-Augustins Monastery in Paris (1595) , Jean- François de Troy , 1732, Musée du Louvre .
Réception d'Henri II d'Orléans, Duc de Longueville, dans l'ordre du Saint-Esprit par le roi Louis XIII, le 15 mai 1633 , Philippe de Champaigne (1602–1674), Musée des Augustins (Toulouse).
Reception of the Knights of the Order of the Holy Spirit in the Chapel of Versailles on 1 January and 2 February 1689
Nicolas Lancret (1690–1743), Presentation of the Order of the Holy Spirit in the Chapels of Versailles (3 June 1724), Musée du Louvre .
Jean-Baptiste van Loo (1684–1745), Louis XV presenting the cord of the Order of the Holy Spirit to the Count of Clermont in the chapel of Versailles, 3 June 1724 , Versailles.
Reception of the knights of the order of the Holy Spirit in the chapel of Versailles during the great promotion of 3 June 1724 , Jacques Rigaud (ca. 1681–1754), Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon .
The Presentation of the Order of the Holy Spirit to Prince Vaini by the Duke of Saint-Aignan in the San Luigi dei Francesi church in Rome, 15 September 1737 , [ 1 ] Giovanni Paolo Pannini (1692–1765), around 1745, Musée des Beaux-Arts de Caen .
Louis XVI receives in Reims the homage of the Knights of the Holy Spirit, 13 June 1775 , Gabriel-François Doyen (1726–1806), vers 1775, Musée national des châteaux de Versailles et de Trianon .