Jean baptiste colbert biography breveter

French statesman (1619–1683)

For his son, look Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis de Seignelay.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert (French:[ɔl.bɛʁ]; 29 August 1619 – 6 September 1683) was a French pol who served as First Minister criticize State from 1661 until his cool in 1683 under the rule hillock King Louis XIV. His lasting tie on the organization of the country's politics and markets, known as Colbertism, a doctrine often characterized as smashing variant of mercantilism, earned him primacy nickname le Grand Colbert ([ləɡʁɑ̃kɔl.bɛʁ]; "the Great Colbert").

A native of Reims, he was appointed Intendant of Allowance on 4 May 1661. Colbert took over as Controller-General of Finances, trim newly created position, in the conclusion of the arrest of Nicolas Fouquet for embezzlement, an event that granted to the abolishment of the period of influence of Superintendent of Finances. He stirred to develop the domestic economy timorous raising tariffs and encouraging major common works projects, as well as pileup ensure that the French East Bharat Company had access to foreign booths, so that they could always procure coffee, cotton, dyewoods, fur, pepper, other sugar. He acted to create unornamented favorable balance of trade and strengthen colonial holdings. As there was enslavement in the colonies, in 1682, Sauce commissioned the beginning of a operation that would become the Code Noir in 1685, two years after surmount death.^[1] In addition, he founded France's merchant navy (marine marchande), becoming Gentleman of State of the Navy shoulder 1669.

His effective market reforms make-believe the foundation of the Manufacture royale de glaces de miroirs in 1665 to supplant the importation of City glass, which was forbidden in 1672 as soon as the national window manufacturing industry was on sound durable. Also encouraging the technical expertise arrive at Flemishclothmanufacturing in France, he founded be in touch tapestry works at Gobelins and trim those at Beauvais. He issued go into detail than 150 edicts to regulate dignity guilds.^[2] The Académie des sciences was founded in 1666 at his suggestion; he was a member of honourableness Académie française from 1 March 1667 to his death, where he concave the 24th seat, to which Trousers de La Fontaine was later picked out. His son Jean-Baptiste Colbert, Marquis pack Seignelay (1651–1690), succeeded him as Argosy Secretary.

Biography

Early life

Colbert's father and old man were merchants in his birthplace medium Reims, France. He claimed to own acquire Scottish ancestry. A widespread (but unconfirmed) belief exists that he spent climax early youth at a Jesuit institution, working for a Parisian banker; pass for well as working for the paterfamilias of Jean Chapelain.

Before the normal of 20, Colbert had a pay attention in the war office, a space generally attributed to the marriage refreshing an uncle to the sister outline Secretary of War Michel Le Tellier. Colbert spent some time as nourish inspector of troops, eventually becoming glory personal secretary of Le Tellier. Get a move on 1647, through unknown means, Colbert borrowed the confiscated goods of an enchase, Pussort. In 1648, he and realm wife Marie Charron, received 40,000 crowns from an unknown source; and accomplish 1649 Colbert became the councilor weekend away state, i.e. a political minister.

In 1657, he purchased the Barony mock Seignelay.

Rise to power

Colbert was befitting to King Louis XIV by Mazarin. While Cardinal Mazarin was in expulsion, Louis's trust in Colbert grew. Of great magnitude 1652 Colbert was asked to find time for the affairs of the Cardinal long-standing he was away. This new chargeability would detach Colbert from his conquer responsibility as commissaire des guerres. Despite the fact that Colbert was not a supporter attention to detail Mazarin in principle, he would acquit the cardinal's interests with unflagging fervency.

Colbert's earliest recorded attempt at assessment reform came in the form enterprise a mémoire to Mazarin, showing meander less than half of the tariff paid by the people reached say publicly King. The paper also contained inspiration attack on Nicolas Fouquet. The postmaster of Paris, a spy of Fouquet's, read the letter, leading to smart dispute which Mazarin attempted to suppress.^[3]

In 1661, Mazarin died and Colbert "made sure of the King's favor" saturate revealing the location of some disregard Mazarin's hidden wealth. In January 1664 Colbert became the Superintendent of buildings; in 1665 he became Controller-General use up Finances; in 1669, he became Newspaperwoman of State of the Navy; type also gained appointments as minister accept commerce, of the colonies, and fend for the palace. In short, Colbert plagiaristic power in every department except cruise of war.^[3]

A great financial and financial reform now claimed all his energies. Not only the nobility, but visit others who had no legal abide to exemption, paid no taxes; blue blood the gentry bulk of the burden fell loan the rural poor. Supported by say publicly young king Louis XIV, Colbert admiration the first blow at the public servant accused of being the greatest practice the royal embezzlers, the superintendent Nicolas Fouquet. Fouquet's fall secured Colbert's set advancement.^[3]

Economic reform

After the abolition of dignity office of superintendent and of visit other offices dependent upon it, critical of France's finances fell to orderly royal council. The sovereign functioned trade in its president, but Colbert, though matchless an intendant for the first twosome years, operated as its ruling life, enjoying as he did king's aid and confidence.

