Andre Hercules de Fleury

See also: Fleury

André Hercules de Fleury (Lodève, June 28th 1653 - Issy-les-Moulineaux, January 29th 1743) is a statesman French, which was de facto principal Minister for the State under Louis XV (1726 - 1743).

Biography

Wire of Jean de Fleury receiver of the Ten-per-cent tax S Languedoc IEN, it is ordered priest in 1674. It makes then studies of Théologie, obtaining its license in 1676. It becomes then Chanoine of Montpellier then, by protection of the cardinal of Bonzi, chaplain of the queen. It then obtains in 1699 the diocese of Fréjus.

April 1st 1716, it is named by the duke of Orleans, regent of the kingdom, tutor of the young person Louis XV, in accordance with the second Codicille of the will of Louis XIV. In 1717, the regent grants the exorbitant right to him to go up in fits with body of the king. He is elected this same year with the French Academy. In 1722, at the time of the Sacring, it holds the role of an ecclesiastical par. In 1726, it is called by Louis XV, of which it gained confidence and the affection, to replace the duke of Bourbon. “Mr. de Fréjus”, as it is called, becomes Prime Minister in fact - one can explain that it was not named officially by the fact that official a Prime Minister must sign a great quantity of official documents, but Fleury is old and of weak physical constitution. In September of the same year, on the request of the king, it is named cardinal.

The cardinal of Fleury controls with prudence and wisdom: inside, it restores the budget of the State, stabilizes the currency, takes again the policy of Colbert, pacifies as far as possible the problem Jansenist. On the other hand, he does not manage to block the rise of the parliamentary opposition. Its foreign policy is marked by a research of peace and European stability. Involved by the king in the War of succession of Poland, he quickly concludes it by the treaty from Vienna from 1738. He is also characterized by moderation from his way of life: contrary to a cardinal of Richelieu or Mazarin, it does not pile up an immense fortune. He spends his incomes commendataires in alms and is satisfied with his salaries of minister (20  000 pounds). Its eagerness to preserve its capacity until its death in 1743 is worth to him the nickname of “Its Eternity”.

He is elected member of the French Academy in 1717, of the Academy of Science in 1721 and the Académie of the inscriptions and the humanities in 1725. He receives the title of headmaster of the Sorbonne and superior of the Maison of Navarre.