Jean Frédéric Phélypeaux, Count of Maurepas
The Count of Maurepas Marquis of La Vrillière | |
---|---|
Succeeded by | The Count of Saint-Florentin |
Personal details | |
Born | Jean-Frédéric Phélypeaux 9 July 1701 Versailles, Île-de-France, France |
Died | 21 November 1781 Versailles, Île-de-France, France | (aged 80)
Spouse |
Jeanne Phélypeaux
(m. 1728–1781) |
Profession | Statesman |
Jean Frédéric
Biography
Early years
He was born at
In 1718 at the age of 17, Jean became the minister of the royal household and Comte de Maurepas under the guardianship of his cousin La Vrillière. Shortly after he married the daughter of his cousin, Marie-Jeanne. Five years later on 16 August he began his duties as ministre de la marine to Louis XV administering the navy, colonies and seaborne trade.[1] In 1738 he was promoted to the Conseil du Roi, and in time aided the king, alongside several other ministers in making significant political decisions.[2] Jean continued his administrative career after the death of his guardian, and was ministre de la marine until 23 April 1749, when he was removed in a coup.[1]
Political rising
Skilled in military and naval strategy, Maurepas enabled the French Navy to regain previously lost prestige and France was once again recognized as a maritime power. One way that he improved the French reputation was by focusing on the defense of France's sprawling empire in the New World, especially in the 1730s and 1740s.[3] His defense plans were aided by information on British naval manoeuvres, lists of what ships were coming to North America and detailed memoirs of ship construction. Jean-Frederic obtained this information through maintaining an intelligence service that was considered one of the most efficient in Europe.[4] This was only made possible due to the drastic funding increases he managed to obtain for the Troupes de la Marine. The typical budget appropriated to the marine from the mid-1720s to mid-1730s was 9 million livres; in 1739, however, Jean-Frederic managed to obtain a budget of 19.2 million livres. In the following years he acquired budgets of 20 million livres in 1740, 26 million in 1741 and 27 million in 1742.[1] Over his career as administrator he held the positions of chamberlain of the royal household, minister of the marine, and director of the secret service, fulfilling his duties with efficiency and precision.[4]
Political decline
In 1749, Maurepas was removed by a coup led by the
Jealous of his personal ascendancy over Louis XVI, he intrigued against Turgot, whose disgrace in 1776 was followed after six months of disorder by the appointment of Jacques Necker. In 1781 Maurepas deserted Necker as he had done Turgot, and he died at Versailles on 21 November 1781.[5]
Legacy
Maurepas is credited with contributions to the collection of facetiae known as the Etrennes de la Saint Jean (2nd ed., 1742). Four volumes of Memoires de Maurepas, purporting to be collected by his secretary and edited by
Lake Maurepas, Louisiana, USA was named for him, showing his surviving influence on the New World.[2]
See also
- Comte de Maurepas (ship)
- Maurepas, France
References
- ^ a b c d e Rule, John C., "Jean-Frederic Phelypeaux, comte de Pontchartrain et Maurepas: Reflections on His Life and His Papers", The Journal of the Louisiana Historical Association Vol 6: 1965, p 365-377
- ^ a b c d McLynn, F. "An Eighteenth-Century Scots Republic? An Unlikely Project from Absolutist France", Scottish Historical Review Vol 59, Edinburgh University Press:1980, p 177
- ^ Rule, John C."The Maurepas Papers: Portrait of a Minister", French Historical Studies Vol. 4, Duke University Press, 1965, p. 104.
- ^ a b Rule, John C."The Maurepas Papers: Portrait of a Minister", French Historical Studies Vol. 4, Duke University Press, 1965, p. 105.
- ^ a b c public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Maurepas, Jean Frédéric Phélypeaux, Comte de". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 907. One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in the