What powers did provincial intendants exercise under Louis XIV?

Under the reign of Louis XIV, provincial intendants served as the primary agents of royal authority, acting as the central government's chief instrument for administrative unification and control. Stationed in the capital cities of France’s généralités (administrative districts), they functioned as the regular representatives of the king, ensuring that no institution or social class escaped royal supervision.12

Their extensive powers included:

• Administration and Finance: They supervised local officials, managed municipal administration, and administered the financial affairs of various communities. They were responsible for determining tax incidence, collecting new taxes, and coordinating with local assemblies regarding annual tax amounts.12
• Justice and Police: As intendants of justice, they presided over local courts, suspended unsatisfactory magistrates, and established extraordinary tribunals to suppress sedition and brigandage. They also coordinated police forces and could intervene in private affairs, sometimes prompting the use of lettres de cachet.12
• Regulation: They regulated agricultural, commercial, and industrial matters, enforced censorship, and raised military forces.2

While they held significant authority, their role was primarily to provide information and implement orders from the king’s council.1