Nicolas Choart de Buzenval

Nicolas Choart de Buzenval is a bishop Jansenist born the July 25th 1611 and dead the July 21st 1679

Course

Born with Paris, Choart de Buzenval is the son of a lieutenant in a company of the French guards, died in 1616, and of Madeleine Potier. The brother of the latter, the bishop of Beauvais Augustin Potter of Blancmesnil, successor of his Rene brother to this diocese, gives him a good education.

He was initially magistrate, thus following the family tradition of the Potter. It is to advise with the Parlement of Brittany (1630) then to advise with the Grand the Council (1631). It follows even the marshal of Créquy at the time of his embassy to Rome (1633-1634) before being named Maître of the requests.

But Augustin Potier of Blancmesnil, one moment close to the queen mother is returned in his diocese in 1643. Whereas an embassy had been promised to him, Nicolas Choart de Buzenval must also withdraw himself and returns undertakes Master of the requests. He approaches his uncle then; one of his/her cousins entremet so that Buzenval succeeds Blancmesnil on the head office of Beauvais. Buzenval receives the bubbles from them on October 11th, 1650.

Buzenval is favorable to the strict residence of the bishop; it shows of a great activity and a great rigor to renovate its diocese. The diocese of Beauvais is then already marked by the Jansénisme, in particular thanks to the two general vicars of its uncle, Claude Tristan and Nicolas Lévesque. This last takes the direction of the seminar that Blancmesnil had founded and that Buzenval made thrive: it gives him in particular a payment, on the model of that of Alet, written by Nicolas Pavillon.

Because of its jansénisme, Buzenval is quickly confronted with a revolt of some of the canons of the cathedral. Mandement that it enacted after the publication of the bubble Cum causes is refused by the senior of the canons who calls some in Rome. Buzenval is inflexible, refusing that Rome dictates its control with a French bishop and estimating that the Parliament of the clergy by no means has the force of a council.

The position of Buzenval is still radicalized at the time of the business of the Formulaire. With Nicolas House, Henri Arnauld and François-Etienne de Caulet, it belongs to the four bishops who never bend, to the risk to alienate the royal capacity. The Peace of the Church however alleviates the relations and the canons favorable to Buzenval find even the emolument which had been confiscated to them.

Until its death in 1679, Buzenval manages its diocese, instituting the ecclesiastical Council and paying many visits in the parishes. Not having a designated successor, it is All Saints' day de Forbin-Janson which succeeds to him on the seat of Beauvais.

The Grande Miss which visits it describes it as follows: “It is a worthy prelate: he gives of his duty his pleasure; he does not have any larger than the residence, and its entertainments are to make its visits, of which he discharges well; because it has as much capacity than it may be. It is called Buzanval; it was to advise at the Parliament of Paris, then main of the requests, which it left to be a coadjutor of its uncle, who étoit Potier. ”

Sources

Jean Lesaulnier and Antony McKenna (to dir.), Dictionary of Port-Royal , Paris: Champion, 2004, p. 268-270

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