Patrice-François de Neny

Biography

Patrice-François de Neny , born in Brussels on December 23rd, 1716, baptized in the Holy-Gudule church Collegial, deceased in the same parish on January 1st, 1784 and buried the 3 with Laeken, was a statesman of the Austrian Netherlands.
Wire of and the war Secretary of State of Irish origin, Patrice Mac Neny (1676-1745) and of Anne Marie Peterbroeck (Ca 1679-1766), it married on December 14th, 1739 Albertine Isabelle de Wynants, girl of the magistrate and statesman, Goswin, count de Wynants (1661-1732). It had of this marriage five children of which only three reached the adulthood:

Philippe Goswin, 2nd count de Neny (1740-1812).
Henri Edouard de Neny, knight (1741-1742).
Marie Therese de Neny (1742 - apr. 1804).
Charlotte de Neny (1743-1808).
Jean de Neny, knight (1744-1745).

After having made studies of right to the the University of Louvain (it leaves there laid off are laws on February 20th, 1736), he was lawyer with the Sovereign Conseil of the Brabant (1736). He was then secretary of the councils of private State and (1738), member of supreme Jointe of war, adviser of the private Conseil (1744), adviser regent with the Supreme council from the Netherlands in Vienna (1750), adviser with the Council of State (1750), general treasurer of the Conseil of Finances (1754-1757), royal police chief near the the University of Louvain (1754). By letters patent of January 3rd, 1758, he became chief and president of the private Conseil, station which he will occupy until 1783 (he resigned for health reason) and in which he will exert his talents of gestionnaire.
As regards teaching, it had a policy of modernization in particular by renovating the programs and by reforming the discipline of the the University of Louvain. It took an active part also in the royal Commission of the Studies, charged to replace the colleges jesuitic by royal colleges. In the religious field, Neny had a great influence on the ecclesiastical policy of the government. Jansenist, inspired by the ideas of Z.B van Espen and J. Fébronius, it always defended in this field, the prerogatives of the State. He was also an economist of talent and a warned diplomat, contributing to regulate many litigations of borders with the Neighboring states. Partisan of the novel ideas, it supported the centralizing policy of Austrian monarchy. He was favorable to the inoculation and the development of a medical true policy. In 1758, Vienna ordered a report to him on the institutions of the Netherlands, intended to supplement the education of the future Joseph II; these historical Memories and policies will be published in 1784.
Neny was created knight by letters patent of November 2nd, 1737 (in consideration of the merits of his/her father), then count, by letters patent of October 29th, 1766. It was also made knight about Saint-Etienne of Hungary (November 5th, 1765), which was worth to him to be able to carry the predicate of Its Excellence , and in July 1767, he became commander about it.

Random links: