Alexis-François Artaud De Montor
Encyclopedia
Alexis-François Artaud De Montor (born Paris, 31 July 1772; died Paris, 12 Nov., 1849) was a diplomat and historian. An émigré during the French Revolution
, he was entrusted by the royal princes with missions to the Holy See
and served during the campaign of Champagne
in the Army of Condé
. Napoleon Bonaparte made him secretary of the French Legation in Rome. Artaud occupied this post under François Cacault
, left Rome for a short time when Cardinal Joseph Fesch
, Cacault's successor, brought Chateaubriand with him, and returned to Rome in the same capacity after Chateaubriand had resigned. Appointed chargé d'affaires
of France to Florence in 1805 he was recalled in 1807 because he was wrongfully suspected of having employed his power on behalf of the Queen of Etruria whose possessions Napoleon wished to give to Elisa Bonaparte
.
Made censor during the last years of the empire, he became under the Bourbon Restoration
secretary of the embassy in Vienna, then again in Rome. In 1830 he retired on a pension to devote himself exclusively to literary works. Besides his translation of Dante's Divina Commedia (1811–1813) which was rated very highly, Artaud de Montor left several historical works:
Shortly before his death, in 1849 when Pius IX was banished to Gaeta
, Artaud de Montor published a work entitled: La papauté et les émeutes romaines. His recollections and his observations as a diplomat form part of Artaud de Montor's historical works. He was a member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
from 17 Dec., 1830.
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, he was entrusted by the royal princes with missions to the Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
and served during the campaign of Champagne
Champagne, France
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area...
in the Army of Condé
Army of Condé
The Army of Condé was a French field army during the French Revolutionary Wars. One of several émigré field armies, it was the only one to survive the War of the First Coalition; others had been formed by the Comte d'Artois and Mirabeau-Tonneau...
. Napoleon Bonaparte made him secretary of the French Legation in Rome. Artaud occupied this post under François Cacault
François Cacault
François Cacault was a French diplomat of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic periods.-Life:François's father was a master artist in faience, road engineer and designer of a 1775 map of Nantes which served as the basis for plans to embellish the town...
, left Rome for a short time when Cardinal Joseph Fesch
Joseph Fesch
Joseph Fesch was a French cardinal, closely associated with the family of Napoleon Bonaparte. He was also one of the most famous art collectors of his period.-Biography:Fesch was born at Ajaccio in Corsica...
, Cacault's successor, brought Chateaubriand with him, and returned to Rome in the same capacity after Chateaubriand had resigned. Appointed chargé d'affaires
Chargé d'affaires
In diplomacy, chargé d’affaires , often shortened to simply chargé, is the title of two classes of diplomatic agents who head a diplomatic mission, either on a temporary basis or when no more senior diplomat has been accredited.-Chargés d’affaires:Chargés d’affaires , who were...
of France to Florence in 1805 he was recalled in 1807 because he was wrongfully suspected of having employed his power on behalf of the Queen of Etruria whose possessions Napoleon wished to give to Elisa Bonaparte
Elisa Bonaparte
Maria Anna Elisa Bonaparte Baciocchi Levoy, Princesse Française, Duchess of Lucca and Princess of Piombino, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Countess of Compignano was the fourth surviving child and eldest surviving daughter of Carlo Buonaparte and Letizia Ramolino, making her the younger sister of...
.
Made censor during the last years of the empire, he became under the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
secretary of the embassy in Vienna, then again in Rome. In 1830 he retired on a pension to devote himself exclusively to literary works. Besides his translation of Dante's Divina Commedia (1811–1813) which was rated very highly, Artaud de Montor left several historical works:
- Machiavel, son génie et ses erreurs (Machiavelli, his genius and his errors; Paris, 1833);
- the volume on the history of Italy in the collection of the Univers pittoresque (Paris, 1834);
- Histoire du pape Pie VII (2 vols., Paris, 1836);
- Histoire de Dante Alighieri (Paris, 1841);
- Histoire des souverains pontifes romains (8 vols., Paris, 1842);
- Histoire de Léon XII (Paris, 1843);
- Histoire de Pie VIII (Paris, 1843).
Shortly before his death, in 1849 when Pius IX was banished to Gaeta
Gaeta
Gaeta is a city and comune in the province of Latina, in Lazio, central Italy. Set on a promontory stretching towards the Gulf of Gaeta, it is 120 km from Rome and 80 km from Naples....
, Artaud de Montor published a work entitled: La papauté et les émeutes romaines. His recollections and his observations as a diplomat form part of Artaud de Montor's historical works. He was a member of the Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres
The Académie des Inscriptions et Belles-Lettres is a French learned society devoted to the humanities, founded in February 1663 as one of the five academies of the Institut de France.-History:...
from 17 Dec., 1830.