Louis Phélypeaux
Marquis of Phélypeaux
Count of Maurepas, Count of Pontchartrain
Portrait by Robert Levrac-Tournières
Chancellor of France
Reign5 September 1699 – 1 July 1714
PredecessorLouis Boucherat
SuccessorDaniel Voysin de la Noiraye
Secretary of State of the Navy
Reign7 November 1690 – September 1699
PredecessorJean-Baptiste Colbert de Seignelay
SuccessorJérôme Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain
Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi
Reign6 November 1690 – 5 September 1699
PredecessorJean-Baptiste Colbert de Seignelay
SuccessorJérôme Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain
Controller-General of Finances
Reign6 November 1690 – 5 September 1699
PredecessorClaude Le Peletier
SuccessorMichel Chamillart
First President of the Parlement of Rennes
Reign29 September 1689 – 5 September 1699
PredecessorFrançois d'Argouges
SuccessorRené Le Feuvre de La Faluère
President and Director of the East India Company
Reign13 November 1690 – 27 December 1693
BornLouis Phélypeaux
(1643-03-29)29 March 1643
Paris, Isle-de-France, Kingdom of France
Died22 December 1727(1727-12-22) (aged 84)
Paris, Isle-de-France, Kingdom of France
IssueJérôme Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain
HousePontchartrain Branch of the House of Phélypeaux
FatherLouis Phélypeaux
MotherMarie de Maupeou
SignatureLouis Phélypeaux's signature

Louis Phélypeaux, Marquis of Phélypeaux OOSE COSM (29 March 1643 – 22 December 1727), Marquis of Phélypeaux (1667), Comte de Maurepas (1687), Count of Pontchartrain (1699), known as the chancellor de Pontchartrain, was a French politician.

Biography

Louis Phélypeaux was born on 29 March 1643 as son of Louis I Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain, and became an advisor to the Parlement of Paris by request on 11 September 1660.[1] On 16 June 1677, he bought the post of First President of the Parlement of Rennes for the sum of 100,000 francs, replacing François d'Argouges, which on 27 August 1677 was finalised.[2][3] During revolts in the Duchy of Brittany, Phélypeaux was able to lead a peaceful resolution by helping the return of the Parliament to Rennes and meeting with revolters.[4] On 25 April 1687, he was recalled to Paris at request of king Louis XIV to become Controller-General of Finances, which began his career as minister.[5]

Between 29 September 1689 and 5 September 1699, Louis was Controller-General, but gained two more ministerial posts in 1690. From 6 November 1690 to 2 July 1714, Louis became Secretary of State of the Maison du Roi (Chief of the King's Household), and from 6 November 1690 to 5 September 1699 became Secretary of State of the Navy.[6]

From 13 November 1690 to 27 December 1693, Louis became Perpetual Head, President, and Director of the East India Company.[7]

Career

He conducted a census of the population from 1693 onward, the first since Vauban's of 1678. At court he was an opponent of Fénelon and the Quietists.

Phélypeaux served as Chancellor of France from 5 September 1699 to 1 July 1714. Historian François Bluche wrote that "he gave the Chancellor's office an importance and authority not seen since the early years of Pierre Séguier." Saint-Simon greatly admired him, writing "There was never a man so quick of understanding, so cheerful and pleasant in conversation, so swift and confident in action, so sure in his judgment of other men, or so clever in outwitting them…his integrity was remarkable, apparent in everything that he did, and, underlying the lightheartedness that remained with him until the end, was much piety, kindness, and let me add, decency.” Pontchartrain was also Secretary of the Royal Households, his discretion was appreciated by Louis XIV.

He was made clerk of the prestigious Order of the Holy Spirit in May 1700.

He resigned in 1714 for having failed to affix the seals to the decree of 5 July 1714, condemning a document by the Bishop of Metz, Henri-Charles de Coislin, as contrary to the papal bull Unigenitus. He had found it difficult to reconcile his religious beliefs with those of the increasingly authoritarian Louis XIV. He retired to an Oratorian institution where he died in 1727.

Personal life

In 1668 he married Marie de Maupeou. They had one son, Jérôme Phélypeaux (1674–1747), comte de Pontchartrain.

Legacy

Coat of Arms of Phélyppeaux de Maurepas.

Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana was named after him, as well as the historic Hotel Pontchartrain in New Orleans.

In Michigan his name was given to Fort Pontchartrain du Détroit (the site of modern-day Detroit), and to Detroit's Hotel Pontchartrain.

Isle Phelipeaux, Isle Pontchartrain, and Isle Maurepas, which appear on early maps of Lake Superior, were named in his honour by Pierre François Xavier de Charlevoix.[8] It was later determined that Phelipeaux did not actually exist, and it is uncertain whether Pontchartrain and/or Maurepas refer to real islands known today by other names.[9][8]

See also

Bibliography

  • Sara E. Chapman, Private Ambition and Political Alliances the Phélypeaux de Pontchartrain Family and Louis XIV's Government, 1650-1715. Rochester N.Y. : University of Rochester Press, 2004. ISBN 1580461530.

References

  1. ↑ Prud'homme, Alfred (18-1883) Auteur du texte (1902). Histoire de Neauphle-le-Château du XIe siècle à nos jours / par Alfred Prud'homme. p. 182.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  2. ↑ Saint-Simon, Louis de Rouvroy duc de (1675-1755) Auteur du texte (1879–1931). Mémoires de Saint-Simon : nouvelle édition collationnée sur le manuscrit autographe, augmentée des additions de Saint-Simon au Journal de Dangeau. Tome 1 / notes et appendices par A. de Boislisle... p. 52.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ↑ Popoff, Michel (2003). Prosopographie des gens du parlement de Paris (1266-1753) [Prosopography of the people of the Paris parliament (1266-1753)] (in French). Paris, France. p. 849. ISBN 978-2863771822.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  4. ↑ texte, Anselme de Sainte-Marie (1625-1694 ; augustin) Auteur du (1726–1733). Histoire généalogique et chronologique de la maison royale de France, des pairs, grands officiers de la Couronne, de la Maison du Roy et des anciens barons du royaume.... Tome 6 / par le P. Anselme,... ; continuée par M. Du Fourny. p. 587.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ↑ Mémoires des intendants sur l'état des généralités dressés [sic] pour l'instruction du duc de Bourgogne ; 1. Mémoire de la généralité de Paris. Tome 1 / publ. par A. M. de Boislile. 1881. p. 221.
  6. ↑ texte, Société nationale d'agriculture de France Auteur du (1876). "Mémoires publiés par la Société centrale d'agriculture de France". Gallica. p. 375. Retrieved 2022-09-27.
  7. ↑ Sottas, Jules (1866-1945) Auteur du texte (1905). Une Escadre française aux Indes en 1690. Histoire de la Compagnie royale des Indes Orientales, 1664-1719 , par Jules Sottas. Ouvrage accompagné de gravures et d'un appendice de technique navale. p. 395.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. 1 2 "1743 Bellin Map of North America". Geographicus Rare Antique Maps. Retrieved 2018-03-10.
  9. ↑ Seymour I. Schwartz, The Mismapping of America. Rochester N.Y. : University of Rochester Press, 2003. Chapter 5 French Fantasies. 173-213.
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