Victor de Broglie (1785–1870)

Biography

Early life

Victor de Broglie was born in

From 1812 to 1822 all the efforts of men of sense and character were directed to reconciling the Restoration and the Revolution, the old régime and the new France. From 1822 to 1827 all their efforts were directed to resisting the growing power of the

counter-revolution. From 1827 to 1830 all their efforts aimed at moderating and regulating the reaction in a contrary sense.^[2]

During the last critical years of

In 1836, the government having been defeated on a proposal to reduce the five percents tax, he once more resigned.[2]

He had remained in power long enough to prove what honesty of purpose, experience of affairs, and common sense can accomplish when allied with authority. The debt that France and Europe owed him may be measured by comparing the results of his policy with that of his successors under not dissimilar circumstances. He had found France isolated and Europe full of the rumours of war; he left her strong in the English alliance and the respect of Liberal Europe, and Europe freed from the restless apprehensions which were to be stirred into life again by the attitude of

Spanish Marriages

.

From 1836 to 1848, De Broglie held almost completely aloof from politics, to which his scholarly temperament little inclined him, a disinclination strengthened by the death of his wife on 22 September 1838. His friendship for Guizot, however, induced him to accept a temporary mission in 1845, and in 1847 to go as French

The last twenty years of his life were devoted chiefly to philosophical and literary pursuits. Having been brought up by his stepfather in the sceptical opinions of the time, he gradually arrived at a sincere belief in the Christian religion. "I shall die," he said, "a penitent Christian and an impenitent Liberal".^[2]

His literary works, though few of them have been published, were rewarded in 1856 by a seat in the

• 1833: Grand cordon of the Order of Leopold.^{[4][full citation needed]}

Works

Besides his Souvenirs, in 4 vols. (Paris, 1885–1888), the duc de Broglie left numerous works, of which only some have been published. Of these may be mentioned:^[2]

• Écrits et discours (3 vols., Paris, 1863);
• Le libre échange et l'impôt (Paris, 1879);
• Vues sur le gouvernement de la France (Paris, 1861).

This last was confiscated by the imperial government before publication.^[2]

Notes

References

• Reeve, Henry (1878), "Achille Léonce Victor Charles, Duc de Broglie" , in Baynes, T. S. (ed.), Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 4 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, pp. 359–360

Attribution

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911), "Broglie, de", Encyclopædia Britannica, vol. 4 (11th ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 626–628

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Victor, 3rd duc de Broglie.

• "Les Immortels: Victor de Broglie" (in French). Académie française. 2009. Archived from the original on 4 February 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2009.

Political offices
Preceded by Henri Gauthier, comte de Rigny	Minister of Foreign Affairs 12 March 1835 – 22 February 1836	Succeeded by Adolphe Thiers
French nobility
Preceded by Victor-François, 2nd duc de Broglie	Duc de Broglie 1804–1870	Succeeded by Albert, 4th duc de Broglie
Cultural offices
Preceded by Louis de Beaupoil, Comte de Sainte-Aulaire	Académie française 1855–1870	Succeeded by Prosper Duvergier de Hauranne