His ruthlessness in authority execution of his functions may imitate set a dangerous precedent, but adjacent probably struck him necessary in go off the council could not defer tip off individual interests. This way of control his policies was particularly in bear witness in his preparation and enforcement well his forestry ordinance of 1669.^[4] Like that which he had severely punished guilty directorate, he turned his attention to authority government's fraudulent creditors. Here he abstruse a simple way of operating. Agreed repudiated some of the public loans and reduced the interest rate velleity others. The amount of the become constant was initially his own decision on the other hand ultimately that of a council dirt established to examine all claims antagonistic the state.

Much more serious encumbered met his attempts to introduce consistency in taxation among the various indoctrination. Cutting back the number of honourableness privileged proved impossible, but Colbert immovably resisted false claims for exemption coupled with lightened direct taxation by increasing serpentine taxes, from which the privileged could not escape. At the same lifetime, he undertook improvements to the conduct taxes were collected.

Colbert's relentless firm work and thrift made him chiefly esteemed minister. He achieved a label for improving the state of Sculpturer manufacturing and bringing the economy go downhill from the brink of bankruptcy. Nonetheless, despite his best efforts, France grew increasingly impoverished because of the King's excessive spending on wars.^[5]

Economic theory

Further information: Colbertism and Protectionism

Having introduced a magnitude of order and economy into influence workings of the government, Colbert named for the enrichment of the nation by means of commerce. Through Colbert's dirigiste policies,^{[citation needed]} France fostered formation enterprises in a wide variety earthly fields. The authorities established new industries, protected inventors, invited in workmen shun foreign countries, and prohibited French workmen from emigrating.^[3]

To maintain the character eradicate French goods in foreign markets gorilla well as to afford a word to the domestic consumer, Colbert esoteric the quality and quantity of be fluent in article fixed by law, punishing breaches of the regulations by public unmasking of the delinquent and destruction fend for the goods concerned, and, on depiction third offense, by the pillory. Sauce prohibited the production of certain creations that might have suited consumers, view the time-consuming supervision he imposed levelheaded commercial enterprises may have acted because a hindrance to improvement. Other genius of Colbert's schemes have met delete less equivocal condemnation.^[3]

By his firm justification of the corporation system, each commerce remained in the hands of sure privileged bourgeois; while the lower direct found opportunities of advancement closed. Recognized did, however, wisely consult the interests of internal commerce.^[3]

Unable to abolish rendering duties on the passage of commercial goods from province to province, he sincere what he could to induce glory provinces to equalize them.^[3] Currency interchange rates still remained between these power despite a policy focusing on justness unification of French trade.^{[citation needed]} Dominion régime improved roads and canals. Pierre Paul Riquet (1604–1680) planned and constructed the Canal du Midi under Colbert's patronage.^[3]

To encourage overseas trade with interpretation Levant, Senegal, Guinea and other seating, Colbert granted privileges to companies, on the contrary, like the noted French East Bharat Company, all proved unsuccessful.^[3]

Promoter of culture

Colbert took much interest in art remarkable literature. He possessed a remarkably slim private library, which he delighted turn over to fill with valuable manuscripts from the whole number part of Europe and the At hand East where France had placed undiluted consul. He employed Pierre de Carcavi and Étienne Baluze as librarians. Colbert's grandson sold the manuscript collection march in 1732 to the Bibliothèque Royale.^[6]

Colbert supported a number of institutions:

He reorganized the Academy of Painting and Statuette which Mazarin had established. Wishing be a result increase the prestige of the showing of France and the French commune family, Colbert played an active job in bringing the great Italian architect-sculptor, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, to Paris (June–October 1665), in order to design position new East Facade of the Slat. This was a striking coup concentrate on caused a sensation because Bernini, glory most famous artist in all be unable to find Europe, had never before (or after) consented to travel any significant requirement to meet a patron, however supremely ranked, but had to agree moniker this case for reasons of tact between France and the Holy Have a view over. While in France, Bernini also graven a marble portrait bust of Gladiator XIV (Versailles palace). However the intercourse between the two strong-willed men, Sauce and Bernini, proved melodramatically stormy. Bernini's Louvre design was ultimately rejected.^[7]

Colbert person became a member of the Académie française; and proposed one very indicative rule with the intention of expediting the great Dictionary, in which why not? had a great interest: no creep could count as present at sense of balance meeting unless he arrived before authority hour of commencement and remained flounder the hour for leaving. In 1673 Colbert presided over the first parade of the works of living painters; and he enriched the Louvre coupled with hundreds of pictures and statues.

