François-Charles de Velbrück
François Charles de Velbrück (Castle of Garath, close to Dusseldorf - 1719 - Castle of Hex, close to Tongres 1784) was Prince-Bishop of Liege February 16th 1772 with 1784.
In 1735, Velbrück is equipped with an emolument with canon-of the subsoil for the Cathédrale Saint-Lambert of Liege. One year later, it is received in the Chapter by procuration. It is named archdeacon of Hesbaye, then officer of Scel of the Graces in 1756.
One year later, it is in charge of a diplomatic mission at the court of Vienna. In 1759, he becomes large-Master of the palate and Prime Minister of Jean-Theodore of Bavaria, which held with Liege a sumptuous court. He moreover is equipped with an emolument of canon for the cathedral of Munster in 1757 and in 1765, he receives Louis XV the ordering of the royal abbey of Saint Nicolas's Day de Cheminon, in Champagne. This exceptional course on the diplomatic plan and ecclesiastic made of it the only character able to become new the Prince-bishop of Liege at the time of the elections of 1772. He will assume this task until 1784.
Its reign saw being born from multiple social, artistic and intellectual initiatives. This " despot éclairé" receptive with the ideas progressists incipient from the last decades of the Old Mode tries to introduce the Lights into the Principauté of Liege. But for lack of money or of being able, its projects always do not succeed. It reigns in the Principality at that time a certain lethargy and a narrow vision which slow down a real progress.
Its attempts to fight the societies' problems like the poverty or the inequalities of class are numerous but do not manage to really modify deplorable situations. He undertakes changes in multiple sectors, of which that of the public health with the creation of the Saint-Léonard General hospital, assistance and reception center for the needy ones; of a free course of the art of the obstetrician; establishments intended to fight the diseases devastators within its people.
Velbrück also reforms education while making it available to all by creation from the free Schools of charity for the poor children and of a Plan from Education for Youth from the Country from Liege. He wants radically to change the educational methods of the schools Jesuits, then removed, by directing the instruction towards a training of physical sciences and mathematics, social sciences, etc, which will provide to the pupils objective tools sharpening their critical judgment. He has moreover the project to carry out a large public library.
The action of Velbrück, large protective of the artists, is essential in the rebirth of arts with the country of Liege. It launches in 1774 the execution of a public Academy of painting, sculpture and engraving. He was also member of the freemasonry.
Lastly, its most outstanding work was the foundation in 1779 of the literary Company and the Company of Emulation, meeting place of intelligentsia inhabitant of Li2ege in liaison with learned societies of other countries, whose multiple activities were inter alia the presentation of works of the poets, the artists and discovered scientists.
Its restored mausoleum is since June 15th, 2000 in the cloister of the Cathédrale Saint-Paul of Liege. The epitaph testifies there to the great regard of the people of Liege in its connection. To note, that, contrary to those of its predecessors, his body was not thrown to the common grave and its mausoleum was not destroyed at the time of the Révolution inhabitant of Li2ege.
It accommodated arts, advanced their progress,
With the Emulation opened a sanctuary,
was the guard and the guardian god.
Good, gracious and human, Velbrück were at the same time
a Auguste, a Patron in the middle of the Inhabitants of Li2ege
See too
- List of the prince-bishops of Liege
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