See also: Fouquet

François Fouquet or Foucquet , fourth of the name (1587 - Paris, April 22nd 1640), magistrate and business man French, father of Nicolas Fouquet, superintendent of finances under Louis XIV.

François was born in a middle-class family, having made fortune in the trade of cloth. As opposed to what she claimed then, she was not noble - its filiation claimed with Fouquet of Mill-New was false. Its family name meant “squirrel” in patois of the areas of the West, from where weapons drawn by François III, his father: money to the crawling squirrel of mouths . Ambitious, François IV added to it the currency “ Quo not ascendet? ” (“until where won't it go up? ”).

It made studies of right, confirming the new orientation of the family towards the magistrature. The February 22nd 1587, it married Marie de Maupéou, whose family was powerful in the dress. Master of the requests to the Parliament of Paris, it belonged to the court judging the count de Chalais for crime of Lèse-majesté. It was then a collaborator of Richelieu. In 1627, it acquired a patent of advising State in ordinary service. The same year, it was sent by Richelieu near the Swiss Cantons. It also took part in the creation of the manufacture of high stringer to the Soap factory.

In 1624, Richelieu had created the Council of the marine. François IV entered there as of 1628. He associated with the marketing activity of the Company islands of Americas of the orders and congregations missionaries. Friend of Vincent of Paul and Jeanne de Chantal, it helped also much the Society of Jesus. Vincent of Paul about it wrote in his correspondence that it was “one of the more men of although idiot” .

He had 15 children, of which 12 reached the adulthood. The six girls were made all nuns with the Sainte-Marie Visitation, house rested by Jeanne de Chantal and Dirty François. The six boys knew various careers:

1. François V (born in 1611), bishop of Bayonne, Agde, finally of Narbonne.
2. Nicolas (born in 1615), superintendent of finances
3. Basile (born in 1622), known as “the Fouquet abbot”, chief of the secret police of Mazarin
4. Yves (1629 - 1651), Master of the requests at the Parliament
5. Louis (born in 1633), bishop of Agde in succession of his/her older brother
6. Gilles (born in 1637), first rider.

• the girls all entered in religion.

François IV died in 1640. He left an important heritage of 816  000 pounds, of which 150  000 for its office of Master of the requests.