Etienne François de Choiseul - SpeedyLook encyclopedia

Biography

Oldest son of François Joseph de Choiseul, marquis de Stainville (1700-1770), it takes initially the title of his father. He engages in the army in the regiment of Navarre, with which he takes part in the campaigns of Bohemia in 1741 and Italy, in particular the Bataille of Coni, during the War of succession of Austria. Choiseul has at the same time capacities with the businesses and assiduity with work, but it misses tenacity against its opponents. Physically it was small and ugly. “Leger and frivolous in his private until insolence, coiled in the intrigue until cynicism, it united with the great capacities of the statesman the radiation of an head of party, and of this double fact it dominated the political life of its time. Its amorality in the businesses of the love and the capacity - inextricably tangled up with the length of its career - did not prevent it from having, unlike several of its rivals, a serious and personal design of the political tasks. Layman and liberal - admiror of the British system - it does not seem that it had never strongly stuck to the project to reform the State, although he conceived the need of it. Its favorite field was the foreign policy, where it incarnates a demanding sight, but not unreasonable nor sterile of the national pride and " leadership" French. He disputed in Kaunitz the title of " to notch of Europe". ” (Edgar Faure)

Of 1745 with 1748 it is with the Netherlands during the seats of Mons, Charleroi and Maastricht. It reaches the row of general Lieutenant. In 1750 he marries Louise Honorine Crozat, girl of Louis François Crozat, marquis of Châtel (D. 1750), which brings a vast fortune to him and is shown very devoted.

Choiseul obtains the favor of Madam de Pompadour by getting letters to him that Louis XV wrote with his/her cousin Madam de Choiseul-Romanet, with which the king had a gallant adventure. After having been briefly Baillif of the the Vosges, it is named ambassador with Rome in 1753, where it carries out the negotiations concerning the disorders caused by the papal bubble Unigenitus . It acts with effectiveness and as 1757 its protective fact of naming with Vienna, where one charges it with cementing new alliance between France and the Austria.

Choiseul secretary of foreign affairs, with the War and the Navy (1758-1770)

Its success enables him to become secretary of foreign affairs (1758 - 1761/1766 - 1770) like successor of Antoine Louis Rouillé and thus to direct the French diplomacy during the Guerre Seven Year old.

It is then made Duc of even Choiseul and of France. In 1761, it negotiates with Jeronimo Grimaldi the third Pacte of family Bourbon between France and the Spain. This same year it becomes also Secretary of State to the War and the Marine, transferring the secretariat from State to the Foreign affairs to his cousin Choiseul-Praslin. In 1766 it takes again the Foreign affairs, Choiseul-Praslin taking the Navy.

Arriving at the capacity in the middle of demoralization after the defeats of Rossbach and Crefeld, he seeks to finish the conflict quickly, signing the treated of Paris of 1763 which transfers to Great Britain the Canada and the India. In the hope that a new conflict, this victorious time, will be able to restore the balance of the powers in Europe, it reforms with energy the army and the navy. It invests in the colonies of the the Antilles in particular Saint-Domingue, makes the purchase of the Corsica . Its interior management is judged favorably by the encyclopedists that it supports by banishing the Jésuites.

Disgrace and the exile: Choiseul chief of the opposition

It is one of the reasons of its fall, with its support for Louis-Rene Caradeuc of Chalotais, and the opposition of the provincial Parliaments to its policy. Its enemies carried out by Madam of Barry, mistress of the king, and the chancellor Maupeou, are right of him: in 1770 it receives the order to be withdrawn in its Château of Chanteloup close to Amboise. The intrigues against him had, however, increased its popularity, which was already large, and during its banishment which lasts until in 1774 it is visited by powerful characters. It then seems a true chief of the opposition. “The duke of Choiseul, exiled with Chanteloup, there had all France”, observes the abbot Morellet in 1773. In its park, it makes build by its appointed architect, Louis-Denis Camus, a pagoda of seven stages - which remains still today - where are engraved the names of the 210 people of high condition who visited it during her exile. Its partisans did not have of cease to thwart all the attempts at reform, paradox of a liberal to the head of a conservative party.

With the advent of Louis XVI, Choiseul hopes for its recall. The death of Louis XV and the exile of of Barry are as many favorable circumstances. Choiseul is tested and popular. In addition, he was the man of alliance with Austria. But actually, if Marie-Antoinette appreciates Choiseul and wishes its return, the empress Marie-Therese is satisfied perfectly duke of Pivot, that she considers “gifted little of genius and talents, without credit and unceasingly badgered by factions”. Especially, Louis XVI does not forgive in Choiseul to be himself highly opposite with his father, then Dauphin, in connection with a business interesting the Jesuits, so much so that when the Dolphin died in 1765, the noise ran that Choiseul had made it poison. Also, the King does not point out it this last but, yielding to the authorities of the Queen, it puts an end to its exile and allows him to return to Paris. It reappears at the Court the June 12th 1774, but on this date, Maurepas dominates the Council and Vergennes occupies the station of secretary of foreign affairs. Louis XVI reserves a gloomy reception to him, restricting himself to say to him: “Mister de Choiseul, you lost part of your hair. ” Choiseul understands that there is nothing to hope and sets out again as of the following day for Chanteloup.

One published under his name, in 1790, of the Mémoires which are by no means authentic.

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