Elénor-François-Elie, Comte de Moustier
Encyclopedia
Elénor-François-Elie, Comte de Moustier (15 March 1751 Paris
- 1 February 1817) was a French soldier, diplomat
, and French ambassador to the United States, from 1787 to 1789. In 1789, he was made Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
He enlisted in the Queen's cavalry regiment.
He continued his military training at Besancon
, where his father was inspector general of cavalry.
In 1767, he was appointed lieutenant in the Navarre Royal Cavalry.
In 1768, he commanded the Scottish company of Garde Écossaise
.
In 1771, he commanded a company of dragoons in the Dauphin
's regiment.
In 1784, he received the Cross of St. Louis.
In 1789, he became a knight of St. George the Count of Burgundy.
In 1772, the king appointed him counselor of embassy in London.
In 1776, he was appointed secretary to the embassy at Naples, with his brother, the Marquis de Clermont d'Amboise.
In 1778, he was appointed minister of the king next to the elector of Trier, head of the department of Saarland
.
In 1783, he was sent as a special diplomatic mission to London following the peace treaty signed between England and France.
In 1787 he was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States.
In 1790, he was recalled for a diplomatic post in Prussia
.
In September 1791, Louis XVI offered him the post of foreign minister, he declined.
He was accused of organizing a coalition of counter-revolutionaries in Prussia. But Eleonora Francois Elie de Moustier was the initiator of this anti-Republican coalition.
The king of France, then appointed him ambassador to Constantinople
.
The revolutionary party upon taking power, called for his head; he fled to England, and Prussia. The king's brother, the future Louis XVIII, gave him full powers to treat the interests of the king of France and the monarchy, and in 1792, offered him the title of regent during the captivity of the king.
In 1793, he returned to England. He led the negotiations between British forces and the émigré troops
on English soil.
In 1795, he coordinated the landing of royalists at Quiberon bay
.
After the failure of the counter-revolution, he remained in Prussia, then in England.
He returned to France in 1814, with the Bourbon restoration
, he was exiled again in 1815.
On January 2, 1779, they had a son, Edward Clement, in Koblenz, who later became a Minister Plenipotentiary.
After her death, he partnered with her married sister, Anne Flore Millet de Bréhan. When he was appointed ambassador, this caused a scandal, leading to his recall in October 1789. He visited President George Washington
, at Mount Vernon
, where she made portraits of Washington and Eleanor Parke Custis.
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
- 1 February 1817) was a French soldier, diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
, and French ambassador to the United States, from 1787 to 1789. In 1789, he was made Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
Life
He studied at the University of Heidelberg.He enlisted in the Queen's cavalry regiment.
He continued his military training at Besancon
Besançon
Besançon , is the capital and principal city of the Franche-Comté region in eastern France. It had a population of about 237,000 inhabitants in the metropolitan area in 2008...
, where his father was inspector general of cavalry.
In 1767, he was appointed lieutenant in the Navarre Royal Cavalry.
In 1768, he commanded the Scottish company of Garde Écossaise
Garde Écossaise
The Garde Écossaise was an elite Scottish military unit founded in 1418 by the Valois Charles VII of France, to be personal bodyguards to the French monarchy. They were assimilated into the Maison du Roi and later formed the first Company of the Garde du Corps du Roi...
.
In 1771, he commanded a company of dragoons in the Dauphin
Dauphin
The Dauphin of France —strictly, The Dauphin of Viennois —was the title given to the heir apparent to the throne of France from 1350 to 1791, and from 1824 to 1830...
's regiment.
In 1784, he received the Cross of St. Louis.
In 1789, he became a knight of St. George the Count of Burgundy.
Diplomatic career
In 1769, he moved to Lisbon, his brother, the Marquis de Clermont d'Amboise, as attache.In 1772, the king appointed him counselor of embassy in London.
In 1776, he was appointed secretary to the embassy at Naples, with his brother, the Marquis de Clermont d'Amboise.
In 1778, he was appointed minister of the king next to the elector of Trier, head of the department of Saarland
Saarland
Saarland is one of the sixteen states of Germany. The capital is Saarbrücken. It has an area of 2570 km² and 1,045,000 inhabitants. In both area and population, it is the smallest state in Germany other than the city-states...
.
In 1783, he was sent as a special diplomatic mission to London following the peace treaty signed between England and France.
In 1787 he was appointed Minister Plenipotentiary to the United States.
In 1790, he was recalled for a diplomatic post in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
.
In September 1791, Louis XVI offered him the post of foreign minister, he declined.
He was accused of organizing a coalition of counter-revolutionaries in Prussia. But Eleonora Francois Elie de Moustier was the initiator of this anti-Republican coalition.
The king of France, then appointed him ambassador to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
.
The revolutionary party upon taking power, called for his head; he fled to England, and Prussia. The king's brother, the future Louis XVIII, gave him full powers to treat the interests of the king of France and the monarchy, and in 1792, offered him the title of regent during the captivity of the king.
In 1793, he returned to England. He led the negotiations between British forces and the émigré troops
Émigré armies of the French Revolutionary Wars
The émigré armies of the French Revolutionary Wars were armies raised outside of France by and out of Royalist émigrés, with the aim of overthrowing the French Revolution, reconquering France and restoring the monarchy. These were aided by royalist armies within France itself, such as the Chouans,...
on English soil.
In 1795, he coordinated the landing of royalists at Quiberon bay
Invasion of France (1795)
The invasion of France in 1795 or the Battle of Quiberon was a major landing on the Quiberon peninsula by émigré, counter-revolutionary troops in support of the Chouannerie and Vendée Revolt, beginning on 23 June and finally definitively repulsed on 21 July...
.
After the failure of the counter-revolution, he remained in Prussia, then in England.
He returned to France in 1814, with 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...
, he was exiled again in 1815.
Family
He married Antoinette-Louise Millet (died 1783).On January 2, 1779, they had a son, Edward Clement, in Koblenz, who later became a Minister Plenipotentiary.
After her death, he partnered with her married sister, Anne Flore Millet de Bréhan. When he was appointed ambassador, this caused a scandal, leading to his recall in October 1789. He visited President George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
, at Mount Vernon
Mount Vernon
The name Mount Vernon is a dedication to the English Vice-Admiral Edward Vernon. It was first applied to Mount Vernon, the Virginia estate of George Washington, the first President of the United States...
, where she made portraits of Washington and Eleanor Parke Custis.
Washington correspondence
- Letter to the Count de Moustier, August 17, 1788
- Letter to Comte de Moustier, May 25, 1789
- Letter to Comte de Moustier, November 1, 1790