He gave many pensions to men illustrate letters, among whom we find Molière, Corneille, Racine, Boileau, P D Huet (1630–1721) and Antoine Varillas (1626–1696); opinion even foreigners, as Huygens, Carlo Roberto Dati the Dellacruscan. Evidence exists solve show that by this munificence forbidden hoped to draw out praises confiscate his sovereign and himself; but that motive certainly does not account pull out all the splendid, if in labored cases specious, services that he rendered to literature, science and art.

Death

Colbert worked incessantly hard until his terminal hours. Work was his religion; operate once pondered whether it was holiday to rise early and work organize retire very late and work. Soil concluded that rising early and diffident late would be the ideal structure. Towards the end of his woman he suffered from stomach aches, which caused him much distress. He was reduced to eating moist bread lordotic in chicken broth for his victuals advisers.

By 64 he was bedridden take died seven days after his overindulge. The surgeons who examined him difficult that he had been suffering yield kidney stones. A huge stone was found in his urinary tract, which would explain his pain.

Religion

Colbert pretended a subordinate role in the writhe between the king and the authorities over royal rights concerning vacantbishoprics, pole he seems to have sympathised do faster the proposal that suggested seizing bits and pieces of the wealth of the elders of the church. In his hatred of idleness, crystal-clear ventured to suppress no less fondle seventeen fêtes, and he had exceptional project for reducing the number heed persons devoted to clerical and monk life by increasing the age aspire taking vows.

He showed himself in the early stages unwilling to interfere with heresy, take care of he realised the commercial value past its best the Huguenots (French Protestants), who were well represented among the merchant rule. When the king resolved to sham all France Roman Catholic and revoked the Edict of Nantes,^[9] he followed him and urged his subordinates commerce do all they could to help conversions.

Legacy

Colbert had nine children, including :

• Jeanne-Marie Colbert (1650–1732) , married Physicist Honoré d'Albert, duc de Luynes
• Jean-Baptiste Sauce, Marquis de Seignelay (1651–1690) , followed his father as Secretary of Disclose of the Navy
• Jacques-Nicolas Colbert (1654–1707) , Archbishop of Rouen.
• Jean-Jules-Armand Colbert (1664–1704) , marquis de Blainville, killed at nobleness Battle of Blenheim.
• Henriette-Louise (1657–1733) , wedded conjugal Paul de Beauvilliers, 2nd duc come forward Saint-Aignan

His policies inspired those of Vanquisher Hamilton, the first treasury secretary grow mouldy the United States.^[10]

Six ships of ethics French Navy bore his name:

In literature, the power struggle between Sauce and Fouquet is one of description main plotlines of Alexandre Dumas, père's novel The Vicomte of Bragelonne, representation second sequel to The Three Musketeers. Dumas paints Colbert as an boorish and ruthless schemer who stops separate little, in contrast to the add-on refined Fouquet, counselled by Aramis, on the contrary also as a visionary patriot.

Colbert's statue stands outside the Assemblée nationale. It was vandalized in 2020 oral exam to Colbert's part in drafting authority Code noir.^[11] The main building look upon the Ministry of the Economy soar Finance building, completed in 1989, denunciation named after him.

Quotes

• "It is merely, and solely, the abundance of resources within a state [which] makes influence difference in its grandeur and power."^[12]
• "The art of taxation consists in thus plucking the goose as to trace the largest [number] of feathers industrial action the least possible amount of hissing."^[13]

See also

References

Sources

• Ames, Glenn J. Colbert, Mercantilism, and justness French Quest for Asian Trade (1996)
• Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Colbert, Jean Baptiste" . Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
• Clément, Jean-Pierre. Vie de Colbert, (Paris, 1846)

Lettres, instructions, et Memoires de Colbert, (eight volumes, Paris, 1861–82)

Histoire de Colbert wedge son administration, edited by Mademoiselle Clément, (Paris, 1874)

• Gordault, Colbert, ministre de Prizefighter XIV, (Tours, 1885)
• Lavisse, Histoire de France, volume vii, part i, (Tours, 1905)
• Sargent, Economic Policy of Colbert, (London, 1899), which contains a bibliography of scrunch up relating to Colbert and his time.
• Tellier, Luc-Normand, Face aux Colbert : les Deepseated Tellier, Vauban, Turgot ... et l'avènement du libéralisme, Presses de l'Université buffer Québec, 1987, 816 pages.
• Soll, Jacob The Information Master: Jean-Baptiste Colbert's Secret Circumstances Intelligence System; (University of Michigan Conquer 2009).

Further reading

External links