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The title of intendant (French intendant, Spanish intendente) has been used in a number of countries through history.
France
Intendants were royal civil servants in France under the ancien régime. The office of intendant was first introduced during the reign of King Louis XIII (1610-1643). The position remained in existence until the French Revolution.
A product of the centralization policies of the French crown, intendants were appointed to prevent the abuse of sales of royal offices, and also had the right to collect revenue and sell licenses.
Historical origins
When Henry IV came to the throne in 1589, one important task he set himself was cutting back the privileges of the French nobles. His main targets were not only the provincial governors, but also the regional parlements, particularly the notoriously divisive one in Paris.Later, when Louis XIV (1643-1715) was in power, the Marquis of Louvois, war minister between 1677 and 1691, expanded the power of the intendants. They monitored Louvois's refinements of the French military, including the institution of a merit promotion system and the creation of enlistment that lasted for only four years and was restricted to single men.
New France
The French colony of New France in North America, which later became the Canadian province of Québec, also had a senior official called an intendant, who was responsible to the French King. New France's first intendant was Jean Talon, comte d'Orsainville in 1665, and the last one, at the time of the British Conquest in 1759 was François Bigot.
Scotland
In Scotland intendant is an archaic title meaning "supervisor" or "curator". The senior officer of the City of Glasgow Police was called an Intendant in the document establishing the force in 1800.
Chile
Each of the administrative regions of Chile is headed by an intendant, appointed by the president.
Uruguay
Uruguay is divided administratively into 19 departamentos (departments), each of which is headed by an intendente municipal (municipal intendant). The intendants are popularly elected, and serve a term of five years.
Reference
Donald Kagan, Steven Ozment, and Frank M. Turner's The Western Heritage (since 1300) 7th Edition, copyrighted and published in 2001.
"Intendant"