Joseph de Maistre

Biography

With the birth of Joseph de Maistre, his family, of French origin, had been installed in Savoy for approximately one century. His/her father was president of the Savoyard Senate. Elder of ten children, Joseph studies at the Jésuites, which inspire to him a deep attachment with the religion and rejection of the philosophical rationalism of the 18th century. In 1774, it enters the magistrature; it is named senator in 1788, at the age of thirty-five years.

Four years later, it must flee Savoy invaded by France. It takes refuge during four years in Lausanne, where it fulfills various missions on behalf of the King de Sardaigne. After this last lost its capital, Joseph de Maistre must live in a relative destitution to Venice during some time; but as soon as the sovereign takes again his throne, in 1799, it makes of him its guard of the Large Seal, before sending it three years later as plenipotentiary ambassador to Saint-Pétersbourg.

Joseph de Maistre remains there until in 1817. Slightly supported by its government, that its frankness obstructs sometimes, it defends nevertheless the Sardinian interests in Russia with a certain success. The ambassador is very appreciated good company pétersbourgeoise. He finishes his life in Turin, as minister of state and guard of the Large Seal.

Joseph de Maistre was member of the maconnic cabin Midsummer's Day of the Three Mortars, with the East of Chambéry, created in 1749 under the auspices of the Big room of England; it is one of the first maconnic cabins created in continental Europe (after Paris). It would also have been interested by the Martinisme. His/her brother Xavier de Maistre was also writer.

Philosophy

Joseph de Maistre is the principal representative, with Louis-Gabriel de Bonald, of the reaction traditionalist against the French revolution. He opposes to the Rationalisme 18th century the common direction, the faith, the not-written laws; he shows in the company an organic reality (he is one of the fathers of the Sociologie).

Works

Considerations on France (1796)

Test on the generating principle of the political constitutions (1809)

Of the Pope (1819): apology for the pontifical Theocracy, with spiritual as with the temporal one; this work inspired the Ultramontanisme 19th century.

evenings of St Petersbourg or Talks on the temporal government of Providence (1821)

Letters on the Spanish Enquiry where he denounces the nonsenses of the charges commonly launched against the Spanish enquiry, at the time of its suppression by the the Cortes .

Examination of the philosophy of Bacon (1836).

political
diplomatic Correspondence and memories (as from 1858).

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